Who is Binga?

Binga

Born a small, yellow, fuzzy cat. Binga, was one of a litter of 9 brothers and sisters!

As a kitten, Binga always knew he was different. While his brothers and sisters spent long, listless days curled up to their mother, Binga would often sneak away to listen to his neighbour Raju, who learned the tabla. The beating of those small drums and rhythm of the music seeped into his veins....and, Binga began to 'groove'!

Binga's brothers and sisters dreamed about being adopted by rich house owners in Delhi where they could eat and sleep all day long. Binga, on the other hand, dreamed about traveling far and wide across India - learning different types of music and sharing his 'groove' with others.

One night, whilst sleeping, the Goddess Saraswati appeared in his dreams. "Listen to the music Binga. Feel it. Find it. Follow it". She said, "Share it with others!".

Binga woke to see his fur transformed, with thick black stripes, he snuck into the darkness of the night and headed straight for the city of dreamers, Mumbai. It was in Mumbai that he found a guitar guru who taught him everything he knew about playing the guitar!

Binga had never been happier in his life and practiced long and hard, day and night, in his house in the base of an old Banyan tree. It was whilst practicing one night, that he met Brett Lee. Brett had gone for a late night walk after winning a match and was drawn to the sound of a guitar coming from the Banyan tree. And, so Brett and Binga became mates! They jammed on their guitars together long into the night and by morning they were best friends!

When Brett first thought of starting his Foundation, he knew the right man to help him spread the joy of music in India whenever he was home in Australia! Binga! And, Binga was thrilled!

His dream had come true, for now, he spends his days traveling the length and breadth of India, sharing music with kids and spreading the message that, through music, dreams can come true!.

An afternoon at Dharavi Mewsic Centre

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We depart from the office near Khar Station, catching the local train to Dharavi Station, from there a short taxi ride and a shorter walk takes us to the Mewsic Centre, where, our welcome makes us feel like rockstars…..A crowd of parents, kids and curious onlookers….perhaps wondering what these foreigners are doing in their midst?

Shoes off - as is the custom, we are taken inside and offered a glass of water, cold water, another exception to the norm for us foreigners! After chatting a little to the kids, and a little to the staff, we are treated first to a performance on keyboard, then a solo on guitar, by Saeed – one of the most promising students in the program – already he has mastered all the major chords and learnt a half dozen songs by heart.

As we watch, I try to imagine what it's like for these kids – growing up in a world so vastly different from mine, one which 6 months ago I couldn’t have imagined.

Language is a barrier, but not for long – we muddle along and shy smiles and laughter soon take over.

A song follows the instrumental performances and after the singing, the dancing begins! – the boys, a tribute to Michael Jackson, the girls, a Bollywood number - that has us all bopping along….

The benefits of music, while not always understood or quantifiable, are numerous, and, if nothing else you can see that these kids are enjoying themselves and brimming with newfound confidence. 

It’s exciting to see the program in action and reinforces what we are here to do, to achieve –  

that is to share the joy and power of music!

At Dharavi Music Centre

The Dholak

--> The dholak or dholaki is a two-headed hand drum, typically North Indian but popular across India, Pakistan and Nepal.The drum is usually played from the lap while the player is seated, or, when the player is standing, slung from the shoulder or hip. 

Often the drum is made from sheeshan wood but, mango and even coconut palm are also used in cheaper versions.

A master dholak player will oftentimes sing or chant along with his drumming and often plays the lead role in performances. Children across India have grown up with the dholak being played at weddings and other events, singing and dancing to the beat of the dholak. 

At Mewsic we aim to encourage a passion for traditional instruments, such as the dholak, alongside a love for more modern instruments (like guitar) - keeping alive the cultural traditions of the communities in which we operate.

Emily Harrison - Innovaid, and Preeti Mehta from the South Jaipur Rotary Club, having met to discuss the proposed Mewsic Bus program, an initiative of Brett Lee's Mewsic India Foundation.

A visit to Dharavi Mewsic Centre

Intern Nazia Khan with students from the Dharavi Mewsic Centre.

Emily Harrison - Innovaid, with students
from Dharavi Mewsic Centre

Learning to strum a guitar at Dharavi Mewsic Centre

Who is the Mewsic India Foundation?

The Mewsic India Foundation was started in 2011, an initiative of Australian cricketer Brett Lee. Under the guidance of Innovaid Advisory Services Pvt Ltd, the Mewsic India Foundation aims to see every child experience and benefit from the joy and power of music.

“I hope to see music become a widely recognized and powerful tool to heal, empower, educate and advocate for marginalized children across India. These kids see so much and from such a young age…. I would love to be able to give back just a little bit of their childhood”. Says Brett Lee.

With fully functional centres in Mankurd, Govandi, Dharavi, Lucknow, Surat and Hyderabad, the Mewsic India Foundation continues to expand its presence through new initiatives, including; the Music Therapy Academy, Mewsic Bus, Drumbeats & Rural Musicians Program.

In just eight months the confidence and esteem of the 500+ students participating in the programs has grown exponentially. The classrooms once filled with shy, timid kids just busting to leave, are now home to vibrant, sociable youths, intent on their practice - interacting, participating and enjoying the curriculum and classroom activities. They laugh, and learn openly – communicating freely and confident in their growing abilities as musicians, singers, songwriters and dancers.

Music can offer these kids so much more than just an avenue to song and dance, it has a transformative role to play in establishing valuable life skills – teamwork, co-operation, discipline, communication, fine motor skills, boosting confidence and self-esteem - skills transferrable to life, to family,to the workplace.

To find out more about the Mewsic India Foundation visit www.mewsic.in.