8 Reasons Why You Should Be At Nariyal Paani, This Year

Last year (and far from the maddening crowd), Nariyal Paani was a refreshing take on beach music festivals. From Jazz music and boat painting to lounging by the sea and watching the gorgeous Alibaug sunset, we loved the perfect-weekend-getaway vibe the festival seemed to nail. This year, Nariyal Paani is back with a bigger line-up, an exclusive campsite, an art gallery and so much more to celebrate in a quaint coconut wadi of Alibaug. The Sherp’s done your bidding, and sorted out a list of everything you can experience at this fantastic beach-side festival, this coming weekend.

1. A journey that is short, sweet and delightful

Getting to the venue of Nariyal Paani is one of the festival’s most lovely experiences, for sure. All you need to do is take a short (45 minute) ferry ride from Gateway Of India to the shores of Alibaug. The good thing is that there is a ferry that leaves at almost every hour and costs close to nothing. The journey is quite windy, gorgeous with sea-gulls to accompany you. We suggest you leave just before sunset so you can watch it from your boat. Once you get off at Alibaug, the festival venue is a short rickshaw ride away. For those of you interested in driving down to the festival site from Mumbai, be ready to invest a good three to four hours on the road to the Rewas-Alibaug. Also, Scootsy is offering up some choice deals on speedboat rides to Mandwa Jetty, so do look that up if you’re interested.

2.  Nariyal Paani will be featuring an eclectic open art gallery in collaboration with TARQ

A music festival that has a space for other forms of expression, always is a more wholesome experience. So, owing to its ‘Music Art and Nature’ tagline, Nariyal Paani has partnered with one of Bombay’s premier art galleries to feature an exciting outdoor art exhibition at the festival where various artists will be putting their amazing work on display. In addition to this there will also be artists working on graffiti and sketching portraits while musicians and artistes perform on-stage. What’s better? An artist (Tatu from Bangalore) will be creating an interactive art installation specially for the festival.

3. Wait till you get a taste of the unique lineup and on-stage collaborations at the Nariyal Paani..

The line-up for Nariyal Paani 2016 looks quite formidable with the likes of home-grown artists like Laxmi Bomb, Ska Vengers, Nicholson, Zoya, Prateek Kuhad and international names like Bellatrix (UK), Jahneration (France) and Mavambu (Bravil) decorating the roster. But to take performance a bit further, watch out for exciting collaborations from Bellatrix with Feyago and a special surprise from Laxmi Bomb right after their set. To make things a little easier for you, The Sherp put together a little playlist of all the music you’ll be witness to at Nariyal Paani.

4. The four artistes you should be really excited for :

Zoya 

Zoya’s folk fusion and enticing vocals have won her tons of praise over the year, especially as her lyrics reflect her honest life experiences. This India-born Californian songstress, has been around the indie-circuit, delivering two great albums, one of which she has just released – The Girl Who Used To Live In My Room.

Bellatrix (UK)

From Bristol, UK, Bellatrix is primarily a bass player and vocalist with a degree in jazz double bass from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Interestingly however, she has also been named world beatbox champion twice over. This broad palette of influences lends a compelling quality to both her character and her music.

Indiegenous

This fun loving acoustic duo, are the new indie act on the block from New Delhi whose music is as minimalist as it gets. They do a lot of covers as well as originals in folk and funk, with their debut EP having released this past December.

Mavambo (Brazil)

Formed in 2010, Project Mavambu is a Brazilian outfit based out of Minas Gerais. They blend  together their original interpretations of popular music with the rich musical heritage of Brazil, creating a delightfully trans-cultural sound.

5. Expect a fully equipped campsite

The good folks at White Collar Hippie, will be pitching their tents on the shores of Alibaug this time, and hope you’ll be joining them too! The camping collective, known to take festival experiences to another level will be providing the most laid-back and divine camping opportunity at Nariyal Paani. The now two-day festival will come attached with a campsite that begins a day early (to get the fun started) from which you can expect all the elements of the quintessential camping experience – bonfires, camp jams, roasting marshmallows and sleeping under starry nights by the beach. Not just that, this time around expect proper bathrooms and loos, which will also be disabled-friendly.

6. Welcome to a ‘no plastic’ affairEnvironmental sustainability has always been the backbone of this particular festival’s vision, with this year being no different. In an effort to create as little non-biodegradable waste as possible, there will be no plastic at the festival – be it cups, plates or other utensils. Bottled water will be replaced and the decor used to build bathroom stalls, food stalls and the stage will all be made of bamboo and other biodegradable materials. In addition to that, the promoters of the festival have also employed the help of the local community of Alibaug to “perpetuate a sustainable model of employment” for them. A small massage therapy stall will be hosted by these locals, something which was a big hit at last year’s edition. The quaint coconut wadi that opens up into a beach, is a perfect place for children and pets, so feel free to bring them along, as well!

7. For the love of munchies

From juicy burgers and barbecued treats by Woodside Inn, Lebanese finger food and hot dogs by Bombay Food Truck to Konkani delights by Bohemyan Blue, all your cravings and munchies will be satisfied (and then some) at Nariyal Paani. Their carefully curated food and beverage stalls, will also include delicious Nariyal Paani cocktails served in green coconuts.

8. A lovely flea market to accompany the festival site

Nariyal Paani will host a select few merchandise and knick-knacks stalls to entice the shopper in you. From LataSita’s free spirit fashions, Havaianas’s kitschy flip-flops to The Beach Company’s chic swimwear there will be lots of retail therapy to indulge in at the festival. Not just that, do check out ‘Treewear’, a stall that will plant a tree for every T-shirt it sells.