While a lot of Amdavadis may crib about the fact that Gujarat is a dry state, it also has its own advantages.“Ahmedabad is relatively safer because of the traditional culture that it still holds. There are no wild parties that happen at large scale in other cities. It is usu ally the small friends and family gatherings that people engage in,“ says academician Indira Hirway . Yes, we miss out on all the fun that comes along with enjoying nightlife with friends, club hopping and having a gala time, but this also means there is overall peace in the state. “Being a dry state, we don't have pubs and discs. Surat, Vadodara and Ahmedabad have a night life which is free from liquor, and is lived out mostly on the streets. The absence of drunkards in public places contributes to women's safety in a big way ,“ says lawyer Avani Mehta who frequently travels at odd hours for work.Whether it's Manek Chowk and Law Garden in Ahmedabad, Ghod Dod Road and Dumas in Surat or Fatehgunj, Ratri Bazaar, Alkapuri in Baroda, there are youngsters on their two wheelers, hanging out in these streets long past midnight, sharing a cup of tea or coffee while chit-chatting with friends. “Gujarat surely has its share of fun and freedom, but minus the feeling of being unsafe. After all, nigh life with loved ones must be about merriment, memorable conversations and good behaviour; not driven by alcohol,“ says social activist Leena Sanghvi.

While Gujarat has a good number of college-going girls and working women, there are rare instances where they have faced harassment or been physically abused in public spots. “It is because of the law abiding and co-operative nature of our citizens that Gujarat is safe for women. We have various departments of police on patrol that keep a tab on drunk driving. For women, we have various cells for emergency that are active round the clock. We also take help of the officials from Suraksha Samiti who keep their eyes and ears open all the time,“ says Deepan Bhadran, DCP (crime), Ahmedabad. A state can't turn into a safe place overnight. It is the little precautions and safety measures taken by people and government that lead to building of a safe place.

“Most universities and colleges have a sexual harassment cell where the victim can open up with conformity to anonymity . While low key harassment cases keep happening every day at places like riverfront and Lal Darwaza, there are no major molestation cases like the ones in bigger metro cities. Also, the city planners need to plan the city in a way where there are no empty streets at any point of time. There must be patrolling 247. There is also a need to plan more number of public transport for late night to assure the safety of women during night time,“ says Darshini Mahadevia, professor, CEPT. To sum it up, safety of women in the society at large isn't just about having laws and guidelines, but also about every individual's mental framework and the values they are brought up with. “It's high time we get rid of the tendency of suppressing women and nurturing boys. A change in our thoughts and behavior is the only way to help build a safe, healthy society,“ says Hirway .

Says singer Sona Mohapatra, who will perform at the Times Ahmedabad Festival today

Sona Mohapatra who will evening perform at the Times Ahmedabad Festival this at Vastrapur Amphitheatre, opens up about performing in the city, making a style statement and more in a chat with Ahmedabad Times.Excerpts:You've performed in Ahmedabad before. How's the experience been?
Performing in Ahmedabad has been fabulous. My last concert came out to be a big surprise as a huge number of people turned up, which was beyond the expectations of the organisers considering that I am not the conventional mainstream Bollywood artiste and my repertoire hasn't got TV airplay to justify such numbers, or so they might have felt. It was the best gift Ahmedabad could have given me. It made me realize that the youth here are truly connected to music of all kinds and have a deep love for artistes who have a life outside of films.
What does your association with Times Of India and the Times Ahmedabad Festival mean to you?
It is an opportunity to make a cultural impact and play to a genuine music loving audience.I am counting on this to trigger collaborations with local artistes in the city too. Art and aesthetics should be at the top of the mind for the youth to be able to re-energize and evolve their minds and souls. And this is what this association is about. I believe that originality and innovation in all domains would benefit. Just malls and multiplexes cannot be the start and finish to our entertainment and mental stimulation.
Even after a number of Bollywood hits, you continue doing music in other forms including indie albums, collaborations and more.How does it help you as a singer?
Living a life, traveling and meeting people is crucial for an artiste. Every experience informs my work. It helps me pick the stories that I end up telling consistently, be it via music, performance, social media or even the way I dress.While craft, technique and my training as a singer is a definite foundation, the rest of it plays just as important a role in offering some thing special to my audiences. The soul in my singing comes from me engaging with the environment, be it social, political or otherwise.Putting out original music lets me show case my personality and life; one that is not restricted by the context of a film and its characters. It is truly liberating and thankfully my audience gets that.
Although, you've done a variety of work, Ambarsariya is the one which is mostly associated with you. Do you think singers get caught within their most popular songs with their other material taking a backseat?
That might be the case, especially with the media, but if your most popular songs are a reflection of your taste and in complete sync with the rest of your repertoire like Ambarsariya is, it's merely another dot that connects.For the genuine music lover, and there are many in India, my Abhi Nahin Ana is just as loved and requested for in concerts, radio shows and wherever I go .
Is it important to be associated with Bollywood to gain popularity or can you achieve similar feat with your indie endeavors as well?
Today, both aspects of your artistry feed off each other.
Nothing can compare to the challenge, the high, the immediate love and gratifi cation that a live stage pro vides and I live for this.
Having said that, playback is a means to this very end.
Having songs in films helps achieve the biggest reach and more importantly eases out the worries of the show organizers. In a young country like India, there is hardly any infra structure, venues, govern ment or corporate grants to support and encourage live music and culture.
Organizers are able to achieve a better sell-in with sponsors and the logistics of a 10-member team like mine, which eases out if you have reached out to the lowest common denomina tor via films. My repertoire on stage is dominated by my own material and I am fortunate that my film repertoire is also in sync with the same genres, roots music, and folk styles like the thumri ang, mixed with a gypsy spirit. So, it all comes together as a coherent artist voice and not like a schizophrenic suffering from a multiple personality disorder.
You are also one of those few singers, who carry their own fashion style. Is it a conscious effort or does it come naturally?
I see clothes as a means to expressing myself and telling a story just as I would with a song. I also love designs that celebrate local workmanship and textiles. It gives me a high to be showcasing Amdavadi homegrown labels and Gujarati silver jewelry in today's concert as an ode to the city . Dressing up generically is a depressing idea to me. I do not follow trends, will not ape the west, like celebrating my roots, my love for good food and therefore my Indian figure with all its curves!