There was color, live Bollywood music, and laughter at the Aristacare nursing home for seniors in Cedar Oaks, NJ, recently, when almost 100 residents enjoyed celebrating Holi. They were entertained by the Care Chords musical group.
The show featured nostalgic tunes from the 1940s to the early 2000s. The singers – Aditi Tandon, Prathyusha Nacha, Ashwath Gurumurthy and Saanvi Nacha – chose lively and soft classics loved by many generations, a press release from Care Chords said, adding that seniors sang along and clapped to the beats.
Care Chords, a community outreach Program based in Basking Ridge brings live Indian and Western Music performances to senior and care communities in New Jersey. “The goal is to entertain elders who find an emotional connection with their favorite music, and also build cultural and meaningful interactions,” said Care Chords which can be reached at CareChords@gmail.com.
The music program was created a year ago. “It started when I was much younger,” says the founder, Saanvi Nacha, 15, who sings in many languages. “At 7 or 8, I used to love caroling at senior homes with my music group. Later on, I also sang Beatles and ABBA songs at a few centers.”
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The theme of the Holi show was love in its myriad forms, from the jazzy notes of Shankar Jaikishan, to the romance of R D Burman, with the vintage gems by Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, and Asha Bhonsle. The 2 teenage performers Saanvi and Ashwath, who were born in the U.S and don’t speak much Hindi, confessed that they love the yesteryear tunes as much as their parents and grandparents do.
“We want our residents to feel at home here, and do things that make them smile and enjoy,” says Dr. Mukund Thakar, founder of Indian Nursing Program. Ankita Patel, the Cultural Director adds, “Holi is such a fun festival and we try to make it a vibrant and colorful celebration each year!”