The Magical Fountains of Lima - Hollywood meets Bollywood and the result is definitely "Limawood"!!

As the Lonely Planet guide states “………..indulgent series of fountains is so over the top that it can’t help but induce stupefaction among even the most hardened cynic” . This park is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 4.00 pm to 10.00 pm. There are fountains and more fountains. Different shapes, different sizes. Different water patterns. Just amazing. 

Unfortunately I could not get details of what made the local council undertake this project. There is a guided tour which takes you to these fountains, as part of a long tour or a short tour.  We had already seen Lima by the Red Bus and so we went for the short tour which started again from the same place by the church in the main square. The Magic Water Circuit has the Guinness Book record for the largest fountain complex in the world, displaying 13 separate fountains – one sees that many are interactive. All of the fountains are illuminated at night, many with continuously changing colour at intervals.

The bus company insists that each seat is fixed so it’s important to ensure that you get a good seat enabling you to see the sights properly. I personally prefer to sit the side across from the kerbside so that you get the far view clearly – the kerb side view is always seen anyway. The bus does a short tour of the city and suddenly you come across the square where the fountains are located. We don’t get to see all the fountains as they are in two parts. We reach a side street where we leave the bus and then single file, following the guide carrying a lit baton, we go through the gate.

The very first fountain is large and round in design. It has a circular spray 23 m in diameter. It has a changing pattern of colours –like most of the others – and what is really good, is that at most of the important fountain, there is a board stating the details of the fountains. Though in Spanish, it’s a good indicator as to what was behind the creation of each fountain. I have decided to keep these in this blog so that Spanish readers can enjoy it more.

The second fountain we saw was superb. The real star of the show — in terms of sheer fun — is the popular Laberinto del Ensueño  or Maze of the Dream. Its all matter of time getting to the centre -  a mistimed stride will land you right on top of a suddenly jet of water.  It was a large maze with 3 or 4 circles. People would stand in the area between the water jets trying to avoid the water spray when it started. It was hilarious as they had to be still and if they moved, they would get very wet. The jets had various speeds so they kept the folks on tenterhook as no one knew when it would speed up or slow. Music was always part of the flow.

There is a toy train which goes around the whole park

Then came a fountain which was truly awesome! It was long high arch of water which must have been about 12 ft in height. There were lots of water jets which went right over the row of visitors. My photos show the water, with and without flash, which highlights the uniqueness of the fountain.  This was really popular and people would stop in the centre for photos but the guards are vigilant and exhort you to move on.

There were many other fountains which were there – we saw , I think, a total of nine before we reached the finale - at the end -  a 120 metre long Fuente de la Fantasia – Fantasy Fountain show – a laser light show of epic direction and proportion. 
 
 





 






The display starts at a fixed time (I recall 9.45 pm) and lasts 15 minutes is set to a medley of tunes – from Western classical music to Peruvian tunes to ABBA! Extremely well designed and may I say choreographed. 

Unbelievable in such a city or under developed country like Peru. It’s a great achievement and certainly a crowd puller and makes the Limaite proud of it.

There are laser light visuals featuring buildings, local tribal people in their colourful costumes as well as sights. Laser text is thrown across the whole water pattern so one knows what is to follow. There is one section in the beginning, which I think, is called ‘One day in the history (of Lima)’ featuring various people in the city. But basically across the 120 metre long display, the speed of the various visuals perfectly synched to the music is just mind-blowing.

To enjoy the whole show, don’t make the mistake of standing right by the barrier. The sprays are high, the visuals are high and so to enjoy the whole performance it’s important to stand at a distance. Ensure you are in the middle of the whole display and at the back, somewhere near the sitting area.  

Regrettably, time passed too fast and our guide was keen that we left before everybody else so we were forced to depart before the end. Sad but obviously necessary. Whilst walking o the exit, I stopped many times as one can’t just walk away from such a wonderful display. There were hundreds of people cheering and delight visible on their faces. Pride reflected on the locals who appreciated the awe on the foreigners’ faces.

If you visit Lima, try and see the fountains on your own so you can see both sections across the road. If hard put for time, go on the tour but these Magical Fountains are a sight not to be missed.





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art4all show in Ahmedabad - paintings, jewellery collages & photographs

 A view of the gallery - 85 ft long and really majestic in depth! Those are my paintings on the left side. Its the best place to exhibit as it has a popular cafe outside and its located in the CEPT University area premises. Lots of people. Only drawback its open only from 4.00 pm to 8.00 pm.

The art exhibition in early March 2016 at Gufa, the leading art gallery in Ahmedabad was a great success. I had two fellow artists with me at the Gufa show- Mala Kothari makes extra-ordinary murals from rough semi-precious stones like rubies, emeralds, amethyst, etc., metals, wood, paintings and thus create collages of real beauty. Darshan Mehta, my nephew, is a diamantaire (diamond expert) by profession but his real passion is photography. He shoots in RAW format and not the standard jpeg hence his architecture images are awesome. Every image is crystal clear.

The works were put up beautifully. At the inauguration, (a very important event in all public events / exhibitions). The lamp was lit by ex Executive Director National Institute of Design as Chief Guest, accompanied by local dignitaries - a local well known art collector; a leading textile mill owner; heir to Gondal State which was 1^st state in Gujerat to have excellent infrastructure and free schooling in the 1920’s and my nephew in law – a paediatrician cum museologist and trick lock expert. You need to bring in VIP’s so that people then come to the show and you get written ​​in media.

I had taken along my frame maker from Mumbai for two days to ensure that the works were properly exhibited and as both Darshan and I are beholden to those who create masterpieces of our works, it was as a mark of respect that he also lit the lamp along with those luminaries. He performed with élan.   

As a total surprise to everybody, including my family, at the very end, I had a cake brought in and we all sang Happy Birthday Falguni as it was the charming lady’s ‘back to 21’ birthday… she is Darshan’s wife.  I enjoyed the look of surprise on her face. The ​professional ​photographer was told to capture that look but he was also too stunned and missed that vital shot! Anyway, we have many photos of the event for those interested.

Crowd scenes above - rather hectic time for those four hours.

 Due to my daughter, we tied up with a local NGO working with mentally retarded and physically handicapped children from very poor areas. On 21^st January 2016, I had personally visited the slums of Danilimda, Chamundanagar and the Lohar colony in Narol area of south Ahmedabad where the conditions are appalling and poverty / living conditions are unimaginable until seen.

I have met various social workers of Prabhat. One can visualize how awful the localities must be in rainy weather and these people are going about their work, truly committed.

Normal children are taught that playing and accepting mentally ill or physically handicapped children in their communities is important for the welfare of both groups. I have seen the physiotherapists handling the children needing care. It is wonderful that we have the privilege of supporting such an NGO.  We raised a decent amount for the NGO through the sale of our works – we had committed 30% of sales so I am happy at that end too. That’s my standard practice at each exhibition for a local NGO to be supported in this way.  We had 25 to 30 kids brought over with 20 + teachers and it gave me great satisfaction to see these kids in a totally new environment for them. They can’t express in words so when a child saw an art work he/she liked, he/she would raise a clenched fist and shake it. The others would see that. They had snacks and then sat in the open air of the garden for two hours before going back to their slums.

Finally, a surprise for me - after nearly 20 years, I met Taraben Kothari (aged a fit 90 years young!) - She and her husband had been my in loco parentis from 1963 when I arrived in London (in the coldest winter of 30 years when the snow stayed till end April of that year) till I left in 1972. We had stayed close after that but sometime in late 1990’s we lost touch. Due to her husband’s death last year, our friendship was rekindled and she happened to be in Ahmedabad a day before leaving back to London. A touching reunion with a wonderful lady who had treated me like a son, unreservedly for a decade. 
So, that was my 10^th art exhibition - eventful and very memorable in all respects.

We had EXCELLENT media coverage. We had six articles published in various media so that we had a decent crowd every day. The last two days saw 200 to 350+ people pouring in. It is true to say that many local Ahmadavadis came and complimented us on such an unusual exhibition. They had never seen such an eclectic mix as well as such works on display. Artists, architect students and the public came along with the VIP's.

 

Text and photographs copyright of the author. No part of this article or photographs maybe transmitted or reproduced by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without written permission. Do contact the author on email -- helpthesun@gmail.com