Adieu, Mr Bhathena

To compare Pune’s now defunct Jazz Garden to the Viper Room would be unfair. That would have been the now defunct Ivo’s, given the snakes that were always milling around. I hear Homi Bhathena, the inspiration behind the ‘jazz’ in Jazz Garden has passed away in an accident. Homi gave Pune the chance to truly aspire to a quality live music culture, charging an arm and a leg for the experience. I sparred a lot with Homi. Testing his resolve with stinging criticisms, his patience with substance-fuelled antics and his generosity with star-billed requests. Go in peace Homi.