To India without having to fly

Meet at Embassy

“Noreen and I met at a New Year’s party at the Dutch embassy in Delhi. We came into contact with each other at the beginning of 2008 and it clicked immediately!”

In the garden of her Bloemendaal house, Lalita tells about the time she lived in India. Her father, Felix van Lamsweerde (1934-2021) was a pioneer in the introduction of Indian music in the Netherlands. Because of this preference, his daughter grew up with a special bond with the country and culture. She even got an Indian name from her parents and it was not surprising that she left for Delhi with her husband Alexander in 2007. “I worked for a large international PR agency and the idea was that I would continue to work for them. But there were so many opportunities and because I initially thought that I would only stay for two years, I chose to do something completely different and I set up a Western café concept with three lunchrooms in the city. I got my three children and we stayed for over eight years.”

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Entrepreneurial blood flows

Noreen was there for almost five years when the two met. She had gone with her husband who was stationed as a correspondent for De Telegraaf in Delhi. “In 2003, India was not really on the map yet and there was another white canvas what was concerned. There were so many opportunities that my entrepreneurial blood began to flow immediately. I started a company inspired by the Boomerang card concept, in which you undertake socially, creatively and socially involved. That is something I did in all my business. Washbarwhere you can buy food in exchange for litter. ”

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Back to the Netherlands

Both women had three children and moved one after the other from the busy Delhi to Goa; A province on the coast. Lalita says that she had more than two wonderful years there, but eventually left for the Netherlands because her mother fell ill. “I had more trouble leaving this special country than my husband. But I preferred to be with my mother, so we decided in 2015 to go back definitively.”

Five years later, the Indian adventure also came to an end for Noreen. “This was mainly due to family dynamics. My oldest daughter was then 14 years old and indicated that she wanted to go to the Netherlands. Even though she spoke Hindi and she had a lot of friends; she always felt different. Perhaps because she was born and raised in India, she idealized the Netherlands. But returning to the Netherlands was pretty tough for all of us.”

Lalita adds that there is quite a big difference between the Dutch and Indian mentality. “Life in India often feels flexible and full of possibilities. Time is also a fairly relative concept so everything is always possible. That also makes it so much fun to live there. You don’t have to plan things as tightly as is the case in the Netherlands. That of course also has its benefits, but I had to get used to life according to an agenda.”

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Origin Lalaland Festival

After the two visited each other again in the Netherlands, Noreen encouraged her girlfriend to start the Lala Foundation together in 2020. The foundation from where they now also organize the Lalaland Festival. Lalita’s father died in 2021 and since he was so important for Indian music in the Netherlands, his daughter brooded on a plan to honor him with several classic Indian artists.

“And from that thought, the festival came into existence. Noreen had gained a lot of experience in GOA in organizing artistic projects and a culture festival and they decided to join forces. We dreamed of creating a piece of India without having to fly. A real passion project you can go with the whole family.” It turned out to be a success. The previous edition attracted two thousand visitors.

Yoga

Since Yoga has a significant share in Indian culture, that also gets a stage at the festival. “For example, think of pineapple and tantra yoga from Afke Reijenga, but also breathing and dance workshops,” said Lalita. Because they would like to show a wide variety of artists, no fewer than sixty artists have been booked this year. “Famous names such as Cellist Saskia Rao de Haas and Bollywood singer Hamsika Iyer, who live in India, perform. But also Ad Groot and Wim Bosman who play a tribute for my father on Sitar and Tabla. And so the circle is around again.”

Lalaland Festival takes place on 5 and 6 July at Ruigoord, Ruigoord 76 in Amsterdam.

You can find more info on lalalandfestival.nl