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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Thousands flock to London's Mela | Thousands flock to London's Mela |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Thousands of people have attended the London Mela in west London - said to be Europe's largest Asian festival. | Thousands of people have attended the London Mela in west London - said to be Europe's largest Asian festival. |
| The day-long festival at Gunnersbury Park, which is now in its sixth year, showcased the best of South Asian music, dance, food, comedy and cabaret. | The day-long festival at Gunnersbury Park, which is now in its sixth year, showcased the best of South Asian music, dance, food, comedy and cabaret. |
| "It's like the Notting Hill Carnival, the Glastonbury of Asian music," said Radio One DJ Bobby Friction. | "It's like the Notting Hill Carnival, the Glastonbury of Asian music," said Radio One DJ Bobby Friction. |
| Headline acts at the Mela, which means "meeting" in Sanskrit, included Raghav, Jassi Sidhu and Taio Cruz. | |
| The free festival had seven zones and featured urban, classical and experimental music, DJs, circus, dance, visual arts, comedy, a children's area, food from around the world and a giant funfair. | The free festival had seven zones and featured urban, classical and experimental music, DJs, circus, dance, visual arts, comedy, a children's area, food from around the world and a giant funfair. |
| 'More mainstream' | 'More mainstream' |
| The Mela showcases the best of British Asian talent | The Mela showcases the best of British Asian talent |
| Raghav, who scored three top 20 hits in 2004 and 2005, made his UK comeback on the main stage. | Raghav, who scored three top 20 hits in 2004 and 2005, made his UK comeback on the main stage. |
| "I can't think of a better place to be," he told the BBC's Asian Network. | "I can't think of a better place to be," he told the BBC's Asian Network. |
| "The Asian scene in the UK means so much to me. To be at, I think, the biggest Mela in the world, is really important." | "The Asian scene in the UK means so much to me. To be at, I think, the biggest Mela in the world, is really important." |
| Friction, who is compering the Radio One stage with his on-air co-presenter Nihal, said the success of the Mela proved that Asian music was becoming more mainstream. | Friction, who is compering the Radio One stage with his on-air co-presenter Nihal, said the success of the Mela proved that Asian music was becoming more mainstream. |
| "You could compare it to what happened to reggae through the 70s," he said. | "You could compare it to what happened to reggae through the 70s," he said. |
| "It was a music that expressed the voice of a small community. It's now a British form of music. It's earned it's place in the history of music." | "It was a music that expressed the voice of a small community. It's now a British form of music. It's earned it's place in the history of music." |