ARTS and CULTURE

We live in an amazing city with rich heritage and a long history. Chennai like other cities of India is going through a critical phase and facing significant developmental challenges. To address these challenges, it's important to understand the strengths of our city. The heritage of our city and its contribution to modern India is one such key strength. The day that went unnoticed August 15th being a national holiday was, as in other years, marked by events remembering India’s "tryst with destiny", but for most of us in the city, another significant date - August 22nd went by unnoticed. This…

It’s that time of the year again when Bengaluru revels in literature. Fifth edition of Bengaluru Literature Festival is here again, with a line up of exciting events that are sure to tickle the brains, with many who’s-who in the world of literature attending it as panelists and guests. According to a press note from the organisers, Bangalore Literature Festival is all set for a fifth edition on December 17 and 18 at the Hotel Royal Orchid lawns on Old Airport Road, Bengaluru. Building on the success of over the past four years, this year Bangalore Literature Festival will feature…

River Hope presents 'Open Day by Bangalore Architects' on the 10th and 11th of December 2016, an event that will for the first time, allow the general public to visit the city’s architect studios and learn about their work. Set up by Bangalore based architects Krupa Rajangam and Aparna Shastri in 2013, River Hope is an informal network that conducts an annual event to promote awareness of architecture and built cultural heritage. It has organized three events so far: their first event in 2013 was a heritage walk in Whitefield, in 2014 they conducted design walks and in 2015 presented…

How well do you know Namma Bengaluru? Let me start with a question. Who was the person that personally financed the levelling of a road with the intention of alleviating the pain of bullocks dragging heavy cartloads up a steep slope? If you don’t know, this man was Enayathullah Mekhri, who took notice of the sufferings of bullocks, and decided to act on it. Despite being offered compensation by the king of Mysore for his selfless act, Mekhri refused it. Such was his nature. Therefore, in honour of this gracious act and his willingness to help society at large, the…

For most of us, typical cleaning sessions start with discarding our old and unwanted products from home. But what if you could convert old glass bottles to beautiful chandeliers or flower pots and jeans to bracelets? Would you still let go of it as easily? And what if I told you that by doing so, you would not only be honing your creative instincts but also doing a significant bit for the planet? This, in fact, is the very seed of what is one of the most eco-friendly trends in the city today, called Upcycling. In simplest terms, upcycling is…

Did you ever own small, bright coloured wooden toys?  Every child in Karnataka might have owned the toy once in their life, be it a wooden horse or little wooden figurines. Ever wondered what they are called? These dolls are called Channapatna toys that are manufactured in the town of Channapatna in the Bangalore Rural district of Karnataka state. These toys are made from organic colours. Listen to Narayanappa, who was branch manager of Cauvery emporium in MG Road, a local artisan, who talks about the making of the toys. The tree known as Hale mara (tinctoris tree) is used for…

When Bengaluru-based photographer Mahesh Shantaram started working on what became 'Racism in Africa:The African Portraits,' he was only trying to educate himself about the African migrant population living in his country. “I got into this project due to my own ignorance and curiosity,” Shantaram said. “This sort of curiosity and ignorance is a shared experience. This project is a way for me to bridge those gaps.” His portraits of African migrants living in India are on display at the Tasveer Gallery in Bengaluru until September 23rd. Tasveer Art Gallery is the first stop of the exhibition’s five city tour. Wandoh and his…

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The Venkatappa Art Gallery could well see more activity and action in the coming days, as artists in Bengaluru come together to make the Gallery a vibrant public space and regain its lost glory, and all this without private participation. The heart of Bengaluru is buzzing with public activities right now. The Rangoli Metro Art Center is a hit because it’s open for all. Vehicle-free Sundays in Cubbon Park attract enthusiastic crowds. With the Venkatappa Art Gallery and the museums being near Metro stations, there is a lot of scope for improving footfalls at the Gallery, feels Suresh Kumar G,…

How Chennai’s famous Urur Olcott Kuppam Vizha Took Roots When a few disturbed individuals met around a couple of years back, it started a chain of events that seemed like Lego blocks falling in place. When I use the word 'disturbed', I mean disturbed by many happenings around us. All of us just could not fathom how some people could be termed superior or inferior to others. And just as much, how certain arts could be termed superior or inferior to others. We decided to do something about it. And that was the birth of the Urur Olcott Kuppam Vizha.…