Blogs

My friend Priya Venkatesh,  herself a theatre person, told me about another interesting and unusual performance at Jagriti on the 15th of January, 2015. So I went with her and three other friends, to watch "Two Women Talking." The excellent brochure produced by Jagriti talked of story-telling, not as the retailing of fiction, but as the telling of one's life experiences. In fact, the telling of one's personal stories, and listening to those of others, has been designated as a form of therapy for everyone. The two protagonsists, if that is the right word, were Monsoon Bissell and Benaifer Bhadha.…

Bellandur Buzz Issue # 27 Date: 16th January 2015. This fortnightly newletter is published by the citizen group bellandur.forum@googlegroups.com The DIY solid waste management website www.2bin1bag.in The website for 2Bin1Bag has been launched to help individuals and communities manage their waste. 2Bin1Bag started off as a small citizen initiative to find a solution to the problem of solid waste disposal in the Bellandur ward. However, years of research and effort put in by a group of committed citizens has culminated in a movement encompassing the entire city. The movement, which is endorsed by celebrities like Mr. Rahul Dravid and Sri.…

Kere Habba had an estimated 2000-3000 visitors on 10th January 2015 for the first in the series of Lake Day series sponsored by Namma Bengaluru Foundation. The focus was on conservation and appreciation of lakes as hubs of community interation, bio-diversity and healthy living. This is an update on how transport, food, water and waste management was handled to make this a green event keeping with the theme of sustainability. Food Expecting more than 2000 visitors, the food team's challenge was to cut down waste generated during the event while ensuring a variety of caterers serving tasty and healthy food.…

Kere run was organized as part of the Kere Habba 2015 at Kaikondrahalli Lake. Nearly 30 kids from Thayimane and Ananya Trust attended the event as pacers, helping the runners finish the distance they planned to run. Many of these kids are budding runners with a lot of potential and being trained by RunnersHigh, one of them being a podium finisher at Bangalore Ultra 2014. The format of the run was different from a typical racing event. The idea behind the run was not to raise money either for the lake or the involved schools, but as a platform to bring the lakeside communities around the lake together…

When government officials do not perform their duties, we are quick to publicise their shortcomings, but how often do we take the effort to recognise them when they've done a good job?    The Yelahanka United Environment Association (YUVA) on behalf of the citizens of Yelahanka in North Bangalore organised a unique event on 27th December 2014.   Officials from BBMP, BWSSB, Forest Department, Police Department and Ezzy Group were felicitated for all that they have done in Yelahanka during the past year - supporting and coordinating environment-related programs like lake rejuvenation, Cycle Day, wet waste management, kitchen gardening, cleanliness drives…

Pic: Vaishnavi Vittal First up, let me state that I treat myself like a princess when it comes to commuting. While buses are probably the first choice of transport for most folks in the city, I am yet to make my peace with it. And I have tried, honestly! And at the end of each bus journey, I am put off buses for a couple of months. A couple of days back, a friend was talking about how much she enjoyed the me-time on her commute home from Jakkasandra to Malleswaram and how she manages to get a good amount…

For the past four months or so, we went through research papers, news stories, blogs and other personal accounts on garbage. We met people involved with waste management in the city. And slowly, garbage slipped from being an afterthought to something intimate, tied intricately to the way we live. Some thoughts. My great-grandmother had a sleek cap of silver hair pulled back neatly into a bun like a spun egg. After a tragedy in the family, she became hypertensive, which meant salt was something she could not indulge in. She had recently crossed 40. But she continued to make pickles,…

Whitefield hits jackpot this Bus Day A new day will dawn in Whitefield on Monday, January 12th, 2015. It is likely to go down in history as a red letter day when it comes to mobility in Whitefield area. BMTC has offered Whitefield these gifts: Intra Whitefield Mini buses are being introduced reducing the need to take personal vehicles. Improved connectivity to other parts of Bangalore from Whitefield Wait, there is more. Click here to get complete details on any question you might have. Especially if you are new to using buses in the area. This has come about after…

Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Company (BMTC) will launch first loop bus service in Whitefield on Monday, January 12th, durin the Bus Day event. The move, and the push towards bus services, is aimed at reducing vehicles on road by improving bus connectivity. Here's an FAQ compiled by Whitefield Rising Mobility Team, regarding Bus Day in Whitefield. What’s new with buses ton BUS DAY that I need to know about? Launch of BMTC App for trip planning Launch of Chakra midi-bus for intra-mobility. It will cover some internal roads like Borewell Road, too. Better Vajra services between Hope Farm and Kundalahalli Gate…

When my friend Priya Venkatesh told me about the performance of “A Moment of Memory”, I was intrigued by the description of the performance and decided to attend the 8 pm showing at Atta Galatta in Koramangala, on January 10th. The production was by Visual Respiration, a group founded by Aruna Ganesh Ram, and  the show was directed by her.  'An experiential performance based on personal encounters' is the description of the performance in the words of Visual Respiration. It  gives the details about how this production came into being. It was not a “play” in the usual sense of the…