GENRE: Features

Having watched Adishakti Laboratory for Theatre Art Research (what a mouthful, I'll call it ALTAR for short!)'s earlier production, "The Tenth Head" at Ranga Shankara, and reviewed it here, I was prepared for an interesting evening when I went to watch "Nidrdravathvam". The play is about two brothers of the protagonist and the antagonist of the Ramayana: Lakshmana and Kumbhakarna. They are connected in having received boons that, in the words of the excellent brochure provided by ALTAR, "dramatically alter their cycles of sleep and wakefulness." Kumbharkarna's tongue is tied by Saraswati, and instead of asking for "Nirdevatvam" (destruction of the Devas) he…

The play, "The Tenth Head", written by Vinay Kumar KJ, directed by Veenapani Chawla, and staged by Adishakti Laboratory and Theatre Art Research, Puduchery, has a very interesting central premise: that all the heads of Ravana are not alike, and that the tenth head is quite different from the other nine.   Intrigued by this, I went to watch the staging at Ranga Shankara, on the 18th of February, 2014. I found myself both interested and puzzled at different times during the play.   The on-again-off-again power situation took its toll on Ranga Shankara's usual punctuality, and the play started…

Come 8 and 9 February, Bangalore will play host to Neralu, a citizen-led Urban Tree Festival. The first of its kind in the city, and probably in the country, Neralu will bring together ecologists, artists, researchers, technologists, homemakers, professionals, adults and children in dialogue, to celebrate the spirit of Bangalore, its rich natural heritage and its trees. The event promises to have something in store for everybody and will feature a multitude of visual and experiential activities; walks, workshops, story-telling sessions, art exhibitions, movie screenings, children's activities - there’s plenty to choose from. You can have a look at the event schedule here. …

The Goethe Institut, Bangalore tells you that it is "50 headphones. 1 synthetic voice. YOUR city." But, when you take the walk, you realise that they've given you this simple definition because there are sometimes no words to define such experiences. What I am about to tell you can't actually tell you much. And yet, I do want to say something, just so that some of you who haven't yet taken the walk, will want to try it. It tells us something we should know about our city and about who we are. To register, you can go to: REMOTE…

Image Courtesy: https://www.facebook.com/TRRAIN The next time you walk into a cafeteria or a pizza store, watch out for something a little more noteworthy than your steaming pizza. A differently abled person could be working in the back area, and quite possibly with more élan than your usual order taker! Several food retail outlets in the city including Café Coffee Day, Dominos, Subway and McDonald’s, are increasingly hiring people with disability, particularly folks who are speech and hearing impaired, to build an inclusive environment at the workplace. Interestingly, fellow employees are more than welcoming to this trend. 'I don’t feel different…

A story about water, 18th Jan 2013, 10:30 am, at Puttenahalli Lake.   Once upon a time, near large apartment communities, an Ashy Prinia searched for a place to lay her eggs. The land was parched and dry and there wasn't a bush or tree in sight. Finally she found a depression in the ground and using her tiny claws she made a hole and laid her eggs. The eggs hatched and the Ashy Prinia took care of the babies until they were big enough to fly.   "Is that it?" you will enquire. To which we will reply, "No it isn't,…

Gubbi Labs as Part of Path Of Mahanadhi River Exploration Initiative Brings in the Cycle Exploration Tour to Kaveri River       Visit the Battle Field of Anglo Mysore WarsThe British achieved a decisive victory after breaching the walls of the fortress at Sri Rangapatna and storming the citadel killing Tippu Sultan in Action. We will explore history and visit the places of all important historical places – Sri Ranganatha Temple , Jumma Masjid and the Daria Daulat Gardens, Captain Baey’s Dungeon.   Cycle to Visit the Birds of Ranganathittu Cycle Ride will enable you to see the avian life…

Puttenahalli Lake played host to the first ever public science show, by children, on Sunday 15th Dec 2013. The event was conducted by Merry Go Learn (an IIT/IIM alumni initiative), in association with Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust (PNLIT). Students from Standards 1 to 8 who are attending sessions at Merry Go Learn, applied concepts of science and maths to perform interesting experiments, that left many in the audience, parents included, absolutely amazed. The show included a quiz, a do it yourself stall with children making their own kaleidoscopes and an exciting treasure hunt. Apart from creating awareness through practical…

The cancellation of the much awaited event, the fortnight-long Bangalore Book Fair, this year is a reflection of the state government’s inability to understand that good reading habits are important for its denizens. The fair at Palace Grounds was cancelled at the last-minute after the state Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) discovered a legal point on the venue in the light of the long-running battle between the heirs of the erstwhile Mysore rulers and the government on the ownership of Bangalore Palace Grounds. The purpose of any book fair is to create awareness about book culture in the…

PNLIT, in association with Merry Go Learn, invites you to the FIRST EVER SCIENCE SHOW conducted by students - an environment awareness initiative.  A never before opportunity for 4-13 year olds to - * Get involved with a range of exciting performances - be it helping Sherlock Holmes decipher invisible clues, playing with vibrations to create amazing sounds or watching jaw-dropping chemical reactions in a giant toothpaste* Participate in quizzes and win exciting prizes* Get their hands dirty with science - make their own kaleidoscopes, floating rings, lava lamps and much more.Students in the age group 4-13 years and their parents…