GENRE: Features

At Christ University, the just concluded intra-collegiate fest 'Darpan' was a milieu of interesting activities. The students eagerly await the events designed for them such as the Western Electricals and Indian Non-theme Dance. Aditi Kashyap, 18, a journalism student at Christ University who participated the various art events says "taking part in Darpan is refreshing and a break from the hectic schedule that we have. I go with the intention of participating, and not winning." Since the winners of the events held here get to represent the college in inter-collegiate fests, there is a lot of hype surrounding the events.…

At 12 15 pm every Wednesday, a blue bus halts near Padmanabha Nagar BMTC bus stop. It is not a BMTC bus, however, and is one of the only two vehicles in Bangalore that travels around the city to satisfy the reading needs of bibliophiles. Board announcing the timings and contact details of the mobile library: Pic: Yogaraj S Mudalgi These are the government operated libraries on wheels. Within seconds of the blue bus pulling up near the bus stop, men and women board the bus, return books and browse for new ones to borrow. Returns and issues happen quickly…

Cyclists no longer have to scramble for parking space when they visit Lalbagh through the South Gate. On Sunday, 10th July, a bicycle stand was opened to the public by Suresh Kumar, Minister for Urban Development. Speaking at the inauguration, Suresh Kumar, a supporter of bicycle for commuting, said that there is a need for a clean and green way of commuting. He added that he would make provisions to create cycling infrastructure at bus and metro stations so that commuters can make effective use of public transport. Newly installed cycle racks at lalbagh. Pic Courtesy: RAC-F The event was…

Shivanasamudra is a beautiful place near Malavalli, Mandya. River Cauvery splits in to two branches, Gaganchukki and Bharachukki; each branch cascades down the rocky cliffs as a waterfall. Bluff falls during summer. Pic: Usha Hariprasad Gaganachukki is 106.6m tall and it has the Asia's oldest hydro-electric power station (set up in 1902) located near the waterfall. The power generated here was used to supply electricity to Kolar gold mines, Mysore and Bangalore. During monsoon the waters are in full volume and though luring it is not advisable to swim here. Bharachukki is about 13 kilometres from Gaganchukki. This waterfall is…

In a world dominated by crass commercialism, mindless madness and sterility, cinema with a soul is a rarity. In this, director P Sheshadri's Bettada Jeeva distinguishes itself from the cinema of our age.The film based on Dr Shivaram Karanth's novel of the same name has also won the national award for the best environmental film. It tells the story of a freedom fighter on the run from the law, who takes shelter in the home of an aged landlord and his wife, both unaware of his identity. Through this situation, the film explores the relationship that develops between the young…

Last Friday, 12 green activists protesting the tree cutting on Sankey road were arrested. Though the most of the trees were not saved, it sure brought back memories from two decades ago of a similar, but successful protest in 1991. A group of young men including Vinay Baindur, Mahesh Kumar, Sudhir Jayaram and Gururaja Budhya, were able to prevent a number of trees in Malleswaram from being felled. These young men petitioned the Governor, to save the trees. Three of them were detained by the police . Many in this group have gone on to play a major role in…

The urge to meet people we admire does cross our minds occasionally. By a small probability and quirk of fate when such a meeting does happen then happiness knows no bounds. I finally got a chance to meet one of my favourite writers Amitav Ghosh. Coincidentally, I was in the midst of enjoying ‘The Hungry Tide', lost in the jungles of Sunderbans. Being a voracious reader, Ghosh's writings have satiated me with the fictional world that he spins out with such eloquence. On learning about the book launch of Ghosh's critically acclaimed ‘River of Smoke' from the Ibis Trilogy, I…

Four years into her career as a software developer, Rashmi M, 27, is doing a course in technical writing. Technical writing, for her, is a way to weave in her knowledge in technology and interest in writing. "Technical writing is more creative, also my knowledge in technology will be useful in this field," says Rashmi, a resident of Banshankari 1st stage.With increasing opportunities and demands in the market, youngsters in the city are constantly updating themselves with knowledge in new domains. While for some this is a way to move into a new field, for others it is to enhance…

The garden city now has the dubious distinction of being the worst when it comes to caring for the elderly. Helpage India conducted a survey in major cities and found that 44% of the senior citizens feel neglected or abused. They are also soft targets for crime in the city. Then there are places like the Aashraya Trust-run old age home. That good soul who takes care of these elderly women is K T Rani. She runs the home in a rented three storied building . Mrs. Rani who started the Aashraya Seva Trust makes sure the elderly lead a…

An urban space is like an immense melting pot into which something new is added and subtracted everyday, causing a perpetual sequence of reactions, and consequently changes. Five visual artists in Bengaluru express their encounters with the fluctuating urban, working in different mediums. Clockwise from top left: Krishnaraj Chonat, V.G. Venugopal, Murali Cheeroth and Clare Arni. Murali Cheeroth paints vividly coloured canvases that reflect the frenzied, throbbing sensations of urban living. “..my working process is a kind of extraction system, that draws on tiny concerns about uber (extreme) urbanisation” he says. He constructs his compositions in the manner of a…