GENRE: Features

Most connoisseurs of food opine that the true variety of a particular region's cuisine is best seen in the lunch menu offered at a wedding in that region. A meal at Maiya's is probably the closest one can get to an Udupi style Madhuve Oota (lunch at a wedding).At a time when Udupi style restaurants can be found in every nook and corner of Bangalore, what sets Maiya's apart from the rest of the pack is the fact that they offer something for everyone. The variety ranges from Idli-Vada-Dosa type breakfast to North Indian fine dining cuisine. The reason why…

Lalbagh flower show, January 2010. Pic: Srikanth A P. Lalbagh flower show, January 2010. Pic: Srikanth A P.Lalbagh flower show, January 2010. Pic: Srikanth A P.Lalbagh flower show, January 2010. Pic: Srikanth A P.Lalbagh flower show, January 2010. Pic: Srikanth A P.Lalbagh flower show, January 2010. Pic: Srikanth A P.Lalbagh flower show, January 2010. Pic: Srikanth A P.Lalbagh flower show, January 2010. Pic: Srikanth A P.The glass house at Lalbagh. Pic: Srikanth A P.‹ › $(document).ready(function(){ $('.carousel .carousel-inner .item').first().attr('class', 'active item');});  ⊕

The Butterfly Park in Bannerghatta National Park is a three dome structure that can be seen on the return path of the zoological reserve's safari rides, which is how I first came to know of its existence. Established more than three years back, it's one of the butterfly conservatories in the country. The park opens to a neat stone pathway, greenery all around, with the chirping of birds and the distant trumpeting of elephants providing a background while walking up to the butterfly conservatory. That's when it seems like you've stepped into a bubble out of this world. Common Mormon…

Art can grow out of the most mundane and unexpected situations. Who would think that two girls diligently working on their French and discussing the intricacies of environmental conservation would hit upon a plan to make art installations?This is exactly what happened with Ramya Upadhya and Aisha Siddiqa, both currently associated with the Alliance Francaise de Bangalore. An initial enthusiasm to experiment with recycling and utilise discarded materials as a means of generating public awareness and discussion somewhere along the way turned into a full-fledged exploration into the aesthetics of art making and enquiry into the simultaneous existence of imperfections…

“Allidde Namma Mane – Amerikeya Swamiobbara Atmakathe”, the Kannada translation of ‘The Journey Home – Autobiography of an American Swamy’ was released at Prism Book Shop, Jayanagar, on January 13th. While Shri Radhanath Swami is the author of the original work ‘The Journey Home’, Chaitanya Dasa (of ISKCON) has translated it into Kannada. (Left to right) Mattur Krishnamurthy, G Venkatasubbaiah and Radhanath Swami. Pic: Deepa Vaishnavi. The simple function had Kannada Writer, Shri S Diwakar, as Master of Ceremonies. Shri G Venkatasubbaiah, 96-year-old Kannada lexicographer and author, released the book in the presence of Padmashri Mattur Krishnamurthy, the well known…

For many of us cooped up in offices and working against punishing deadlines, the ultimate dream is of quitting the rat race to follow our passion and be one’s own boss. But, for most, it remains just that: a chimera that we hesitate to translate into action due to life’s practicalities. Fortunately, there are some – like Aniruddha Gharat, Vijay Kumar and Aparna Tomar – who left their comfort zones to plunge into the unknown. (Left to right) Aniruddha Gharat, Vijay Kumar and Aparna Tomar. Pic: Theresa Varghese. Franchisees of Little Italy (managed by Shubham Foods – the company they…

For years, science and arts have been two completely different domains of study; there never being any kind of confluence between them. But what happens when the ‘intelligence’ of science and the ‘creativity’ of arts come together on stage? That is just what Bangalore city has been witnessing over the past few days.Professor Alan Brody of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, award winning playwright and Professor of Theatre and Arts has brought with him a completely novel concept of 'Science Theatre' to enthral and entice the curiosity of students and the general masses alike.  This is an interdisciplinary method of trying…

A nifty escape route is all that we look for while rattling through the streets of Bengaluru to avoid the cacophony, the dirt and the dangers of it all. Quite the contrary, streets mean different things to different people, especially to intellectuals and artists who look at them as no less than theatre of life with a medley of dynamics on display - be it political, social, economic, cultural, or religious. The events explored a diverse set of issues on streets in India - from planning of streets, the politics of streets, appropriation of streets for religious rituals and so…

I had heard of private antique collectors. However, I hadn’t met one before or fathom the reasons why people have a penchant for collecting old things. Until I met Ramprasad. Holding a beautiful hand crafted vase, Ramprasad explains, “this is a very rare Chinese vase. The style of work is called Cloisonne. It’s more than 200 years old.” Pic: Poornima Dasharathi. Ramprasad has a mechanical engineering background and works in Bosch, India. He has travelled to other countries especially Germany on work. He lives in a middle class colony in Chamarajpet. The house from outside looks like any other cement…

While many parents prefer traditional, mainstream schools, there are others looking out for options. Tradition has edged the mass towards mainstream schools with blackboards and report cards, but a growing number of parents in Bengaluru are opting for an alternative method of education - alternative schools. The names one usually comes across while mulling over alternative education are Montessori, Jiddu Krishnamurthi, Steiner/Waldorf, Reggio Emilia, etc. While following these schools of thought, some schools do bank on their own home-grown methods of teaching too. Some of the better-known unconventional schools in Bangalore are The Valley School, Centre for Learning, Shibhumi, Poorna,…