PEOPLE

Having missed the Right to Information (RTI) clinic in September, I was determined to participate in this edition. Despite the minimal participation, Bangalore's famous and seasoned RTI activists (and retired government employees) like Veeresh Bellur and Vikram Simha from Mahiti Hakku Adhyan Kendra (MHAK) and Anand S of Anti-Corruption Forum (ACF) continue to inspire us with their knowledge and enthusiasm. And, this may be impossible without the committed efforts of Bangalore based civil society organizations (CSO's) like South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring (SICHREM), Urban Research Centre (URC), Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR), OpenSpace and others…

Ever heard of a rock concert especially for inmates? In what may well rank as India’s first ever rock concert for prison inmates,  Raghu Dixit Project rocked Bangalore Central Jail on November 11th with their upbeat songs. "This is to celebrate life". Pic: Ganesh Raghunathan. Raghu Dixit Project, considered one of the country’s finest rock bands had a one hour concert for around 4500 inmates of Bangalore Central Jail, between 11.30 and 1PM. The jail is located at Parappana Agrahara, Hosa Road, Bengaluru.“This is to celebrate life,” says Dixit adding “No matter what you have done in the past there…

The amiable and witty K K S Murthy, the face and voice of one of Bengaluru’s oldest and iconic landmarks took around 20 of us down an enchanting memory lane on October 10th, a pleasant Saturday evening.It was part of Jamming through October festival organised by Maraa , a community media collective based in Bangalore.Murthy's bibliophilic father K B K Rao practised as a lawyer in Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh). "Father would visit Bangalore on merely receiving a post card from auctioneers in Bangalore about families leaving the city selling used books. I have seen people from Kerala carrying and selling…

With cameras we shot Things 'cool' and hot And stories we got Of what was but is not... Pasha's chai 'Lock'ed with paan Mosque view Ulsoor Market Timekeepers for generations Smile please... Pandian, Ijaz and friend Glow of steel! How's my future? Clothes ahoy! A centurion Bankers of yore Pure caffeine Welcome home:) Oct-3 to Oct-9: Bazaar Street, Halasuru Market Carts moving and stopping Cycles ringing and pedalling Stalls on wooden boxes Shops under metal roofs   Pasha the tea maker Mary the fruit vendor Pandian the sundal seller Abdul the fishmonger   Temples, churches, mosques Standing for centuries Hawkers…

Political and welfare organisations in BTM layout independently collected funds and relief materials for flood affected victims of North Karnataka from residents and shops around this area. The relief materials include rice, pulses, oil, clothes, and medicines and so on. The disaster is reported to have left thousands of people homeless and around 170 people dead. Some shops in BTM 2nd stage confirmed they have donated rice, pulses and other materials. BJP’s Bangalore Slum Morcha group of BTM ward collected 600 bags of rice, claims its leader H K Muthappa, who is also hoping to contest from the BTM ward…

The man with a red nose greets you politely and hands you a flower. You put your hand out and the red plastic flower shrinks away from you. Meet Dr Boing, a.k.a Sanjay Balsavar. Dr Boing says, medicines take time to cure patients, but I give instant cure – a smile. Pic: Meera K Balsavar, 37, is a magician and a clown by choice and a graphic designer by profession.  At the age of 8, fascinated by magic tricks he used to collect pocket money to buy magic books which were costly then. Building his repertoire of tricks, he has…

Noticed a group of energetic, charming ladies with warm smiles and welcoming voices convening in East End Circle (Jayanagar, 9th block) on Saturday afternoons? If yes, they may be the empowered women from Stree Jagruti Samiti (SJS), a collective of domestic workers in Bengaluru. Around since the late 1980's due to the tireless efforts of Geeta Menon (one of its co-founders along with social worker Rita Roy) and various supporters/associates like APSA and SICHREM, SJS has campaigned for labour rights, dignified treatment, benefits, etc. With 1200 members and a part of the Domestic Workers' Rights Union (DWRU), it has spread…

Since we believe ...Love comes in all shapes and sizes...and love definitely cannot be bought but can be adopted!!.........How??Find out your self by visiting CUPA Shelter on Oct ,2nd 2009- PET ADOPTION DAY!!!Come lets share and celebrate the everlasting bond between animals and humans.Please spread the word amongst your friends and family, who are looking out to adopt pets ,to come to CUPA shelter on this day to adopt.Venue: KVAFSU-CUPA Animal ShelterVeterinary College Campus,HebbalBangalore - 560 024Tel: 9845366209, 080-22947300 / 22947301 / 22947307Fax: 91-080-22293771Timings : 1000 - 1700You can visit their profiles in CUPA's bloghttp://bloggers-bark.blogspot.com/search/label/Pets%20for%20Adoptionshttp://bloggers-bark.blogspot.com/Please help us to spread the…

We often have things we do not require and look for someone to give it away. Some of us donate clothes to  domestic help or charity groups.But when it comes to things like books, an exercycle, a tabla or tailoring machine,  one cannot throw it on to a garbage truck or sell it to the raddiwala. Gayathri works part time as an auto driver to take care of her family and at the same time continue her education. She was able to get books for her course through the Bangalore Reuse group. Pic: Poornima Dasharathi This is where a networking…

 The University Women's Association Hostel site in New Thippasandra A colourful construction site. A few workers. Some children. A park with walkers inside and outside. Kids playing on the road and the school playground nearby. Fairly silent residents. Some cars and motorbikes moving or resting. It was a Sunday afternoon in New Thippasandra (ward no. 83) flanked by the busy and colourful market and the seemingly clean and green CV Raman Nagar Road dusty with vehicles. Aliya, little Mahruk, Prayas (the initiator of Spirited Caravans, a journey of mobile spaces offering glimpses of a friendlier city) and I walked around…