Traditions

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…

The Bengalee Association held Durga puja celebrations at the RBANMS grounds in Ulsoor. It was my first Dussehra, Bengali style! The idol of Goddess Durga at the decorated pandal Bangalore's Bengalis turned up in hundreds for Durga's blessings  Both young and old were a part of the celebrations  Plenty of food stalls, all a tribute to the Bengali's love for food  Old habits die hard, they say. Despite the presence of many garbage bins, this was the scene at the grounds  The toysellers had quite a day themselves! ⊕ References

Max Mueller Bhavan, along with two heritage architects, Kripa and Pankaj, had organized a heritage walk in Malleswaram this time, so off we went last Saturday.It was on the way there that my S3 fell-and-broke! Divya generously lent me her S5 and I used my SD card and took the photographs. Thank you, Divya!The buildings that were identified and shown as part of the walk were truly heritage landmarks....the only question being, how many of them will survive even the next ten years!One building, however, has been converted to a heritage hotel, and is in great shape. Here's the Malleswaram…

For the past few years, Chitra Kala Parishath (CKP) has been organizing an annual art event, Chitra Santhe (Art Fair) in and around the CKP campus and its environs. It has become a fairly important event in the art scene of the city.This year, the gate of CKP was beautifully decorated as usual:The slogan of the Santhe highlighted the symbiotic relationship between artists and their patrons....CKP also used the opportunity to hightlight some of the other initiatives they are carrying out, such as ICKPAC, the art conservation effort:The range of geographical locations represented at the Santhe was phenomenal, and there…

Here's the image of Ganesha which was installed and worshipped in our apartment building today:As I photographed the homa being conducted, I fancied that I could see the image of Ganesha in the flames:With a little imagination, one can see Ganesha, facing left, his fan-ear on the right-hand side, his head, single tusk and rounded belly on the left-hand side....!I hope Vinayaka Chaturthi brings peace and plenty to the land, and to the homes of the devotees!⊕

Though Independence Day is only on August 15th, the preparations for one of the two annual flower shows that this City has, has already begun.I went to Lalbagh early this morning, and the Glass House area was agog with activity. Several vans and lorries had been parked close by and flowering plants were being "downloaded"....Flowering Plants downloaded from Lorry (Pic: Deepa Mohan)Some of the tables required were also being brought in.Officials were busy discussing how to put up the displays:Officials discussing about the Displays (Pic: Deepa Mohan)The staff were busy with the work:Staff busy with Flower Show work arrangements (Pic:…

Every classical music artiste faces, I think, the same dilemma after having finished the "AlApanai" of the rAgam. Will the audience be in a mood to listen carefully to the structure and lyrics of a new keertanam? New kritis need to be introduced every now and then; the Trinity, though they are the pillars of Carnatic music, need to give way, occasionally, to the dozens of other talented composers who are creating beautiful songs of their own. But new songs have to be introduced to the listening public now and then; only then do the many talented composers who create…