Category Archives: Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Empowering through embroidery

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy

Under the guidance of textile expert Pavithra Muddaya, 40 women have tried their hands at needlework on furnishings, which will be up for sale online

Vimor founder Pavithra Muddaya

Bengaluru : 

In February, when Pavithra Muddaya, founder of Vimor, identified marginalised women in Gadag who would be trained for three months, she hadn’t imagined that the works by “raw hands” would be up for sale six months down the line.

Forty women worked their magic of English hand embroidery on the dead stock bought from weavers. Cushion covers, runners, curtains, stoles, quilts, and masks will be up on the virtual pop-up on September 12. It is organised by make up artist Dipthi Aashok and image evangelist Bia Sandhu Taneja.  

It all started with Muddaya wanting to help women affected by the flood in North Karnataka. One thing led to another and she finally zeroed-in on a marginalised group in Gadag.

In February, two experienced trainers, Robert and Kairul, started teaching these women, and despite the pandemic and subsequent lockdown, one of the trainers continued with the classes as and when it was possible.

“A second batch was also started during the lockdown, because we simply couldn’t say no to a group which was so enthusiastic to learn. Next, we plan to hold a similar session with the differently-abled,” says Muddaya, who has just been informed that the Department of Women and Child Development has given them a building, Strishakti Bhavan, where classes can be conducted.  

While everyone has been asking about sarees, which Vimor has been known for considering that even former prime minister Indira Gandhi bought sarees here, Muddaya didn’t want to overwhelm women who were newly introduced to this art.

“The weavers, though, worked through the lockdown with whatever yarn they had. In fact, they now call them ‘corona sarees’,” she says with a laugh. But back to training women, Muddaya had hoped that it would create a ripple effect.

“In fact, our initial idea was to hold three-month training sessions where women would be trained for second month and the third would be a teacher training programme which would enable them to go to other villages and teach others,” she says. 

Finding that the pandemic has put lot of people on the back foot, both financially and morally, Aashok points out that this is an attempt to step up the morale. “A part of the proceeds will be going to the Vimor Foundation, because we want to empower weavers through training, mentorship,and support,” she says, adding that the biggest challenge is curating this pop up, which will feature clothes and lifestyle products. They are doing it on Zoom, which is a first for the team. 

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Vidya Iyengar / Express News Service / August 24th, 2020

Short film in Betta Kuruba language to be screened at Wildscreen festival

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

It took about two years to make the film

‘Flying Elephants – A Mother’s Hope’, a short film narrated in Betta Kuruba tribal language, in the voice of a mother elephant, is part of the inaugural Official Selection Programme at the Wildscreen Film Festival 2020.

The film is supported by the Centre for Wildlife Studies and Saving Nature. A release said the film was picked as one of 18 short films from hundreds of submissions from more than 40 countries. The film took about two years to make and is six minutes long. It depicts how human interventions such as forest fragmentation and wildlife trade have disrupted the movement and lives of elephants, the release added.

“Flying Elephants, told through the eyes of a mother elephant, pits their glorious past against this century’s reality of survival in the Anthropocene, where elephant habitat is being destroyed at an alarming rate. With this film, it has been my mission to shed light on these sensitive, emotional, and socially intelligent creatures that rightfully deserve their natural world,” said Prakash Matada, the director of the film.

Aditi Rajagopal, the writer of the film, told The Hindu that documentaries based on India and Indian wildlife are often told through a western lens. “We wanted to bring out some of the wealth of ancient Indian storytelling through the film, but within the context of what is happening to our forests and its animals today. We used a scripted narrative style, told through the voice of a betta kuruba woman, because tribes in India are extremely under represented in art in the country, though they have some of the oldest and most beautiful traditions and still pass down their ancient wisdom through oral stories told to their children,” she added.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Staff Reporter / Bengaluru – August 12th, 2020

Explore the past, present and future of plants

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, Science & Technology

Science Gallery Bengaluru will hold its first digital exhibition from August 21 to 30

Science Gallery Bengaluru (SGB) will hold its first digital exhibition, ‘PHYTOPIA’, which will explore the past, present and future of plants, from August 21 to 30.

Science Gallery Bengaluru Mediators, a group of selected and trained young adults, will hold 60-minute sessions every day to engage in conversations with visitors based on the theme of the exhibits.

On Fridays and weekends, there will be talks and events by prominent scholars and artists such as on ‘Who feeds Bengaluru’ and ‘On documenting indigenous food culture’.

In addition, there will be workshops, and an opportunity to submit articles that look at plants critically and creatively.

“The United Nations generally has research-led years. For example, last year was the International Year of the Periodic Table. This year, it’s the International Year of Plant Health. Last year, we did our first pop-up exhibition called ELEMENTS. This year, we thought of plant health. We haven’t done it narrowly on plant health, but took that as a starting point to think about what is it that excites us about plants,” said Dr. Jahnavi Phalkey, founding director, SGB,

Stating that while the exhibition is open to everyone, she says the programming, including workshops, and masterclasses, is specifically targeted at young adults between the ages of 15 and 28.

The exhibition has been developed in partnership with the John Innes Centre, an independent, international centre of excellence in plant science and microbiology based in the UK. The programme partner is Bengaluru Sustainability Forum and Bangalore International Centre is the outreach partner. Chemical ecologist Shannon Olsson, ecologist Harini Nagendra and independent scholar Sita Reddy are the academic advisors to the exhibition.

As for the challenges of holding an exhibition online for the first time, Dr. Phalkey said, “We are an institution that was meant to produce physical exhibitions. It meant we had to retool ourselves and reimagine what our programming would look like. We want to provide a high quality experience but not necessarily limited to the 10 people who have high-tech devices. It was about being able to produce an interesting exhibition while trying to catch people’s attention. Because those who can, are already consuming so much online right now, from shopping to education. So, how do you create something that will draw them in? That, for us, is a challenge and a debate.”

Entry is free. Details at https://bit.ly/phytopia2020

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Aparna Narain / August 19th, 2020

This Lady’s Home Is A Mini Library With 5,000 Books

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Records, All

Mysore/Mysuru:

Every year, on Aug. 9, bibliophiles celebrate Book Lovers Day. It is an unofficial holiday that encourages people to pick up a book or two and spend the day reading. On the occasion of Book Lovers Day, Star of Mysore spoke to a resident of Mysuru who has been very passionate about books and this avid reader has turned her home into a mini library.

Writer and an voracious reader Anasuya S. Kempanahalli is a resident of T.K. Layout, Bogadi 2nd Stage. Her mini library in her house has over 5,000 books. Her book collection includes numerous authors on various subjects, most prominently on Sharana, Janapada and Kannada literature as well as about freedom fighters and achievers in various fields.

Popular Kannada writers are also her favourite picks with a huge collection of books at home including those of Kuvempu, Dejagow and CPK.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Anasuya said that she started collecting books in 2005. She holds Ph.D and said that she never forgets to buy a book whenever she attends any book release function in city.

She has penned numerous books including Kannada Janapada Kathegalalli Paativrityada Parikalpane, Kannada Janapada Kathegalalli Sthree, Anasuya Chutukugalu, Bhuvanada Belaku Maharshi Valmiki, Parampareya Payanadalli Nannavaru Nenapu, Kannada Siriya Nalegalu, Kannadada Savyasachi: Dejagow-97, Akkamahadevi Siddhi Sadhanegalu, Nayakara Samskritika Tottilu: Devara Ganjigatte, Mathe Hemavathi Kuvempu, Huttadolagana Chitta, Rakta Kamala, Vishwakutumbi, Adikavi Valmiki, Ahimsavadi Shabari, Moudhya Nirmulane mattu Vaicharikate and Valmiki Drishtiyalli Rajaneeti. 

She has also been an editor of numerous books including Beda Valmiki Mahile: Srujanashilathe, Ranjita Chutukugalu, Kuvempu: Kelavu Notagalu, Dejagow-96, Kannada Janapada Kathegalalli Atte-Soseyaru, Kavyaradhane, Dejagow Avara Ittichina Kathegalu, Maharshi Valmiki Divya Darshana (Part-1), Nudi Pushpanjali, Badukina Deevige, Maharshi Valmiki Divya Darshana (Part-2), Kannadiyalli Kadamba and Chutuku Sahitya – Ondu Sameekshe.

A recipient of numerous awards, Anasuya has also acted in a shot film, ‘Amma.’ She has worked as a Kannada and Political Science lecturer in Mahajana FGC and Karnataka State Open University and is currently working as a non-teaching faculty in Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering.

Collecting books and reading is my favourite hobby. Books are our best friends. I have gifted hundreds of books to my students. I always encourage them to keep their mobile phones away and instead pick up a book to read, says Anasuya S. Kempanahalli, Bibliophile and writer.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / August 17th, 2020

Kannada study centre to be set up in Mysuru

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Records, All

The State government has decided to establish the Kannada Classical Language Study Centre on a 10-acre plot at the foot of Chamundi Hills in Mysuru.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting convened by Kannada and Culture Minister C.T. Ravi in Bengaluru on Friday.

The proposed land belongs to Mysore university, states an official release.

Mr. Ravi directed the authorities to initiate measures to ensure that the centre began work within one month. He warned that the government would not hesitate to initiate action against officials who delay the work.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Bengaluru – August 07th, 2020

A glimpse of Malgudi at Arasalu station

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

Passengers alighting at the Arasalu Railway Station in Shivamogga district can savour a slice of the imaginary town of Malgudi, created by writer R.K. Narayan, as depicted in the popular TV serial Malgudi Days.

Indian Railways has developed a museum on the station premises as some of the episodes of the Doordarshan TV serial, directed by the late Shankar Nag, were shot at Arasalu.

The ‘Museum Malgudi’ initiative features photographs and artworks associated with the serial and was inaugurated virtually by Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi on Saturday. The museum was incorporated into the renovation plan for Arasalu’s old railway station building as a tribute to the makers of the popular TV serial and the novelist, according to Aparna Garg, Divisional Railway Manager, Mysuru Division.

The old building stood on the metre gauge track and was abandoned after gauge conversion was carried out. Subsequently, it was developed as a museum at a cost of nearly ₹25 lakh. One of the sculptors and artists associated with recreating Malgudi at Arasalu during the shooting of the serial, John Devaraj, was roped in for development of the museum.

There are various scenes from the serial sketched on the walls, apart from portraits of R.K. Narayan and that of the character Swami played by Master Manjunath among the exhibits. A narrow gauge coach stabled at the station has been converted to a tea shop and named ‘Malgudi Chai’.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – August 08th, 2020

Chisel and cheer

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

Veteran sculptor H N Krishnamurthy’s artworks show vignettes from regular life, and yet appear striking in today’s context of the pandemic-ridden world.

Sculptures made by H N Krishnamurthy
Sculptures made by H N Krishnamurthy

Bengaluru :

Veteran sculptor H N Krishnamurthy’s artworks show vignettes from regular life, and yet appear striking in today’s context of the pandemic-ridden world. His collection, ‘Malenadina Mukhagalu (Faces of Malenadu)’, currently on display at Fidelitus Gallery in the city, is timeless and yet timely. Created by him over the last 20 years, the cement and fibreglass sculptures are now standing tall to spread the message of positivity to viewers as well as fellow artists.

“Everyone is worried about Covid-19 but it feels good that art lovers can get some respite with this exhibition,” the Shivamogga-based artist told CE in an email interview. “It aims to fill confidence in artists and raise funds to help them, as well as rural students,” he added. The artworks showcase the rural and agrarian lifestyle of the region. “Many people in Bengaluru are from Malenadu, so they can relive their memories when they see the sculptures,” says the septuagenarian artist who studied at Santiniketan in the 1950s.

His passion for art began as a college student in Mysuru when he sketched a portrait of poet-writer Kuvempu. “He influenced me to pursue the field. He wrote a letter, recommending me to study at Santiniketan, where I got an opportunity to work with Padma Bhushan awardee Ramkinkar Baij. I still cherish those moments,” says Krishnamurthy, who still indulges in this passion. “I make small sculptures for my satisfaction and to also spend good moments with my family,” he says.

The current exhibition comprises 25-30 pieces, through the sale of which the gallery aims to support other artists and rural students. “The current situation caused by Covid-19 has shaken up everyone’s life. Artists are among those affected the most. We want to create hope among them and bring some relief to them, as well as art lovers, who have been confined within their homes,” says gallery founder Achuth Gowda, adding that about 20 per cent of the total revenue generated from this exhibition will be used for the education of needy rural students through Shilpa Foundation, while about 10 per cent of it will go for the benefit of artists.

Young artists today need to come up with creative ways to improve their financial condition, feels Krishnamurthy. “They need to understand different art forms, and variations between those, like contemporary and abstracts. All they need is time for recognition, and to show their work to the world. It’s a waste of time for them to store their collections,” he says. The exhibition is on at Fidelitus Gallery, BSK 2nd Stage, till August 20.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Express Nes Service / August 06th, 2020

Dadapeer Manjarla dead

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All

Rajyotsava award-winning Tatvapada singer Dadapeer Manjarla died of prolonged illness in Manjarla village in Raichur taluk.

He was 55. He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.

Manjarla, who was born into a Muslim family, took to singing Tatvapadas in both Kannada and Telugu to help spread national integrity.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Staff Reporter / Yadgir – August 04th, 2020

The write way

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Records, All, Science & Technology, World Opinion

Software by city-based brothers looks at helping screenwriters, with options to pen their work in regional languages.

Prashanth and Praveen Udupa
Prashanth and Praveen Udupa

Bengaluru :

When Covid-19 struck India, Bengaluru-based brothers Prashanth and Praveen Udupa knew it would be a long time before their venture would be allowed to open doors again. The two are co-founders of a mini theatre called TERIFLIX, which is currently shut due to safety concerns. But instead of rueing the situation, they decided to look at the other end of the spectrum, and shifted their focus from exhibiting films to helping those involved with writing them instead.

This gave birth to Scrite – a screenplay writing software that allows screenwriters to write in Hindi, Kannada, Sanskrit, Odiya, Tamil and more. So far, they have seen 500 unique installations, including from users in France, UK and USA.Prashanth, who has written the code, says the idea came from his passion of reading and writing screenplays. “When I was trying to write a screenplay, I remember thinking how I wish the app would have responded better to me. Most tools let you write in a linear format but I wanted something that would let me visually capturing the structure of the story,” explains the 38-year-old.

While one would think that all you need to write a screenplay is a blank writing document, Prashanth explains how a screenwriting software doesn’t just provide you a canvas to pen down your story, but also gives you tools that help planning the production and pre-production stages of a project. “For example, we have tools like character report – which when chosen for a particular actor, compiles all the scenes he or she appears in, while highlighting the particular dialogues for them,” adds Prashanth.

Other features that Scrite, for which filmmaker Surya Vasishta contributed towards UI/UX, offers: Location reports (that compiles the number of day and night scenes in a particular setting, which could help in scheduling), character screen matrix reports (which chart out all the characters present in a particular scene) and more.

Currently in beta phase, the duo is seeking feedback for the open source code software, which was developed in three weeks during the first lockdown. New features are currently in the works, including one that allows for more collaboration. “Sometimes, the people who write the dialogues are not the same as the person who writes the screenplay. Multiple writers can be involved with a script so the new feature will look at making it easier for them,” he says.

The tool offers samples of screenplays of Bhinna, animated film Punyakoti, The Matrix and more, so as to help students as well. “The idea was never about making a revenue. We just want to add value to different aspects of filmmaking – be it writing or exhibiting,” says Praveen. Currently, the software (available on Scrite.io) is free to run.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Simran Ahuja / Express News Service / July 30th, 2020

The Eugen Sandow of Bengaluru

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

KV Iyer was the first person to set up and successfully run a vyayama shaala in Bangalore

Since the time of Kempegowda, Bengaluru is known for its Garadi Mane, the traditional wrestler training centres. Even today there are a few such akhadas in old city where many young men practice this sport, exercise and tone their bodies. Becoming a wrestler is not everyone’s cup of tea. Many young men like to build their body and tone their muscles, both for looks and strength.

Now, all over the city, there are a number of such centres popularly known as gymnasiums, offering varied types of traditional and modern methods of body building. However, during the first half of 20th century there were hardly any such places in the city to shape a sound mind in a sound body. The credit of running such a vyayamashala successfully, goes to KV Iyer. He is remembered even today for exploring a systematic method of physical culture.

A few years ago I met Dr. KV Karna and his wife Vasanta Karna, son and daughter-in-law of KV Iyer, to know of his contribution. Prof. K V Iyer Smarane’ is a memoir brought out by V.Si. Sampada in which the author KG Nadiger gives a vivid picture of K V Iyer’s life, his Vyayamashala and the gymnastic achievements. “Ordinary feet, extraordinary feat” is an apt tribute given to this master of body building by Dr.Veena Bharati in her book of the same title.

Kolar Venkatesh Iyer was born on January 8, 1898 in the village of Devarayasamudra in Kolar district. He lost his mother at the young age. His father came down to Bangalore and started a a small eatery to eke out a livelihood. Iyer could not continue studies after his intermediate due to financial constraints. But he was very much interested in body building.

He learnt the basics of the art of physique from his guru Venkatakrishnaiah. After taking a course of Charles Atlas, who was an Italian-American body builder best remembered as the developer of a body building method and its associated exercise programme, KV Iyer began developing his own system of body building harmoniously, blending the Indian system of Hatha Yoga and Western style of aerobics. His first training centre, Hercules Gymnasium was established in Tipu Sultan’s Palace in Bangalore in 1922.

Once, T P Kailasam, a versatile genius and a household name in Kannada literary circle, came to his class. They had met earlier in another occasion near Kolar. Kailasam explained to him about the salient features of Maxalding system. Maxalding is an exercise system of muscle control using a form of isometrics. Books and pamphlets teaching the system were first published in 1909 and continued until Maxalding ceased to trade in the late 1970s. When Kailasam had gone abroad he had met Eugen Sandow. He also shared his experiences of his meeting Eugen Sandow, a legend of physical culture. He also asked whether K V Iyer had read about Lady Windermere’s Fan, A Play About a Good Woman, a four-act comedy by Oscar Wilde. KV Iyer promptly replied that he had no time to read any books other than literature on physical culture. The playwright replied “Oh my! You are only into body-building, what about your brain? The general opinion about physical culture is All brawn and no brain. You should prove to the world that brawn and brain can go together.” This dictum of his well-wisher had a long lasting effect on the young body builder. He changed his thinking, style of functioning and imparting the training to this pupils.

He rented a bigger house in Chamarajapet fifth main which was located right in front or the residence of the well-known Dr. B. Nanjappa, and established a full-fledged gymnasium which later came to be known as K V Iyer’s Vyayamashala.

For young K V Iyer, Eugen Sandow, the German body builder of early nineteenth century, also considered as “Father of Modern Body Building” was the role model. Earlier, the body builders simply displayed their well-developed physique as part of strength demonstration or wrestling matches. But Eugen Sandow was so successful at flexing and posing his physique that audiences were thrilled and enjoyed viewing his “muscle display performances”. He later created several businesses around his fame, and was among the first to market products branded with his name. He was credited with inventing and selling the first exercise equipment for the masses like machined dumbbells, spring pulleys and tension bands. Even his image was sold by the thousands in ‘cabinet cards’ and other prints. He also authored a few books and journals on the subject. Sandow visited India in 1905, at which time he was already a cultural hero and had the most influence on modern yoga as exercise.

KV Iyer too, like his role model, presented the sequence of yoga asanas in Surya Namaskara, as a practical, modern, stretching exercise rather than as something only spiritual. He toured India doing lecture-demonstrations, accompanied by the yoga guru Seetharaman Sundaram.

Like Sandow, he vigorously promoted himself, appearing in magazines such as Health and Strength and The Superman. He wrote several books on physical culture including Perfect Physique, Muscle Cult, Physique and Figure, Suya Namasakar and Chemical Changes in Physical Exercise.

To be continued….

Email: sureeshmoona@gmail.com

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Entertainment / by Suresh Moona / July 24th, 2020