Category Archives: Arts, Culture & Entertainment

She gets global recognition twice in two years.

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Records, All, World Opinion

Bengaluru :

All of 23, Swati Bondia, a fresh MBA graduate from a city business school, received an international recognition from Junior Chamber International as one among 10 outstanding young persons of the world at a function in Kanazawa, Japan on Saturday. She ecomes is the first Indian woman to receive the award during 100 years since JCI established.

This is the second global honour for her. In July last year, she was the only Indian businesswoman to have made it to the BoP, which is being organized by the University of Colombia in association with United Nation’s Principles for Responsible Management Education Secretariat.

The founder and chief decorating officer of Bangalore-based social venture Om Shanti Traders has been selected for the Base of the Pyramid market-entry challenge at Colombia.

Om Shanti Traders is a social, sustainable venture supporting at least 1,000 individuals from the poor and underprivileged sections to improve their lifestyle and, thus, reduce the economic gap between the various layers of the society. Swati identifies individuals on the streets, trains them in arts and crafts, employs them and helps them to create a livelihood for themselves by selling their creations to corporate and individual households. The profit is shared with the employee families and a portion will go to the employee welfare corpus. Swati and her team ensure the children of the employee family compulsorily go to school.

Hailing from Jharsuguda in Odisha and a daughter of an industrialist, Swati is today a big name in social enterprise.

“It is like reverse mentoring. I was her professor and mentor in her venture in empowering poor and rural women, but she leads me now in my ideas. I am the founder director of www.enrichexpo. But is her drive behind this venture as its CEO and one of the directors,” her professor at the business school where she pursued her MBA, GS Sreekiran told TOI.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Bengaluru / by M K Madhusoodan, TNN / November 11th, 2015

Lalbagh to host India’s first national landscape fest

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Records, All, Travel, World Opinion

Bengaluru :

The country’s first national landscape fest is all set to begin from November 11 to 15 in Lalbagh under the joint endeavour of the horticulture and agriculture departments that would demonstrate and exhibit several aspects of landscaping, urban horticulture and spiritual gardens.

A unique initiative, the fest would showcase the biggest vertical garden in the history of Lalbagh – at 7 feet tall and 1000 feet wide, covering an area of 7,000 square feet all around the glass house at Lalbagh.

Dr Jagadeesh M, joint director of horticulture department, said, “Bengaluru being known as the garden city and losing the grandeur of its name in recent days, we have tried to organise this fest to drive the city more into landscaping and beautifying a spot. The show will be arranged inside the glass house. In addition to that, the concept of organic urban roof gardening will also be explored outside the glass house, by which the bio-waste from each household will be used to produce organic manures. This method of growing vegetables and fruits ensures the consumption of organic plant products.”

“The Bonsai Garden will host exhibition on spiritual gardening which will have Nakshatravana, Raashivana, Navagrahavana, Shivapanchayatvana and several other spiritual plants. It would have landscape technology stalls as part of the show,” he added.

The fest would receive more than 3,000 landscape experts and architects and over 3 lakh visitors are expected to visit Lalbagh during the fest.

Dr Krishna Chavan from Belagavi, an international landscape architect, who has organised the fest, said, “The fest will enable Bengalureans to explore and balance nature and colour their lives with plants and flowers. I have used the concept of five elements of nature – water, air, soil, stone and plant for beautifying the landscape.”

Speaking to TOI about police security to be provided in Lalbagh during the fest, DCP Lokesh Kumar, said, “More than 400 cops will be deployed for security and traffic in and around Lalbagh. Tickets will be available till 6.00 pm and visitors can stay till 7.00 pm in the garden. Only two-wheelers can be parked in Alameen College and both two-wheelers and cars have to be parked at Shantinagar Bus depot, JC Road and near Lalbagh HOPCOMS stall.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Bengaluru / TNN / by Sreemoyee Chatterjee / November 09th, 2015

Lalbagh to host India’s first national landscape fest

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

Bengaluru  :

The country’s first national landscape fest is all set to begin from November 11 to 15 in Lalbagh under the joint endeavour of the horticulture and agriculture departments that would demonstrate and exhibit several aspects of landscaping, urban horticulture and spiritual gardens.

A unique initiative, the fest would showcase the biggest vertical garden in the history of Lalbagh – at 7 feet tall and 1000 feet wide, covering an area of 7,000 square feet all around the glass house at Lalbagh.

Dr Jagadeesh M, joint director of horticulture department, said, “Bengaluru being known as the garden city and losing the grandeur of its name in recent days, we have tried to organise this fest to drive the city more into landscaping and beautifying a spot. The show will be arranged inside the glass house. In addition to that, the concept of organic urban roof gardening will also be explored outside the glass house, by which the bio-waste from each household will be used to produce organic manures. This method of growing vegetables and fruits ensures the consumption of organic plant products.”

“The Bonsai Garden will host exhibition on spiritual gardening which will have Nakshatravana, Raashivana, Navagrahavana, Shivapanchayatvana and several other spiritual plants. It would have landscape technology stalls as part of the show,” he added.

The fest would receive more than 3,000 landscape experts and architects and over 3 lakh visitors are expected to visit Lalbagh during the fest.

Dr Krishna Chavan from Belagavi, an international landscape architect, who has organised the fest, said, “The fest will enable Bengalureans to explore and balance nature and colour their lives with plants and flowers. I have used the concept of five elements of nature – water, air, soil, stone and plant for beautifying the landscape.”

Speaking to TOI about police security to be provided in Lalbagh during the fest, DCP Lokesh Kumar, said, “More than 400 cops will be deployed for security and traffic in and around Lalbagh. Tickets will be available till 6.00 pm and visitors can stay till 7.00 pm in the garden. Only two-wheelers can be parked in Alameen College and both two-wheelers and cars have to be parked at Shantinagar Bus depot, JC Road and near Lalbagh HOPCOMS stall.”

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Bengaluru / Sreemoyee Chatterjee, TNN / November 09th, 2015

Pages from history : Magic word Karnataka

About Bangalore(Bengaluru) / Karnataka, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leaders, Records, All

by Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy, former Head, Department of Ancient History & Archaeology, University of Mysore

November first each year heralds a new enthusiasm and jubilation among Kannada speaking people. Old Mysore State ruled by the benevolent Maharajas became the State of Karnataka. The magic word Karnataka has a hoary antiquity going back to the times of epic Mahabharata. Sabha Parva has the word Karnata while the Bhishma Parva has the form Karnataka. Varahamihira’s Brihatsamhite (sixth century AD) also mentions this word. The land of Kannada had become so famous as to attract attention of the Tamilagam. An ancient Tamil work (2-3 century AD) called Silappadikaram refers to the people called Karunadar who obviously inhabited the Kannada land.

Truncated Karnataka

Various ancient and modern writers have interpreted this magic word in a variety of ways. The famous work Kavirajamarga defines Kannada land as a geographical entity between Cauvery and Godavari. This is significant indeed. But what we have today is truncated Karnataka and have to be contented with Cauvery only. On the basis of this and other evidences, Pattadakallu, Dharwad (Lakshmesvara), Belgaum and parts of Nizam’s dominions, Salem, Nilgiri, Coimbatore etc., were considered parts of Karnataka. Unfortunately, due to political reasons, the wide boundaries of Karnataka are being truncated and the British also played their own part in this respect as they did not like to have a strong, powerful and wide area as a province in their empire.

Though northern parts of Karnataka were the kernel of the land of this area, it was not a milking cow for the British as against the Maharajas of Mysore and hence they neglected that area. Fortunately, in spite of this handicap, the northern parts of Karnataka have stood up by hard work and political will and have occupied a prominent place in today’s socio-politico-economic and cultural fields. It only shows that innate strength is more important for cultural growth rather than political patronage. There are many scholars who feel that northern parts of Karnataka have been responsible for providing leadership qualities for the development of Karnataka. But this does not undermine the part played by old Mysore or Maharajas’ Mysore.

Some of the etymological explanations of the word Karnataka may be referred to here briefly. First of all, the very form itself is a matter of controversy among the scholars. The question is whether it is Karn(£Áð) taka or Karn (uÁð)taka and if both are correct which one should be used without confusing the common man. Some scholars feel that it should be written as Karn (uÁð)taka because the word has been derived from the mellifluous and soft sound which touches your ears and then your heart. Hence the ear organ (Karna) plays a significant role here and naturally any word or language is closer to the ear first and then it touches other parts including heart. From this point of view, our State should have been named as KauÁðtaka. But it is officially named and spelt as Ka£Áðtaka which may not be to the liking of the scholars on etymology.

A pure Sanskrit word

Many scholars have argued that Karna(tð)taka is a pure Sanskrit word and it satisfies the rules of grammar and hence that form should be used. Even if it is accepted as na (£À) and because of its combination with ra, it automatically becomes na (t). Perhaps, realising the seriousness of the etymology of the word, the Sahitya Parishat has opted for its name as Kannada Sahitya Parishat. Though all these etymological complications were taking place, the State of Kannada language accepted and adopted the term Karnataka (£À) in 1973 in the Legislatures. This put all the controversies at rest.

Another set of scholars have propounded a different view of the etymology of the word. They divide the word as Karu+nadu. The word karu has been taken to mean black soil. Of course, this land is famous for black cotton soil also and this etymology has been justified. But others point out that red soil is also available in plenty and hence this explanation is not appropriate. However, others give a different meaning to this word: Kar means higher altitude and this is satisfied by the position of Karnataka. Still others give a different meaning to it. It is explained as Kammitunadu, meaning the land of sweet fragrance. Perhaps the sandal wood and fine smelling flowers that grow here might have been responsible for this explanation.

Not satisfied by these explanations, other scholars have propounded another theory. This land was inhabited by some ancient tribes of which two tribes Kara and Nata were more civilised than the others. Because of the superior culture of these two tribes Kara and Nata, the people of the surrounding areas looked upon them with great respect and admiration and called this as the land of Karnata and the name continued in historical times also.

Aryan connections

Father Heras, a great historian of yesteryears has explained the contemporaneity and connection of Kannada speaking people with Indus Valley Civilisation of 2500-3000 BC. One of the seals of the Indus Valley has been explained by him as Kanneer and he takes it to be a Dravidian word and consequently, the Indus civilisation also to be a Dravidian contribution and thus has paved the way for the Dravidian origin of Kannada land. This shows that we are the sons of the soil. The followers of Dravidian movement argued that the word Karnataka denotes Aryan connections with our Dravidian land and forces on us the so-called alien Aryan culture in which Sri Rama is perhaps the most distinguished person. Hence, we should fight for a province called Dravidasthan to which we belong to. Fortunately, better sense of the nationhood prevailed on the population of that time and this idea was rejected by one and all.

Long back our anthropologists have told us that there is nothing like a pure race and an exclusive race. Consequently, there is nothing like pure Dravidian and pure Aryan in our culture. This also applies to racial features. Thus Karnataka is purely neither Dravidian nor Aryan. Actually it is a wonderful synthesis of Aryan and Dravidian culture at their best. Culturally, we have adopted a lot of Dravidian and Aryan cultural traits in our socio-religious life. This has been going on for almost over five thousand years of Indian life and this is found to continue for ever. Thus Karnataka has been a good meeting ground for both the cultures.

Royal dynasties

A large number of invasions took place in India and they have not changed our way of thinking or culture. Karnataka saw a series of royal dynasties which ruled here and they worked for the development of the land and the people. Thus Karnataka became famous in the entire country for the co-existence of people of different faiths and cultures. Of course, some minor skirmishes were always there. Kannadigas are known all over the world as good and affectionate people, always ready to help. This has been considered as their weakness; but actually it is their strength also. It is our duty to come up to this expectation and work hard in building the nation.

Four years ago, I had the good fortune of receiving Kannada Rajyotsava award. I know many persons are lobbying for this coveted award by holding on to the politicians. In fact this has lowered the prestige of the award itself. However, I congratulate the awardees in advance.

Finally, I salute Goddess Bhuvaneshwari and pray to her to shower her blessings on the population of Karnataka. All these can happen only if there is a strong and purposeful Kannada speaking people. After all, Kannada should be supreme in Karnataka. That is our prayer right now.

Jai Karnataka Mate

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Saturday – October 31st, 2015

Padma Shri Samuel Paul: He worked for clean public governance

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features, Leaders

By KRS Murthy

In the passing away of Padma Shri Samuel Paul, India has lost a quiet and unassuming leader and builder of institutions. Throughout his professional career as a teacher, researcher and institution builder, he searched for ways to make the world socially and economically more just, and worked actively for a better and cleaner public life.

My wife Nirmala and I first met Paul, then director of IIM-Ahmedabad, in 1973, when he was visiting Harvard Business School in Harvard University , where we were both doing our doctoral studies. Paul had come to recruit faculty . After we joined IIMA, we had an opportunity to see Paul in action.Although some considered him quiet and reserved, we could see beneath the exterior a caring and affectionate person. His style was one of informing and involving all stakeholders -students, faculty, industry, board and society.

Paul later went to the US where he worked with Kennedy School of Government in Harvard University and the World Bank. He continued to focus on disparities in social and economic development and the role of public policy and governance in bridging them. It might have been during that period that he began to recognize the need for active involvement of citizens in governance and delivery of public services.

I moved to Bengaluru as director, IIMBangalore, in 1991. Paul’s decision, around that time, to settle in Bengaluru, gave us another opportunity to work closely with him. Paul, I think, felt as sured involving colleagues and alumni of IIMA in his missionary work. I think he expected IIMA competence and profes sional and decent behavior in any role. In addition to others, he involved me, and PP Madappa, another distinguished alumnus of IIMA, in his early experiment with the idea of a Citizen’s Report Card (CRC) on public services. The idea was to get a sys tematic feedback of citizens on the quality of public services such as water and electricity , into policy-making and imple mentation of decisions at higher levels.

The experiment was a great success and senior civil ser vants involved Paul in finding out how CRC could help. The ex periment brought national and international attention to Ben galuru, with the Indian govern ment, World Bank and the Asian Development Bank tak ing note of it as a useful innovation in pub lic governance. Paul proceeded to set up the Public Affairs Centre, a non-profit society committed to improving public account ability and good governance. One of the earliest to recognize the impact that the cancer of corruption would have on public life, he held a seminar with leading think ers to find ways in which it can be curbed.

He published several books on corruption and on holding the state to account.

Paul continued his professional com mitment till the very end of his life. He is no more with us, but his concern for better public governance, which he lived through his quiet and exemplary profes sional life, will continue to inspire us.

(The writer was a close associate of Samuel Paul and also former chairman of ISEC, Bengaluru)

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Bengaluru / TNN / October 29th, 2015

K S L Swamy, a very energetic and passionate artiste

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

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Veteran Kannada filmmaker K S L Swamy ‘Ravee,’ known for his ‘classicist movies,’ passed away here on Tuesday. He was 77.

Kikkeri Shamanna Lakshminarasimha Swamy, who underwent treatment for respiratory problem at a private hospital last week, died at his residence in Horamavu early Tuesday morning. A native of Kikkeri village in Mandya district, he is survived by wife and actress B V Radha and daughter Dhanalakshmi.

Scores of people from various walks of life paid their last respects to Swamy after his body was kept at Samsa Open Air Theatre at Ravindra Kalakshetra.

Swamy breathed his last when he was working on his dream mega serial ‘Sri Shankara Digvijayam’, based on the life and achievements of Adi Shankara, the proponent of Advaita Vendanta.

50-year film career
A BSc graduate from Mysore University, Swamy was known to be a ‘very energetic and passionate’ artiste of both big and small screens.

In his nearly 50-year film career, Swamy preferred parallel and classic cinema, says his close associate and senior journalist-writer K N Venkatasubba Rao who wrote the teleplay and dialogues for the serial ‘Sri Shankara Digvijayam.’

After his graduation, while working at the cultural exhibitions as part of Mysore Dasara, Swamy developed keen interest in singing as well as filmmaking.

In 1966, he directed his maiden film ‘Thoogudeepa’. The films ‘Gandhinagara’ (1968), ‘Bhagya Jyothi’ (1975), ‘Masanada Hoovu’ (1984), ‘Malaya Marutha’ (1986) brought him much fame, while his film ‘Jamboo Savari’ (1989) received the Best Children’s Film at the 37th National Film Awards. ‘Savira Mettilu’ (2006), which he co-directed, was his last film. Swamy also played the lead role in two popular Kannada television serials – ‘Moodala Mane’ and ‘Mutthina Thorana’ directed by Vaishali Kasaravalli.

Body donated to hospital
The family of K S L Swamy donated his body to M S Ramaiah Hospital in Bengaluru.


Quoting Swamy’s wife B V Radha, hospital authorities said it was decided upon earlier that the family would donate the veteran director’s body and did so accordingly. His eyes were donated to Narayana Nethralaya.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State  / DHNS – Bengaluru , October 21st, 2015

Remembering legendary M. Veerappa and his iconic Mysore toys

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy
1) Self-potrait of Smt. and Sri M.Veerappa. 2) Veerappa’s grandson Sanjay with his wife Sowmya and his uncle M.V. Subramanya.
1) Self-potrait of Smt. and Sri M.Veerappa. 2) Veerappa’s grandson Sanjay with his wife Sowmya and his uncle M.V. Subramanya.

Last month I went to a friend in Vontikoppal on some personal errand. Ah! He was overjoyed. It was a Sunday and wanted to host a pure vegetarian Madhva lunch served seated on a low bench, food served on a banana leaf…

Since it was lunch time I agreed more to make my friend happy than to satiate my gourmet taste. However, as we got down from the car, my friend mentioned of an interesting house nearby on the same road that he would like to show me. That was how we forgot about the Madhva Bhavan lunch and moved to a house eponymously named ‘Chitralaya,’ a sort of art gallery with mementoes in memory or in honour of a patriarch of the family who was also a well-known artist — painter, sculptor, craftsman — M. Veerappa, the man behind the famous Mysore Toys. He is also known as the first person, nay artist, to paint pictures, both water colours and oil on canvas, based on subjects from Vachana Sahitya of Saint Basavanna.

I was told M. Veerappa (1901-1969) lived here in his house which was demolished and a new one was built with the name ‘Chitralaya’ by his grandson Sanjay, an industrialist who is the son of Veerappa’s second son Gowrishankar. Apparently in partition, Gowrishankar must have inherited the property and now his son Sanjay.

M. Veerappa was one of the five sons and three daughter of his parents Muddappa and Gangamma, running a provision store at Hosur, border of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, near Bengaluru. Though there was no history of anyone in the family having artistic talent, Veerappa was seen painting pictures from the books he was reading as a student. While none in the family, including his parents, took Veerappa’s interest in painting seriously, interestingly, it was a journalist who noticed the boy’s talent and decided to help him in his passion.

Reading about this incident from a booklet given to me by Sanjay, I was delighted for two reasons. After all, I too am a journalist and more importantly the name of the newspaper of which the journalist Y. Virupakshiah was the editor was ‘Mysore Star’ since defunct. I think this city Mysuru can’t resonate to its people without a newspaper bearing the name ‘star,’ so we have now a ‘Star of Mysore’ newspaper since 1978! Pardon me if I sound immodest !!

This Virupakshiah of a journalist-relative had gone to Hosur for a wedding where he saw the works of this young boy and was impressed. He urged Veerappa’s parents to send the boy with him to Mysore to school him properly in arts. He was admitted to Chamaraja Technical Institute (CTI) on Sayyaji Rao Road, now known as Chamarajendra Academy of Visual Arts (CAVA). Rest was history. Veerappa never looked back thereafter. Wonder, how one noble gesture on the part of a journalist changed the course of life of an individual.

Once again it was another noble gesture on the part of a Judge, G. Paramashivaiah, that enabled Veerappa to further his studies in art and sculpture at the famous JJ School of Arts, Bombay. Veerappa must be a lucky person to get help in his early life in this manner. Rightly it is said luck is when opportunity meets preparation. He had the preparation (talent) and got the opportunity, thanks to noble persons like Y. Virupakshiah and G. Paramashivaiah. And luck smiled on him.

Veerappa later joins CTI as a teaching faculty and heads the Fine Arts Section, becoming the Assistant Superintendent. He was also running a toy manufacturing unit which became famous as Mysore Toys. He had also gone to Japan sponsored by Government of India for training in packaging.

I learn that M.S. Nanjunda Rao, who established Mysore Chitrakala Parishat, now Karntaka Chiktrakala Parishat, in Bengaluru, was the student of M. Veerappa. Two of his sons, Praful Chandra, an octogenarian, was carrying the tradition of Mysore Toys till recently while his brother Shivanna set up his own unit known as ‘Wood Life’ which made a name for itself.

Other children pursued different vocations but one of his grandsons, as I mentioned earlier, Sanjay Gowrishankar, an industrialist, has set up a mini museum-gallery of Veerappa’s works in his house ‘Chitralaya.’ Worth visiting by those who have an interest in fine arts and crafts. I was immensely happy to have visited this gallery-cum-house, a sort of two-in-one-house!

While leaving the gallery, I expressed my appreciation for taking so much trouble and providing so much space in his living house to show-case the works of his grandfather and commemorate his memory. Sanjay Gowrishankar said ‘thank you’ and a modest man he is, he added: “But I must admit it is because of my wife Sowmya’s dedication and passion that we are able to present the gallery at its visual best with cleanliness.”

By now it was past 2 0’ clock and the aroma of a Madhva meal was seducing us!

e-mail: kbg@starofmysore.com

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Abracadabra…..Abracadabra / October 19th, 2015

Pages from History : Dasara through the ages

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Historical Links, Pre-Independence, Records, All, Travel

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by Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy, former Head, Department of Ancient History and Archaeology, University of Mysore

Navaratri or Dasara is one of the most popular festivals in our country but it is celebrated in a variety of ways in different parts. Actually it is a festival symbolising the destruction of evil and establishment of good (dushta sikshana and shista rakshana). This festival has a hoary antiquity going back to the time of the puranas and epics. The word Dasara is derived from the Sanskrit Dashahara meaning ten days. Basically, Navaratri is a festival of Mother Goddess who received power from no less than Vishnu, Shiva and Agni. Each one of the Gods gave different powers to Her so that She could free the world from the tormentors of different types. Thus was born the indomitable energy personified in the form of Goddess and people heaved a sigh of relief. Navaratri means paying respects and showing gratitude to Mother Goddess.

As the demons had obtained various boons from Shiva or Vishnu, the Goddess had to assume different forms to achieve her goal. She is worshipped in the following nine forms namely, Mahakali, the destroyer of Madhu Kaitabha; Mahishamardhini, the destroyer of Mahishasura; Chamundi, the vanquisher of chanda-munda; Kali, the killer of Raktabija; Durga, the harbinger of destruction of Kamsa; Raktadantri, the great destroyer; Shakambari, the destroyer of famines; Durga, the destroyer of demon Durga; Bhramari, the killer of demon Aruna. Thus Devi assumed these forms to accomplish her task. In course of time, the worship of Saraswati and Lakshmi were also added.

Another significant aspect of this ritual is the exalted position of unmarried girls (kannikas) who are supposed to personify the great Goddess. These unmarried girls are worshipped as Kumari, Trimurti Kalyani, Rohini, Chandike, Sambhavi, Durga, Subhadra and Kali. Each one of them is worshipped during the nine days; they are fed and given gifts too.

It has been our unique tradition that these festivals are recommended to human beings only after they are tested by the Gods. The Gods themselves did this after vanquishing the demons. It is said that Sri Rama invoked the Goddess and achieved great victory over Ravana on the day of Vijayadashami. Thus even Sri Rama worshipped her before taking up a major fight. Even the great epic Mahabharata extols the greatness of this festival.

The Pandavas, who had hidden their weapons under the Shami tree (banni mara) worshipped the Goddess, took out the weapons and started their Digvijaya or Victory March and consequently achieved great success over the Kauravas. It has to be noted that in all these instances, the great Goddess is invoked and worshipped not for any personal gains but for the annihilation of the wicked people, upholding of dharma and to save the good people.

Thus when it was useful to the Gods, the human beings felt that it should be useful to themselves also and hence began celebrating Navaratri. No dobut, it was celebrated in the ancient period but it has not been recorded either in literature or in inscriptions till we come to the medieval period. It was believed that Samudragupta, Harsha, Vikramaditya VI, Ballala II, Singhana and a host of others started their Digvijaya on the Vijayadashami Day.

However, with the dawn of Vijayanagar period, historical records are available in plenty. Particularly, the writings of the foreign travelers who stayed for a short period in Vijayanagar empire have given graphic description of the various rituals and durbar during this period. The earliest reference to Dasara festival during the Vijayanagar period is seen at the time of King Devaraya II (1424-1446). Abdul Razzak, a Persian traveler, who was invited as a guest for Dasara, was greatly impressed by the festival and has given a long description. The infidels of this country who are endowed with great power are fond of displaying their pomp and glory. Navaratri was celebrated at Mahanavami platform (dibba) in Hampi. All the subordinate kings assembled here and made gifts to the emperor. Elephants played an important role besides horses. There were many pavilions and some of them revolved around. The King sat on the gold throne kept on the ninth storey. Acrobatics displayed were of high order and people enjoyed it. The King gave prizes to the participants who included men and women. The last three days, namely Durgashtami, Mahanavami and Vijayadashami were spectacular. Krishnadevaraya’s Dasara was held from morning till night and thousands of lamps were lit during the night. Wrestling was a great attraction. Fire works were of high order.

On the Vijayadashami Day, the King held a review of the forces. Another traveler by name Nuinz has also given a similar description, besides Barbara, Nikitin and others. From all these features, it becomes clear that Vijayanagar Kings laid the firm foundation for the pompous but religious celebration of Dasara.

The Wadiyars of Mysore can easily be regarded as the cultural successors of Vijayanagar empire. They improved upon the Dasara of Vijayanagar period to suit their own needs and requirements in such a manner that it became more pompous and dazzling than Vijayanagar Dasara. In fact, Dasara has become synonymous with Mysore Wadiyars.

The earliest reference to Wadiyar Dasara is found during the period of Raja Wadiyar, who ruled from 1578 to 1617. Not only did he celebrate it at Srirangapatna but codified the rules and regulations for its celebrations. Though his son Narasaraja died a day earlier (7.9.1610) to Dasara, he celebrated the Mahanavami festival and further ordained that the death of a close relative of the royal household should not become a cause to stop or postpone Dasara. Dasara of this period was celebrated in three stages: The first one was the celebration of first eight days; the second is the Mahanavami festival and the third is the Vijayadashami. This has become more or less standardised from the period of Raja Wadiyar. He took up diksha by wearing a separate dress and kankana and worship of the Navagrahas, worshipped the throne and ascended it. The relatives, brahmanas and officials paid respects to the King. On the moola nakshatra day, Saraswathi Puja was performed. The Mahanavami Day was reserved for the worship of Royal Sword (Pattada Katti). Then the homa at Chamundi Hill concluded with poornahuti. In the evening, the durbar took place. On the Vijayadashami Day, he sent the weapons to the Banni tree with royal honour. In the evening he went in a procession to that place, worshipped the Banni tree and returned in the night with lights.

During the period of Kanteerava Narasaraja Wadiyar, the festival was celebrated with traditional grandeur. Special worship was offered to the images of Ranganatha and Narasimha. During the durbar, the chiefs, feudatories and others would pay respects. The tenth day was reserved for public procession of the King to conduct Sami puja.

Krishnaraja Wadiyar III (Mummadi) performed Dasara in the traditional manner. Queen Mother Lakshmammanni also worshipped the throne and blessed the King. The Maharaja used to come from the Palace in Nazarbad and return after the function. British Durbar was an added attraction. One particular day was specially reserved for them from 1814.

In the meantime, the present Palace was completed in 1912 and it became the venue of Dasara durbar. Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV (1895-1940), who won the admiration from Mahatma Gandhi and generally referred to as Rajarishi, conducted Dasara in a pompous and meaningful manner. On the very first day of Dasara, he worshipped Goddess Chamundeshwari on the hillock. The evening durbar was meant for officers and invitees. They had to come in a special dress of white trousers, black long coat, uttariya and a laced turban to be in the durbar. All the invitees were garlanded according to their status. On the ninth day, he performed Ayudha Puja which included worship of Lakshmi, Royal sword, royal horse, royal elephant, royal chariot etc. On Vijayadashami Day the Maharaja used to go to Bannimantap sitting on a howdah mounted on an elephant. Maharaja, Yuvaraja Kanteerava Narasaraja and Jayachamaraja Wadiyar were seated in the howdah. The same procedure was followed during the rule of Jayachamaraja Wadiyar. As Ashoka road was too narrow, the procession passed through Sayyaji Rao road and the whole route was illuminated. This type of Dasara was held till 1969.

In the year 1970, Dasara was not held publicly. The Karnataka Government decided to hold Dasara as Nada Habba or the festival of the people. However, religious ceremonies were performed in private at the Palace. Cultural events, poets meet, cultural and industrial exhibition were conducted. On Vijayadashami Day, an idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari in the golden howdah was taken in procession. At Bannimantap, the Governor took the salute at the torch-light parade. Thus Dasara or Navaratri became a cultural event and a festival of the people and not of the royalty. This festival not only reminds us of our past glory but is a symbol of our unity and strength to move towards our democratic goal. Whatever may be its form, we pray to Goddess Chamundeshwari to shower her blessings on all of us for a better tomorrow.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / October 17th, 2015

Best from waste

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Inspiration/ Positive News and Features

Recycled art

RecycledArtBF15oct2015

These days, people can’t wait to leave the nest and all its comforts. But Aditi Mahajan says that she can’t imagine not seeing her mother, Sunila Mahajan, for even a day. They spend hours together, bonding over arts and crafts, and this unique relationship is reflected in their start-up, ‘Dots to Lines’.

Started earlier this year, ‘Dots to Lines’ is a creative platform where the two share their trade secrets with their customers in the most colourful and exquisite manner. From home decor to accessories and stationery, they hand make them all with much patience and dedication.

Aditi gave up her career as a children’s educator to take a gamble on this venture. Sunila, however, has always had an artistic bend and spends a major part of her time working on crafts or teaching them.

Talking about how the idea to start this came about, Aditi explains, “We are into handcrafted products and a large part of our items are made from MDF or recycled wood. It all began when we ended up with some wooden scraps at home. Instead of disposing of them, my mother suggested we make something out of them. So we got them cut in various shapes — cats, bunnies, fish, butterflies — and turned them into keyrings. Usually, people make keyrings small but we decided to make them a little bulky and different. When my friends saw this, they loved them and suggested we make something more.”

There is a story behind how each of their products came about. “A cousin was getting married so we designed a tray for the couple. It became a hit and more people wanted it!” says Aditi. The accessory line walked in because of popular demand. “When people noticed our work, they began asking us to make jewellery.

We didn’t find a reason not to, so now we work on pendants, necklaces, earrings and more,” she adds.  Selling mainly on online portals and at various flea markets and ‘santhes’, the two have a range of products to display — fridge magnets, photo frames and more.

“I love to collect photo frames so we thought we’d make some of them. Since everything is handmade, it’s a problem to replicate an item, but we try our best. When there’s a sale coming up, we make sure to craft at least 20 items per day. But making things in bulk is hard…” says Aditi.

Why did they name it ‘Dots to Lines’? “Multiple dots put together make a line, which in turn makes a pattern and then a design. And unique designs is what keeps us going,” she explains. All their works are bright and colourful because they believe that “they make for a brighter and happier day”.  For more details, please visit their Facebook page www.facebo­ok.com/dots2lines.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> MetroLife / by Ananya Revanna, Bengaluru / DHNS – October 08th, 2015

Mridanga exponent Vid.V.S. RajagopalaL conferred with ‘Rajya Sangeetha Vidwan’ Award

Arts, Culture & Entertainment
Mridanga exponent Vid. V.S. Rajagopala, who was conferred with ‘Rajya Sangeetha Vidwan’ award by Chief Minister Siddharamaiah during the inauguration of Dasara cultural programmes at the Palace premises in city last evening, is seen with MP R. Dhruvanarayan, Department of Information and Public Relations Secretary Dr. N.S. Channappa Gowda, PWD Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, Kannada & Culture Minister Umashree, MLC Dharmasena, ZP President Dr. Pushpa B. Amarnath, District Minister V. Sreenivasa Prasad, Co-op. Minister H.S. Mahadevaprasad, MLA M.K. Somashekar, Mayor R. Lingappa and MUDA Chairman K.R. Mohan Kumar. Picture below shows artistes of artistes of Kalasandesha Pratishtana presenting a dance feature ‘Male-Ele-Bele’ on the occasion.
Mridanga exponent Vid. V.S. Rajagopala, who was conferred with ‘Rajya Sangeetha Vidwan’ award by Chief Minister Siddharamaiah during the inauguration of Dasara cultural programmes at the Palace premises in city last evening, is seen with MP R. Dhruvanarayan, Department of Information and Public Relations Secretary Dr. N.S. Channappa Gowda, PWD Minister Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, Kannada & Culture Minister Umashree, MLC Dharmasena, ZP President Dr. Pushpa B. Amarnath, District Minister V. Sreenivasa Prasad, Co-op. Minister H.S. Mahadevaprasad, MLA M.K. Somashekar, Mayor R. Lingappa and MUDA Chairman K.R. Mohan Kumar. Picture below shows artistes of artistes of Kalasandesha Pratishtana presenting a dance feature ‘Male-Ele-Bele’ on the occasion.

Mysuru :

Chief Minister Siddharamaiah, yesterday, conferred ‘Rajya Sangeetha Vidwan’ on the 80-year-old Mysuru-born Mridanga exponent Vid. V.S. Rajagopala at the Palace premises in city.

Rajagopala, who had participated in concerts at the Palace during the days of Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, is the first recipient of the award after the cash was increased to a lump-sum amount of Rs.3 lakh. All these years, the recipients of the award were given a monthly honorarium of Rs. 2,000.

Conferring the award after the delayed inauguration of cultural programmes at the Palace organised as part of Dasara-2015, Chief Minister Siddharamaiah said that though this year’s Dasara had been scaled down, its grandeur has not dimmed.

The two-hour delay in the inauguration of cultural activities left many music-lovers who had assembled at the venue disappointed. Ministers V. Sreenivasa Prasad, Dr. H.C. Mahadevappa, Mahadevaprasad, Umashree and others were present on the occasion.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Wednesday – October 14th, 2015