The legacy of the 600-year-old Wodeyar dynasty is the subject of the Bharatnatyam dance presentation, Under The Double Eagle. Choreographed and performed by Lakshmi Gopalaswamy and Satyanarayana Raju, exponents of the dance form, it is being presented as part of the Bangalore International Arts Festival to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the International Music and Arts Society.
Talking about the genesis of the production, Gopalaswamy shares that the two of them were commissioned by the Chennai-based Narada Gana Sabha Trust to do a piece on the Mysore royal family in 2013. “Natyarangam, the dance wing of the sabha, holds a thematic dance festival every year and in 2013, the programme was called Bhoopala Bharatam and focused on good Indian kings who had ruled their provinces efficiently. The Wadiyars were among the dynasties that were chosen and it was the trust members who suggested that Satyanarayana Raju and I collaborate. That’s how Under the Double Eagle was conceived,” recalls Gopalaswamy. Considering the historical nature of the theme, preparation for the presentation entailed delving into quite a bit of research into the royal family, to ensure authenticity. “To begin with, the sabha put us in touch with Vikram Sampath who’d written the book, Splendours of Royal Mysore. But besides accessing and reading books on the royalty’s 600-year-long history , a major challenge was to use lyrics and music pieces that were relevant to the time,” explains Gopalaswamy who according to Raju, “sat and did all the research because I am not someone who can read texts.”
“To get the right music, we met composers who have studied the Mysore royal family’s contribution to classical music.We also had Lakshmi’s mother, Dr Uma Gopalaswamy , who is a musician, giving us inputs on what ragas to use,” informs Raju. Gopalaswamy adds, “Prof Srikantam Nagendra Shastry was another key source of information. He even shared certain authentic Javali compositions with us.” While the research took them two months to finish, Raju informs the pair managed to complete the choreography in 15 days. The story of the production, if one may call it that, charts the life and times of 8 Wadiyars kings. “With the Wadiyar dynasty spanning generations, it was almost impossible to show all the rulers. Instead we chose the rulers based on their cultural contributions,” says Gopalaswamy.
Starting with Yaduraya Wadiyar, who founded the dynasty in 1399, the kings who are depicted in the production are Narasaraja Wadiyar I (Ranadhira Kantheerava), Chikka Devaraja Wadiyar, (Immadi) Krishnaraja Wadiyar II, Chamarajendra Wadiyar X, Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV and Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar.
About the choreography itself, Raju says that what proved quite the challenge was, “translating contemporary subjects into Bharatanatyam movements. For in stance, we had to work a lot to choreograph the portion that talks about the construction of the Krishna Raja Sa gara (KRS) Dam by Krishnaraja Wadi yar IV. I mean, how does one show something like this through simple hand movements and little else?” Gopalaswamy believes that the production will be nothing short of an education for the audience. “You learn about the kind of visionaries, and good leaders the kings were. You will also realize how the subtle influence of the Mysore royalty may have played its part in cultivating Kannadigas in to the gentle, cosmopolitan and culturally-oriented community we are.”
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Bengaluru / by Mahalakshmi P, TNN / September 26th, 2015
Writer Sethu handing over ‘Virali Pattu, Valampiri Shankhu, Kannadi Bimbam’ to Biennale director of Programmes Riyas Komu. Artist Balan Nambiar and writer-journalist Jose Panachippuram are also seen
For the past four decades, veteran artist Balan Nambiar has been researching on three key religious and cultural symbols of Kerala. Now, their key features found compilation as a book that was launched at a function at the ongoing Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB).
‘Virali Pattu, Valampiri Shankhu, Kannadi Bimbam’ was released at KMB ‘14 ‘History Now’ event last weekend, when writer Sethu handed over a copy of the multi-colour work to Biennale director of Programmes Riyas Komu. The book has been translated into Malayalam by writer-journalist Jose Panachippuram.
The tastefully published work looks at the history of the three iconic objects and their cultural and artistic evolution. The ‘virali pattu’ is a silk double ikat or Patola textile, which was traditionally hand-woven in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka. It has been used for centuries in Kerala as garments by priests, theyyam dancers and to clothe deities. Even in the kalam art portraying Bhagavathy, the goddess is depicted wearing the distinctive ‘virali pattu’ design.
“The weavers calculated the design through the warp and weft as if on a mental computer,” said Bengaluru-based Nambiar, who is a native of North Malabar.
“It was believed that silk cloth was unpolluted; so it was ideal for ritual use. Today, there are only five Jain families in Gujarat who still possess the weaving skills,” the 77-year-old artist noted at a function in Aspinwall House, the main KMB’14 venue, at Fort Kochi.
The ‘valampiri shanku’ is a sacred Hindu conch, in which spiral twists right when the spout is pointed up. Nambiar, who is from Kannapuram near Kannur, has exhibited at the Venice Biennale, has used this and the ‘kannadi bimbam’ as inspirations in his many sculptural works, which have been exhibited around Europe and in India. The ‘kannadi bimbam’ is a metal mirror used as the deity in some temples in upstate Kerala, where devotees meditate upon their own reflection.
Sethu, also former chairman of the National Book Trust, suggested that the internationally renowned artist was giving back to his home-state through the book.
“It is sad that he has not got due recognition in Kerala, where none of his sculptures are exhibited,” he said. “But through this book, he is giving back stories of our tradition to our people.”
The evening ended with artist Shiva Shankaran rendering songs from the medieval ‘vadakkan pattu’ (ballads from north Malabar), which makes reference to the ‘virali pattu’ in the context of a baby’s cradle, and in the dressing up rituals of warriors’ Thacholi Othenan and Unniarcha.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kerala / by Express Features / March 27th, 2015
K Sridhar, who works as Chief Manager in Information Systems Department for Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) is known for his love for lighthouses among philatelists.
He drew attention of public with his collection of permanent picture cancellation
s, during the exhibition at Head Post Office on Sunday, oganised by Mangalore Philatelic and Numismatic Association.
Sridhar said: “what makes permanent picture cancellations unique is that they are available in a particular post office. The picture cancellation with postal index number 11004 is available only in Rashtrapati Bhavan post office”.
“There are approximately 205 permanent picture cancellations in India and I have collected around 180 PPCs. Nineteen states and seven union territories have released PPCs. I have collected PPCs of 15 states and four union territories. Karnataka has released most number of PPCs with 39 followed by Kerala with 36 and Tamil Nadu- 33.
The three southern states have 108 PPCs among them contributing 60 per cent of the PPCs of India,” he said.
Interestingly, Mangaluru also has permanent picture cancellation for Mangalore light house. Permanent picture cancellation is a postmark which replicates the place or thing with religious, historic or tourist importance.
The oldest permanent picture cancellation- ‘Qutab Minar’ was released in November 29, 1960 and latest- ‘Malpe’, ‘Nadalike’ and ‘Kattale Basadi’ were released in January 17, 2015. Around eight PPCs including ‘Madikathi- Odikathi and Peechikathi’ and ‘Gumbaz’ or ‘Sword and headgear of Tipu Sultan’ of Karnataka have multiple designs.
K Sridhar is stamp collector on lighthouses and oil and gas and hails from Erode of Tamil Nadu. He joined Mangalore Philatelic and Numismatic Association in 1999. He is now its patron member. He won silver medal in Karnataka Philatelic Exhibition four times and silver medal at National-level. He is also member of Trichy Philatelists Association, Gujarath Philatelic Association, Karnataka Philatelic Club (Bengaluru) and UK’s Lighthouse Stamp Society.
Sridhar has collected around 3,000 stamps on lighthouses and oil and gas. “I started collected stamps on light house after watching Surathkal light house. India has only four stamps on lighthouse- Minicoy lighthouse of Lakshadweep, Mahabalipuram of Chennai, Alape of Kerala and Aguda of Goa. We get lighthouse stamps at Estonia, Germany, Croatia, Spain, US and other countries.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> District / Mangaluru – DHNS, July 13th, 2015
Naanu Avanalla, Avalu by B.S. Lingadevaru Halemane, which bagged two-national awards, is claimed to be the first such film for the Kannada film industry.
“Of course there were films on transgenders. But they dealt their issues as a sub-text, not a main-text. Our film is inspired by I am Vidya, a transgender’s journey , an autobiography of Living Smile Vidya”, said Mr. Lingadevaru.
Sanchari Vijay, who essayed the role of the protagonist, won the best actor award, which came to Kannada after a gap of 27 years. For the first time in the history of Kannada cinema, the film got the award in the make-up category.
Initially, he thought of casting a transgender for the role of Madesh, who transforms later as Vidya in the film, but that did not materialise. Many transgenders have acted in various roles, including that of Sharada Nani and Danamma.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Muralidhara Khajane / Bengaluru – September 24th, 2015
‘Nooru Rupayi’ is directed by architect Prashanth Raj.
Directed by Prashanth Raj, the 20-minute film with a budget of Rs. 2 lakh
Why do you think a group of young Bengaluru architects are rejoicing? Not an award for one of their best designed projects, but global appreciation for a well-made short film in Kannada, Nooru Rupayi(‘Hundred Rupees’) with English sub-titles.
The 20-minute film, directed by architect Prashanth Raj of Arch Venture in Sanjaynagar, has been selected to be screened at the Washington DC South Asian Film Festival on September 27, after bagging the Runner Up Award at the 5th Bangalore International Short Film Fest last month, and Special Awards at Mumbai, Calcutta, and UK Short Film Fests earlier.
Nooru Rupayi , with a budget of Rs. 2 lakh, was made by Prashanth Raj (director), Shilpa Patel (art director), Nitin (cinematographer), Guruswamy (Editor) along with the production team Raghav, Abhilash Pallaki, John Joseph, and Pramod Chandru (sound recording) and Abhijeet (music) — architects and engineering professionals who have a passion for films beyond their drawing board. The film, which revolves around a message to stand up against corruption and make a social change, was conceived and written by Prashanth, whose passion for “short films with a strong message” became easier after he took up a course at the Indian Institute of Moving Images.
The film took nearly four months to shape up, and has been entirely shot in the pastoral Thimmanahalli near Tumakuru, at the Chikkanayakanahalli hamlet, a four-hour drive from Bengaluru. “While I was raring to handle this subject of corruption revolving around a story of ‘puppy love’, a struggling village family and socially relevant issues of corruption that seem an accepted norm, it is the protagonist primary school boy Arvind’s (played by Srinivasa Murthy) early realisation of the gloom of dishonesty that makes him comprehend the power of the Hundred Rupees which sports Gandhi on it. When the young are made to realise that straightforwardness and sincerity maketh a good man, it’s a strong message,” says Prashanth.
The film’s endeavour is not just in its message, but the team’s effort in having the entire cast of 25 taken raw from the innards of Thimmanahalli. “We went to the village to uncover bundles of raw talent during child auditions. Finding a lady for the mother’s role was a challenge as local conservative women shied away from the camera. Our acting coach, John Joseph, helped them overcome inhibitions,” says Prashanth.
The film’s aesthetics also brings in Karnataka’s folk Veeragase showing intense energy-sapping dance movements to represent expressions of conflict and resolution for the young hero. That Prashanth is interested in his potent message is evident when you consider that his first short film Psycho’s Jury — which brings out the travails of an architect to practice what he preaches — bagged the Indian Institute of Architects Award.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Ranjani Govind / Bengaluru – September 24th, 2015
The Ministry of Finance, Department of Economic Affairs (Currency and Coinage Division), New Delhi, has nominated Star of Mysore columnist Prof. A.V. Narasimha Murthy (AVN), former Head, Department of Ancient History and Archaeology, University of Mysore, as a member of its newly-constituted Advisory Committee.
The Committee will advise the government on various matters including the shape, size, weight, metal, face value of the money, cost of production of the coins, etc.
Prof. AVN is an expert in ancient Indian coinage and has written many books on the subject. He was the Chairman of the Numismatic Society of India (Varanasi) and General Secretary of South Indian Numismatic Society (Chennai) and has been honoured with many awards for his contribution to Indian coinage.
Currently the Chairman of BVB, Mysuru, Prof. AVN was recently honoured with the title Karnataka Puratatva Ratna by Chief Minister Siddharamaiah.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Tuesday – September 15th, 2015
The author Dr. R. Balasubramaniam is flanked by Joe Grasso, Associate Dean, Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and Gary Fields, a Professor at Cornell University, during the book launch in the US.
Mysuru :
The book ‘I, the Citizen,’ authored by Dr. R. Balasubramaniam, Founder of Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM), Mysuru, was released at Cornell University, United States of America (USA) on Sept.9 by Joe Grasso, Associate Dean for Administration, Finance and Corporate Relations at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and Gary Fields, a Professor at Cornell University.
The release event at the US was organised by The ILR International Programs Office and The ILR Global Affairs Club, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
The book, published by Grassroots Research And Advocacy Movement, Mysuru, a policy research and advocacy institute, is a milestone in a journey of reflection that began about seven years ago when the author, Dr. Balu started writing about his experiences in the development sector.
It is an experience where the author has donned the hat of a development activist, leadership trainer, policy advocate, civil society campaigner, anti-corruption investigator, academician and a researcher at various points in time.
This volume strings together the author’s experiences and perspectives over a period of three decades and has at its core, his first-hand engagement with people at the grassroots, especially forest-based indigenous people from South India’s rural hinterland, among many others.
Starting with an attempt to understand development and its various aspects, the book takes the reader through interpretations of development initiatives at the grassroots and what good governance means to ordinary people.
The book unravels the power of citizen engagement through the author’s experiences of leading civil society campaigns against corruption and towards strengthening democratic participation of people. The author also deals with the philosophical underpinnings of public policies, drawing from his on-the-ground experience as well as engagement with those in the higher echelons of policy-making and implementation.
The last section of the book provides glimpses into milestones of a development movement, which Dr. Balu founded and led, milestones that are responsible for a continued faith in citizen engagement despite the hindering forces.
The book fittingly ends with an epilogue where exemplars and realities of citizen engagement are dealt with. Throughout the book, the author throws questions at the reader, rather than providing solutions or answers, with obvious intention of fostering the discourse on perspectives of development and citizen engagement.
The power of the book lies in the versatility of the ways in which it can be used — to read, to draw inspiration, as reference or to teach from; it is a book that should be put down multiple times — to reflect, to question and to engage.
As Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah, former Chief Justice of India, observes in his foreword to the book, “In essence, ‘We, the People…’ the words at the beginning of the Preamble to the Constitution of India is not different from “I, the Citizen.”
Both call for reflection and action from all of us to make sure that democracy evolves into something better than it already is and India as a nation can be a testimony to the world about how democracy and development can indeed be compatible.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Sunday – September 13th, 2015
The sway that the late actor Kalpana – who had won the title ‘Minugu Taare’ (twinking star) – held over Kannada film enthusiasts has not quite disappeared 36 years after her death.
Known for playing complex and tragic roles, she died under mysterious circumstances. She ruled the Kannada film industry for nearly 10 years spanning the 1960s and 1970s.
V. Sridhar, a teacher at a school in Mysuru who was born six years after her death, has brought out a 1,114-page volume chronicling her life and work spanning 79 films. It has details of the characters she played and opinions of various directors, co-artistes and writers.
He started working on the book at 21 and completed it when he turned 27. “Even after working for so long, I have not completely understand persona of Kalpana, as she was a complex person,” he says.
Rajata Rangada Dhruvatare by Mr. Sridhar was released in Bengaluru on Saturday at a function organised by Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Muralidhara Khajane / Bengaluru – September 13th, 2015
It’s not all bad news for those who love to browse through aisles of books
Sapna Book House, Gandhinagar, is a gateway to 1980s’ Bangalore. Photo: Hemant Mishra/Mint
In the Mumbai of the late 1950s-early 1960s, a Gujarati porter worked at the Victoria Terminus railway station for almost a decade. He quit to marry and moved to Bengaluru to work as a peon at a pocket book distribution company. Over the years he rose through the ranks and was made store manager when the company set up shop in Chennai in the mid-1960s. By this time he was entrenched in the book trade and interacting directly with distributors. In 1967, encouraged by his wife, he broke away and started selling books out of a small paan shop in Gandhinagar, Bengaluru. That was his entry into the book-store business.
Nijesh Shah, who is narrating this tale about his grandparents, says their dream was always to educate the next generation because they were not educated. The book store was named Sapna for that dream and because they once ate an amazing meal after a particularly tiring day at a Chennai restaurant called Swapna.
Long before Barnes and Noble realized it would have to sell more than just books, Sapna Book House—now India’s biggest book chain by revenue and space—had started stocking everything under the sun. Alongside books of course.
At its 40,000 sq. ft store in Gandhinagar, the gateway to 1980s’ Bangalore, the National Film Development Corporation of India’s Cinemas of India DVDs jostle with party supplies, water bottles, plastic globes, Kannada music, Learn to Speak a language DVDs, Philips headphones, shiny clutches, photo frames, ugly vases, torches, stationery, baby products, chocolate, textbooks for every possible exam, idols and anything else you can think of (they recently stopped selling cosmetic jewellery).
New releases from John Green, Amitav Ghosh, Harper Lee, Alex Rutherford, Anuja Chauhan and Ravinder Singh are all in attendance. They have Avirook Sen’s Aarushi, Raghu Karnad’s Farthest Field and The Complete Tales Of Peter Rabbit. You may not find a single Philip Roth novel and they don’t stock “long tail” authors like Shakespeare (they are available on order) but they do have the recently released Natural Born Heroes by Christopher McDougall and all the Tintin comics you could possibly want.
This is a typical mix across 14 book stores or 350,000 sq. ft of retail space in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu (three more stores will open in Karnataka soon). If you live outside these two states you probably haven’t even heard of Sapna Book House, though it has been around for a while, only starting to add a store or two every year in the last decade. You’ll soon spot stores in Pune, the birthplace of Crossword.
Don’t be hasty in mistaking Sapna Book House for a book store run by people who know nothing about books. The chain’s merchandise manager, an ex-India Book House employee, clearly has a theory (probably accurate) about what most urban Indians read.
Nijesh Shah, a third generation member of the family that runs Sapna, says they see the chaos in the publishing world as an opportunity. “We look at a book store as a community-building exercise. It’s about being with your family in one place. That will never go out of style.”
I know it’s not on any literary pilgrim’s Bengaluru Book Stores itinerary. You won’t find that unbeatable mix of old and new that you are guaranteed at Blossom Book House or the smaller Bookworm down the road. Select, which celebrated 60 years last month, was where scientist C.V. Raman apparently shopped. India’s oldest book store, Higginbotham’s, is represented here too.
The city also has its share of glorious new indie readaways, all opened in the last few years. Atta Galatta, which started as a regional language book store, has evolved into a literary living room; after success at Mumbai’s Prithvi Theatre, Paperback set up shop at the Ranga Shankara theatre; and Lightroom will always be my favourite children’s book store. Aashti Mudnani, who founded it two and a half years ago, says social media has affected sales in recent months. “It’s really changed things for us. People used to come for reccos but increasingly they are getting that information off the Internet,” she says.
Incidentally, I know you wept tears of blood when Delhi’s Fact & Fiction announced its impending closure but indie book stores have seen a revival around the world. In the US, for example, registered indie members of the American Booksellers Association increased from 1,651 in 2009 to 2,094 in 2014.
Now don’t wrinkle your nose because I’m discussing Sapna alongside your favourite book haunts. This “book mall” will certainly be in the reckoning if there’s ever an award for most successful book store in post-independence India.
When Sapna set up a publishing unit in 1980, it also entered the education business. “We would take the curriculum from universities, pursue professors to write guides for us and then sample out titles to students free of cost,” says Shah.
The business grew dramatically, and in 1985 they moved from an 800 sq. ft store to a 10,000 sq. ft store in Gandhinagar. “Everyone mocked us. People came to see what this giant book store was selling and they found only books,” says Shah. The Gandhinagar store expanded fourfold by 2005.
There are lots of reasons Sapna is successful. It has large-format stores; its education business accounts for 80% of online sales and takes up 20% of in-store space; and it has an online presence in addition to its stores.
The Sapna Group dabbles in everything from self-publishing to distribution to e-books and audio books; it has a very successful Kannada language publishing unit and also produces Tamil titles. The company even exports children’s and educational books to Ghana and Nigeria and is working with the Ghanaian government on the school curriculum.
Newer stores have play zones for Wii buyers; and by the end of this year you will be able to explore the 15 million titles available through a digital kiosk in stores.
“There’s nothing unique in the model. It’s a very heavily textbook-oriented store. A general book buyer will not really go there to look for books,” says Hemu Ramaiah, who founded the Landmark chain of book stores in 1987 and sold it to the Tatas in 2005. Ramaiah still believes there’s room for a huge book-store model, one whose owners are not scared to hold inventory. “In-depth inventory is completely missing from any book store in India today. It’s a huge tragedy. Everybody who’s a good reader is being let down,” she says.
In their heyday, some of the large- format Landmark stores were known to do an annual business of Rs.50 crore on their mix of books, music, films and stationery. A decade on, Landmark seems almost certainly on the verge of shutdown. “I feel sad that they couldn’t take the idea forward,” says Ramaiah.
Who knows when someone will set up this giant dream book store where we can lose ourselves in the racks every Sunday. Until then we have Sapna Book House.
Priya Ramani will share what’s making her feel angsty/agreeable every fortnight. She tweets at @priyaramani and posts on Instagram as babyjaanramani.
source: http://www.livemint.com / Live Mint / Home> Leisure> Cranky Customer / by Priya Ramani / Saturday – September 12th, 2015
The fashion aficionados in the city got to witness some of the best designers in the country showcasing their designs at Season 2 of Mysore Fashion Week which was held at Country Inn & Suites in city from Sept. 4 to 6. The event attracted people from all age groups who thronged the venue to catch a glimpse of some imposing designers.
Mysore Fashion Week, presented by C. Krishniah Chetty & Sons, was the brainchild of city-based fashion designer Jayanthi Ballal who along with her colleagues worked hard to come out with the event which has now put our city among the cities known for fashion extravaganza.
Following the success of season 1, Jayanthi had been working for the past six months for season 2 holding meetings with the sponsors, partners, fashion designers and others involved.
Speaking to Star of Mysore, Jayanthi Ballal said that organising fashion week needs a lot of hard work and dedication. “Everything, right from the ramp, models, music has to be perfect. People working in the backstage are the most important. The entire fashion week is dependent on them,” added Jayanthi.
The season 2 of Mysore Fashion Week witnessed a total of 40 models, including 13 super models from Mumbai, walking the ramp for various designers during the three-day extravaganza. Among the super model was also Gazi (Rouhalllah Quazim) who is popularly known as Raymond Gazi.
“Gazi just flew down to Mysuru for Mysore Fashion Week. During our interaction over phone, he said that Mysore Fashion Week-1 had been lucky for him that fetched him the famous Raymond Ad and he just wanted to walk the ramp again in Mysuru,” adds Jayanthi.
This season witnessed celebrity show-stoppers such as Amala Paul, Sanjana, Parul Yadav, Vidyut Jamwal and others. The show also featured fashion designers including Yogesh Choudary from Delhi, Mona Shroff from Hong Kong, Reshma Kunhi, Pinky Kachhela and others. The highlight of the three-day event was the grand finale by Jayanthi Ballal, who showcased a traditional collection as a tribute to Mysuru’s heritage. Bollywood actress Soha Ali Khan, the show-stopper for Jayanthi Ballal, flaunted a gorgeous red Kanjeevaram saree which had the embroidery of the Dasara procession. Speaking about the saree, Jayanthi Ballal said that it took around 25 days for her to complete the embroidery works and added that every designer loved the works of the fellow designers which is special.
She also added that the season 3 of the Mysuru Fashion Week would be much bigger and better.
We also hope that Mysuru gets a place in the fashion world with bigger fashion week next year.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore /Home> General News / Saturday – September 12th, 2015
