Society

Identifying Traditional and Responsible ways of Celebrating Ganesh ChaturthiA One Day Workshop for Children (Ages 9-15)Ganesh Chaturthi is the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed Hindu God. As we all know, He is a very popular god in India and has become a popular symbol around the world too. Ganesha in different art forms has broken many boundaries of caste, race, religion, and nation and has found a space in many living rooms around the world. He is a favorite among the children too. The story of his birth and the variety of delicacies made on this day are enjoyable…

⊕Pic by Ravi Kaushik  

⊕Pic by Ravi Kaushik  

The Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus) is named after ‘Brahmin', the highest Hindu caste, ‘Hali' the Greek word for 'salt', ‘Astur' - Latin for hawk and ‘Indus' the river from which India is named (which now happens to be in Pakistan !). Also called ‘Garuda' in Karnataka, the vahan or vehicle of Lord Vishnu the Preserver. However the name that most often comes to my mind when I see one is the Ice Cream Cone Bird. Anyone familiar with the bird will know why. Use of pesticides and pollution of lakes in Bangalore pose as threats to birds like this Kite.…

The Brahminy Kite (Haliastur indus) is named after ‘Brahmin', the highest Hindu caste, ‘Hali' the Greek word for 'salt', ‘Astur' - Latin for hawk and ‘Indus' the river from which India is named (which now happens to be in Pakistan !). Also called ‘Garuda' in Karnataka, the vahan or vehicle of Lord Vishnu the Preserver. However the name that most often comes to my mind when I see one is the Ice Cream Cone Bird. Anyone familiar with the bird will know why. Use of pesticides and pollution of lakes in Bangalore pose as threats to birds like this Kite.…

Can you see what's strange about this building?I have no clue why this should have been built in this way...it's fascinating! ⊕

Almost at the fag end of the exhibition, I went to visit the collection of vintage photographs at Tasveer, and I also met Abhishek Poddar, whose gallery it is, and who has toiled for two years to make the collection. Here he is, in front of one wall of displayed photographs: The first thing that struck me was the homogeneity of the exhibition, in terms of frames, sizes of the photographs, because of which, the eye was not distracted by different frames and shapes, and one could concentrate on the images.  The excellent brochure at the gallery gave details about…

Another exhibition that I visited at its fag end was one of cartoons, at Midford Gardens (off M G Road): This was the first time I was visiting the Indian Cartoon Gallery, and found it a fair-sized space in the basement of a building. The cartoons were well displayed, with good lighting. Perhaps in the interests of conservation, and of saving on electricity, the lights were off when we went, and a security person switched them on when we entered. One of the disadvantages of visiting a show later is the inability to meet the creator, and I certainly would have…

Can you see what's strange about this building?I have no clue why this should have been built in this way...it's fascinating! ⊕

Almost at the fag end of the exhibition, I went to visit the collection of vintage photographs at Tasveer, and I also met Abhishek Poddar, whose gallery it is, and who has toiled for two years to make the collection. Here he is, in front of one wall of displayed photographs: The first thing that struck me was the homogeneity of the exhibition, in terms of frames, sizes of the photographs, because of which, the eye was not distracted by different frames and shapes, and one could concentrate on the images.  The excellent brochure at the gallery gave details about…