Society

I feel rather insulted when people say Indira Nagar or Koramangala is ‘…such a happening place!!!’ or some such silly thing. I mean, Malleshwaram is as happening a place as either of them. What could possibly make news in Indira Nagar? Another P3 type PYT strutting about with a barely there LBD? Another Italian ‘ristorante’ making its debut on 100 feet road? Pshaw!! In Malleshwaram, what makes news is not the debut, but the death of a ‘ristorante’, especially if it had the effrontery to spell its name in that manner. When a naïve Johnny-come-lately troops in with a fancy…

  I am always wary of reading books on music as I find most of them pedantic. The breadth of classical music can be a daunting subject for any writer. However some books stand out for me for their accessibility. Here are four such books. Encyclopedic and written in plain English Ludwig Pesch in his book "The Oxford Illustrated Companion to South Indian Classical Music" has written a well-researched and engaging read for carnatic music lovers. Whether it is cultural contexts of the music, technicalities of tala, complexities of instrumental music to anecdotal references and opinions of musicians, the book…

  I am always wary of reading books on music as I find most of them pedantic. The breadth of classical music can be a daunting subject for any writer. However some books stand out for me for their accessibility. Here are four such books. Encyclopedic and written in plain English Ludwig Pesch in his book "The Oxford Illustrated Companion to South Indian Classical Music" has written a well-researched and engaging read for carnatic music lovers. Whether it is cultural contexts of the music, technicalities of tala, complexities of instrumental music to anecdotal references and opinions of musicians, the book…

Any form of theatre that has to do with puppets seems to exert a great fascination for children. More than adults, they seem to quickly suspend their disbelief, and join the puppets in the fantasy world that is created on stage. Sidhvi, 6 yrs, standing in front of me in the queue, was very excited; "I have seen many plays at Ranga Shankara, I'm looking forward to this one!" she said, with a big smile.  Since Ranga Shankara had advertised "Pacotille", by Cie Crea, as a play for "kids above 5 years", I went,too,  full of eagerness to experience the…

Any form of theatre that has to do with puppets seems to exert a great fascination for children. More than adults, they seem to quickly suspend their disbelief, and join the puppets in the fantasy world that is created on stage. Sidhvi, 6 yrs, standing in front of me in the queue, was very excited; "I have seen many plays at Ranga Shankara, I'm looking forward to this one!" she said, with a big smile.  Since Ranga Shankara had advertised "Pacotille", by Cie Crea, as a play for "kids above 5 years", I went,too,  full of eagerness to experience the…

At the Neralu 2014, a discussion on the cultural meaning attached to some of the older, shade-giving trees in the city led to the awareness that people continue to worship the Peepul tree AND informally generate community spaces within their neighbourhoods. This led me to research this idea further and to look at how the peepul tree (Ficus religiosa) shrine with its serpent stones and the raised platform around it, locally called the Ashwath katte, contributes to the making of urban space in the city of Bangalore. The origin of the ashwath katte lies in the rural areas of India. In…

At the Neralu 2014, a discussion on the cultural meaning attached to some of the older, shade-giving trees in the city led to the awareness that people continue to worship the Peepul tree AND informally generate community spaces within their neighbourhoods. This led me to research this idea further and to look at how the peepul tree (Ficus religiosa) shrine with its serpent stones and the raised platform around it, locally called the Ashwath katte, contributes to the making of urban space in the city of Bangalore. The origin of the ashwath katte lies in the rural areas of India. In…

Republic Day is a good time to think about citizenship, and the responsibilities it carries. The basic premise of a democracy is that the people imagine it, create it, shape it and sustain it. There are no 'others'. But in fact, what we find is that most people go about their lives without any of this. There are many reasons for this, but one important reason is misconception about what is needed. A lot of people think doing things for the public good is a 'major' commitment, and that they cannot achieve much by giving a few hours a week.…

Republic Day is a good time to think about citizenship, and the responsibilities it carries. The basic premise of a democracy is that the people imagine it, create it, shape it and sustain it. There are no 'others'. But in fact, what we find is that most people go about their lives without any of this. There are many reasons for this, but one important reason is misconception about what is needed. A lot of people think doing things for the public good is a 'major' commitment, and that they cannot achieve much by giving a few hours a week.…

Swalpa Adjust Maadi (SAM)..this seems to be our attitude towards the others who share our planet. And some of them learn to adjust...but at what cost, still needs to be determined! Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore, 11th Jan 2015.