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7 Groundbreaking Films Ready to Steal the Show at the Indian Film Festival in Melbourne
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Bamboo Rakhis That Are Not Only Eco-Friendly but Also Feed Tribals in Maharashtra
The rakhis are priced at a very affordable Rs. 25 to Rs. 40.
For decades, Melghat in Maharashtra has always been portrayed before the rest of India as a malnourishment prone and malnutrition affected area deep inside the jungles of the Satpura range. But this Shrushti Bandha rakhi has demonstrated and in fact symbolizes the capability, potential and skills of these adivasis.
“Contrary to the popular perception of being a pleading class, these tribals are people who preserve the environment, humanity and traditions,” says Sunil Deshpande, founder secretary of the NGO Sampoorna Bamboo Kendra.
It was this NGO that encouraged the tribals of Lawada, Melghat to come together to form the Venu Shilpi Industrial Cooperative Society.
“It is a simple method using hand held tools. Just five days of training can get any tribal to produce beautiful rakhis, using locally sourced natural materials,” Deshpande says.
This artisans’ cooperative was started in 1998 with just 15 tribals. Now, the society works with 450 people and the turnover has increased manifold as the production increases. What Venu Shilpi Industrial Cooperative Society is trying to do is basically link ‘man’, ‘method’ and ‘materials’ for a respectable livelihood. Biomaterials are one of the critical yet sustainable sources of energy.
“These kinds of rakhis are the best examples as to how a natural renewable resource such as bamboo can be best utilized to come up with a livelihood plan. Every single hand-made rakhi bought by city dwellers will contribute to the sustenance of a tribal forest dweller,” says Sandeep Theng of the Indian Federation of Green Energy, an organisation that drives and endeavours to deliver an integrated approach for establishing a sustainable energy ecosystem.
The Federation is promoting bamboo in a big way as the “change agent for poverty alleviation and climate change,” perfect for the tribals of Melghat.
These rakhis can be directly ordered from Sampoorna Bamboo Kendra, Lawada, Melghat.
Contact details:
Mobile: 09545717614 / 09764639457 / 09421825925
Landline: 07226 - 202370
Mail ID: sampoornabamboo@gmail.com
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TBI Blogs: A Theatre Project Is Transforming the Lives of Kids in Delhi Slums, and Their Mothers!
“Many kids were interested in dance, theater and performing arts, but their mothers seemed wary of allowing participation,” says Nidhi.
Deeganta and Nidhi set off to help mothers learn more about child development, but what they discovered surprised them; most of the mothers wanted to participate as well! The pair were taken aback, but realized that many of the mothers stayed alone at home and were restricted to the meagre income (if any) earned by their husbands; this in addition to dealing with domestic violence and substance abuse in the community. For a group that didn't have the chance to complete school, learning dance or theater provided a welcome creative, productive outlet.
“Most of them felt they were dependent on their husbands and also wanted to learn skills that could be used to get a job or earn money,” says Nidhi. “They were so intrigued, they said: ‘even we want to do it!’”
And so, Project Aarzoo began in east Delhi, with children from across 12 schools and 40 mothers from Shahdara. They began preparing for a showcase in October 2015 with a team primarily comprised of volunteers which included students from the National School of Dramatics and Delhi University along with Teach For India Fellows in the city.
“They thought the kids would come up with simple ideas, but they didn’t expect the kids to propose showcasing social and environmental issues based on keen observations and surveys,” says Nidhi.
In April 2016, the showcase came to life and exceeded even the founders’ expectations! Nidhi’s students had completed two Design For Change projects related to water and waste management during her two years as a Fellow. She was aware of what was possible, but was still amazed at how in just four months, everyone pulled off such an amazing show!
The mothers presented a dance about the role of women and also made jewelry, clothes, bags and chocolates. “Working with the mothers was totally different; we never thought they could perform so well! They transformed immensely. Now they’re asking ‘Didi, when are you starting 2.0?’ There are many mothers who fought with their families, whose husbands showed up at practice to insult us. To ask ‘Why have you started this? What will they do with dancing?’” remembers Deeganta.
“But the mothers found a purpose in life, a positivity that was missing.”
“The best part was the kids perceiving the world through their eyes. The students at Majnu Ka Teela (an all-girls school) conducted a survey in the community to uncover the problems they faced. They then created a musical based on communal riots and the condition of women,” Nidhi recalls.
“When the kids performed, people started crying. They couldn’t imagine that something this brilliant could be dreamt up by kids! We thought it would be a simple show—all we gave them was a vision of excellence and a platform,” says Deeganta.Project Aarzoo not only received financial support from the Star Plus TV Network, which helped secure the auditorium, but also had The World At School, a United Nations initiative, conducting workshops with both mothers and children prior to the final showcase and designing a promotion campaign for the final event.
They were so impressed that they’re continuing to support the group this year!
Aarzoo has reached into Delhi’s communities and ignited the untapped potential of many women and children. At Yogaway Public School 34 sixth grader participants, who started at a low academic order, have become so confident that they’re not only taking an interest in class activities, but are also helping their communities. “Now the kids have even started a community cleaning drive on their own and I had no idea about it. They collect garbage and throw it in the dustbin,” says Nidhi.
Aarzoo has also led to a change in mindset. Nidhi mentions Vicky, a student who wasn’t excelling academically, but had a passion for dance.
“He now says, ‘Didi, I think I can do this too.’ He has joined a dance class for his summer break and plans to open a dance school in his community after completing 12th. He also did his holiday homework, which was a struggle during his first year!”
[caption id="attachment_63875" align="aligncenter" width="500"]
_MG_0213 Deeganta (first from left) and Nidhi (fourth from right) surrounded by some of their team: Shasank, KP Jayaram, Kanika, Aashi and Vasistha.[/caption]
The group started with 350 students and aims to reach 6,500 kids eventually. The team hopes to see Project Aarzoo become a learning institute that combines alternative education with performance arts. “We only trained them in the arts, but how would it look if we combined arts with learning circles and strong community projects?” questions Nidhi.
Deeganta and Nidhi are committed to making their ultimate vision come true. Deeganta designs curriculum for children below the poverty line at Vidya Gyan school, through the Shiv Nadar Foundation. Eventually, he would like to work with Aarzoo full-time.
“I was so surprised. Administrators and government officials don’t take adults seriously, but kids actually got them to agree and the officials helped them!”
When asked what he would like students to focus on, he said he agreed with their emphasis on the environment considering Delhi’s air pollution;“When we put our clothes out to dry, they come out dusty and dirty!” they told him.
Nidhi is a Program Manager with Teach For India, working closely with the Maya 3.0 initiative. The Maya 3.0 students are selected to take on community improvement projects that culminate with a performance or summary that can be shared with the wider society. She also hopes to work for Aarzoo full-time in the not-so-distant future.
The initiative has received attention from UNESCO, Commonwealth Foundation and Youth For Peace International, in addition to local support. There’s even a school in Africa that is working on a similar initiative inspired by Aarzoo’s success. The optimism and sense of possibility demonstrated by their students every day drives the Aarzoo leadership team, who believe it’s just a matter of time before such opportunities are available to kids all across India!
Applications to the Teach For India 2017-19 Fellowship program are now open. Please visit http://apply.teachforindia.org/ to submit your application before 30th August
Written By Sneha Kalaivanan - Associate, Communications, Teach For India.
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From Fossils to Bollywood Posters: India’s ‘History Hunter’ Has a Collection of Everything!
We decided to talk to him to find out more about his quirky and somewhat expensive hobby, and its paybacks.
Q: Do you recall when you first decided you were going to start collecting memorabilia from the past?
A: I was barely 5-6 years old when I first started collecting colourful matchboxes – I used to go on walks with my father and he’d give me matchboxes. I continued collecting random knick-knacks for five years and then took a break for the next 25. My daughter stumbled upon my old collection and asked why I didn’t continue, so I started putting these items together again. It helped that I’d just inherited a large chunk of my father’s old collection of books.Q: Is your family keen on making sure you have a praiseworthy collection? And do you think it’s a trait that has been passed down?
[caption id="attachment_64524" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Matchbox collection[/caption]
A: Not really. As a matter of fact, they call me a kabadiwallah and a hoarder, ha-ha! But it’s usually out of affection. They have a lot of respect for what I’m trying to do. Over the last couple of years I thought I’d give this a concrete direction and decided to set up a museum, which I run out of my house.
Q: Why do you feel like making a museum is the next big step for you?
Over the last few years, I’ve seen technology changing so drastically. Everything that we used and held precious in our childhood practically disappeared overnight! A lot of people who come to the museum wish to show their kids how a typewriter used to work, or how to click a picture using a film reel camera and how a bellow camera with a black scarf thrown over the head used to function. Even an MTNL phone with a rotating dial is eye-opening for the kids.
Q: Do you start collecting things only when they are about to disappear?
A: Not really. I’ve put together things that disappeared a long time ago. I have cameras going back to the 1890s, hand-painted movie posters from the 1940s, and typewriters from 1908 when they used to weigh about 11 kgs.Q: What kind of value do these items have for you – apart from the monetary value and the fact they are relics from a bygone era?
A: A lot of people who come to the museum are overwhelmed by the wave of nostalgia that hits them when they enter it. These items are not just relics but objects from an era before the assembly line and mechanisation. The items in my collection were painstakingly made by hand and each object is a piece of art – be it posters, books or cars. Each item is a representation of the craftsman’s skill and is built to last – unlike goods that are produced in this day and age which have a maximum shelf life of three years.
Q: Are there collectors in India whose collections you are secretly envious of?
A: Ha-ha, plenty! Many people have individual collections and they buy items only from a certain product category. I know people who have a collection of 200 typewriters or 300 vintage cars or 700 cars, but I’m yet to come across someone who has a variety of items in his/her collection. I do not miss out on a single category – I have everything from 4000 matchboxes to 13 vintage cars.Q: Where do you shop for your goods and how do you verify the authenticity of these artefacts?
A: There are agents around the country who have tie-ups with people who buy scrap from old houses – they source items from there and offer them to me or other collectors. This is the most common channel; every alternate day I get an offer from agents. Luckily, I have experts who know whether these items are authentic. It’s hard to tell, especially with foreign goods, but I’m armed with a degree in anthropology to help me detect hoaxes.
Q: Tell us about your show History Hunter.
A: The idea of History Hunter was conceived for the History Channel but after reading my interview with Hindustan Times, the director of Doordarshan approached me and made an offer. I was happy to see a positive reaction because the show was able to reach the masses; it was telecast all over India. But more requests have been pouring in, so we’ve decided to upload the show on the YouTube channel of Prasar Bharti.Q: What are the oldest items in your collections?
A: The oldest items in my collection are some pre-historic rock tools that I collected during an expedition when I was a student of anthropology. I also own some fossils of fish, snails, tadpoles, and fern leaves, which are millions of years old.
What is your favourite item in your massive collection?
I don’t have an answer to that. You can’t choose between your kids!Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).
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7 Indian Artists Depict the Monsoons in All Their Shades and Glory
1. Chandrababu:
[caption id="attachment_64544" align="aligncenter" width="1867"]
Indian Streets during monsoon by Chandrababu[/caption]
“I remember my childhood days when the water used to enter our house and our parents has to throw all of it out. I used to enjoy because I felt that my house sails like a boat,” says Chandrababu, a Bengaluru-based artist.
“I paint during monsoon because the season reminds me of my childhood days and our duties and responsibilities which made the family bond grow stronger,” he adds.
[caption id="attachment_64545" align="aligncenter" width="1580"]
Indian Streets during monsoon by Chandrababu[/caption]
2. Ananda Das:
[caption id="attachment_64548" align="aligncenter" width="800"]
Painting of Hand Rickshaw Puller during rain in Kolkata by Ananda Das[/caption]
An artist from Kolkata, Ananda grew up observing hand rickshaw manufacturers near his house and he tries to showcase their daily life struggles through his art.
Sharing his thoughts, he says, “During monsoons, the condition of Kolkata roads becomes pathetic. This effects transportation to a large extent and these rickshaw pullers continue working for their livelihood.”
3. Bijay Biswaal
A resident of Nagpur, Bijay is an Indian Railways' employee. “I paint monsoon art because I was an aquatic boy who was fascinated by the wet surface of the railway platforms since childhood,” he says.
His work was also appreciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his 'Mann Ki Baat' speech.
4. Ganesh Panda
Ganesh from Mumbai has painted several paintings on the monsoon theme.
“I believe that monsoon is the best season as we can’t think of our lives without water. The season gives me reasons to paint colourful leaves of the trees and greenery of Indian villages that should create positive vibes in the viewer's mind," he says.
5. Avijit Roy
Sometimes pictures say it all. And the paintings by Avijit Roy speak for themselves.
6. Somnath Bothe:
[caption id="attachment_64555" align="alignnone" width="1500"]
Somnath Bothe, Rain Painting[/caption]
A resident of Pune, Somnath is a farmer’s son.
“The fusion of rainy season and historical places in cities and villages constitute the subjects of my paintings. I have my own way of showing love for monsoon creations. My colour schemes are modern and flashy. But this is intentional -- to remind us of the importance of historical locations and old buildings in Pune after rain," he says.
7. Narayan Kumbar
This artist from Bengaluru loves the climatic condition after rain -- painter Narayan Kumbar, says, “I like to study about nature and monsoon so I used to go to Bidar district to understand the surroundings during my college days. One evening, I was not able to return home due to heavy rainfall. I suddenly decided to draw an 'After Rain Painting' created by artist John Fernandes. The painting of village life and golden rays of sunlight falling on huge trees was the main subject in it”
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This Mysterious Himachal Village Was a Meeting Point for Famous Artists, Potters and Actors
Sometime in the 1920s, when the British Empire was in its days of decline, a young Irish woman named Norah Richards arrived in Andretta on horseback.
Image source
This was not, however, her first sojourn in India. Married in 1908 to Philip Richards, a professor in Lahore, she had been involved in establishing Punjabi theatre in the city before returning to England after her husband died. Legend goes that Norah was unhappy in England and longed to return. So, when she met an Englishman who was willing to sell her land in Kangra for Rs. 1, she grabbed the offer, got on the next ship to India, and bid goodbye forever to her home in England. Whether she ever found the land that was sold to her is unknown but Norah suddenly found herself in Andretta, an off-the-grid village that was only reached those days by a 12-hour train journey, followed by a bus ride, and several miles on foot or horseback. Norah built herself a traditional Kangra-style mud house, known as ‘Chameli Niwas’, employing local style and material, using mud, slate and bamboo. Soon, she also built a makeshift proscenium and invited Punjabi theatre amateurs and professionals to perform plays here. Despite its remote location, Andretta soon began to attract artists from all over, especially Lahore. Norah invited B.C. Sanyal, a well-known painter and sculptor, and Prof. Jaidayal, her late husband's pupil to join her in Andretta. They came and built their own mud homes in the village. Later, the legendary actor Prithviraj Kapoor too began to frequent this village. In 1935, the District Commissioner of Kangra gave Norah 15 acres of land, and the Woodland Estate came into existence.She started a school of drama, and in time the village came to be known as Mem-da-pind (the village of the memsahib).
[caption id="attachment_63493" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Norah Richards' house. Portrait of Norah.[/caption]
Image source
Her adobe house was recently renovated by the Punjab University with the help of local artisans. The little theatre is still in use by the university students. They perform plays every year on Norah's birthday, October 29th. Anyone can come and watch, sitting under the stars among the local village folk. Later came Sobha Singh, the painter of Sikh Gurus, who settled in this beautiful village too and lived here until his death in the mid-80s. His paintings of Heer Ranjha and Sohni Mahiwal became famous and were seen printed on calendars across the country. His murals are displayed in Parliament House in Delhi. He dabbled in sculpture as well and did a head study of the Punjabi poet Amrita Pritam.You can visit the small family-run gallery of Sobha Singh's works in Andretta and buy prints of some of his paintings here.
[caption id="attachment_63490" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Sobha Singh's Sohni Mahiwal and Heer Ranjha[/caption]
Source: Wikipedia
Norah also invited Sardar Gurcharan Singh (later a Padmashree awardee), the master potter from Delhi, who was responsible for introducing studio art pottery into India. He built a house and a small pottery for summer use in Andretta. During Norah's time, there were vibrant discussions about art, drama and the philosophy of living in a rural environment. Later, Gurcharan's son Mansimran Singh and his wife Mary, both potters, moved to Andretta in 1984 to start the Andretta Pottery and Craft Society here.They continue to live in the village, making functional glazed earthenware (some of which is supplied to Fab India) and conducting 3-week long residential programmes to teach world-class pottery to serious students.
[caption id="attachment_63496" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Mansimran Singh at work. Pottery by Gurcharan Singh[/caption]
Image source
Another well known personality who settled in Andretta for a while was Freda Bedi (actor Kabir Bedi's mother). Andretta has recently seen something of a revival in theatre with the arrival of artistes Denis Harrap and Navjot Randhawa who have formed The Andretta Arts Company and settled down in the village. It all started with Denis buying The Mirage, the old house of Norah Richards' friend Jai Dayal from Lahore. Here he built The Glass House Studio, a yoga, dance and rehearsal space. Recently, the two artistes conducted a theatre workshop for promising actors under the guidance of Chandigarh-based theatre personality and Padmashri awardee Neelam Mansingh. Aside from its obvious artistic charms, Andretta is submerged in the ethereal beauty of the Himalayan slopes - sandwiched as it is between the lofty snow capped Dhauladhar range and the dense foliage and bamboo groves of the Shivaliks. Rhododendron shrubs, banana trees, blackberry bushes, bamboo thickets are part and parcel of the extremely fertile landscape of Andretta. In this birders' paradise 550 different species of birds have been recorded, including various species of cuckoo, dove, flycatcher, minivet and resident or altitude migrant species of thrush, barbet, woodpecker, robins, bulbuls, fantail, tits, sunbirds, kingfisher, owl, crake, warbler, finch, redstart, chat, and babbler. Nearby attractions around Andretta include the Baijnath Temple - one of the oldest temples in north India dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Brijeshwari temple - famous for its legendary wealth that was looted by Mohammed of Ghazni, and the Jwalamukhi Mata temple - recognised as one of the 51 Shaktipeeths of India. Tibetan monasteries and communities in the area attract tourists and pilgrims alike - Tashijong Monastery, Sherabling Monastery and the Norbulingka Institute. So, next time you find yourself in Kangra Valley, do consider making a detour to take in the breathtaking scenery as well as cultural charms of Andretta - Himachal Pradesh's best kept secret.Like this story? Have something to share? Email: contact@thebetterindia.com, or join us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia). To get positive news on WhatsApp, just send 'Start' to 090 2900 3600 via WhatsApp.
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These Women Sell Traditional Cookware for Health Benefits Derived from Ancient Indian Wisdom
[caption id="attachment_64396" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]“With a little effort, my friend Priya was convinced to join hands with me. And before midnight, our Facebook page was ready...The VillageFair had taken birth,” says an excited Radhika.
Radhika and Priya of The VillageFair fame[/caption]
Users of traditional cookware, particularly utensils from Kerala, find the process of seasoning these vessels before use extremely tedious and tiring. Thanks to the advent of steel and non-stick cookware, cooking has become a lot less time consuming because these utensils are light and easy to handle. Even elderly people, who grew up using traditional cookware, have forgotten how to season those vessels and find it easier to cook in teflon and steel.
“Radhika’s 65-year-old maid Lalitha knew how to season these pans in the traditional manner. So we roped her in immediately to handle this important step; within a week our first order of six pans for customers from Bangalore was ready. We hand delivered them the first time and this paved the way for our success story,” says Priya Deepak.To season the cookware, the vessels, whether cast iron or earthen ware, are first washed well to remove any sediments stuck to them. Then, for around four days, the cooking surface is soaked in rice gruel. This helps remove all the unwanted metal and other substances on the surface and also helps close all the open pores. A generous amount of oil is then applied onto the surface. Once done, the pan has to be tested on the fire. The pans, especially the cast iron ones, are heated and cooled down a few times, till their surface becomes ‘non-sticky.’
As more and more orders came in, Lalitha got her daughters-in-law and some other women involved in the venture too.
[caption id="attachment_64403" align="alignnone" width="1200"]
Ladies seasoning the cast iron and earthen ware utensils[/caption]
Priya and Radhika found that it was easy to procure earthen ware utensils from Ernakulam market itself. They have zeroed in on two good potters cooperatives to procure these utensils.
To get cast iron vessels they decided to visit a manufacturing unit in Shornur. Shornur is famous for the manufacture of cast iron products, where agricultural implements are the main products. Although the two women went there with the idea of buying only a handful of utensils, they ended up purchasing around 500 pots and pans worth Rs. 30,000. They now get a steady supply of cookware from this unit, which they supply to clients all over the country.
While orders have gone up by leaps and bounds, they now manage to courier their products anywhere in the country. They also have tie ups with two e-commerce platforms where their products are displayed.
The only physical retail outlet tie up they have is with Cannanore: A Lore from a Loom, in Inorbit mall, Whitefield, Bangalore, though more are on the cards.
[caption id="attachment_64405" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Food cooked in traditional cookware is healthy and tasty[/caption]
“In this past one year, things have gone real well for us. We were also able to give 5% of every sale we made to the Mehac Foundation for medicines for the mentally ill. Funding a social cause is always comforting and mentally gratifying,” adds Priya.For more information one can visit TheVillageFair Facebook page.
Photo Credits: Priya Deepak
Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).
About the author:
Aparna Menon is a freelance writer, writing for various newspapers for the past 10 years. Her main fields of interest are wildlife, heritage and history. A keen traveller, she loves to read and write and does a lot of art work too.
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Dev Patel’s ‘Lion’ Tells The True Story Of a Boy Who Used Google Earth To Find His Long Lost Family
The siblings didn’t go to school. While Guddu spent his days searching the passenger trains that ran close by for fallen coins, Saroo spent most of his time looking after his baby sister Shekila. In the meantime, Kallu scrounged for food.
Photo Source
Early one evening, Guddu let his little brother Saroo come along on one of his excursions to look for food or coins people may have dropped in the railway compartments. Saroo rode on the back of his brother’s rickety bicycle before getting on a train to Burhanpur, about two hours away. The two began scouring the floorboards for money as the train pulled away. Though he only found wrappers and peanut shells, little Saroo was happy just to be with his beloved elder brother. By the time they hopped off the train at Burhanpur, Saroo was exhausted and sleepy. Guddu led him to a bench so that Saroo could take a nap before they caught the next train back.“I’m just going to go off and do something. Stay here. Don’t go anywhere,” Guddu told him.Saroo woke up later in the night – his brother was still gone and he was all alone, other than a waiting passenger train at the platform. Assuming that Guddu must be inside the train, Saroo went in to look. Still groggy as he wandered through the waiting train, the sleepy little boy figured his brother would find him soon enough and settled back to sleep. When Saroo woke up next, sunlight was streaming through the windows and the train was moving through lush countryside. He had no idea how long he had slept and with the landscape outside the window unrecognizable, he didn’t know where he was and how to get back home. Saroo ran back and forth through the moving carriage, calling for his brother but to no avail.
In the middle of nowhere, he had no food, no money, and no idea how far he had gone or was going. Saroo later recalled that the experience was a lot like being captive in prison.
Photo Source
A few hours later, the train arrived at the next stop. The 5-year-old—who had never ventured unaccompanied beyond his small town— had arrived in Calcutta, India's third biggest city and notorious for its slums. Wandering alone through the bustling Howrah station, Saroo ran up to strangers pleading for help, but no one spoke Hindi. Terrified and confused, he curled under a row of seats and went to sleep. For the next few days, Saroo travelled in and out of Howrah by train, hoping to end up back at his hometown but only found himself in other strange places he didn’t know or recognise. The little boy learned to fend for himself - subsisting on whatever he could beg from strangers or find in the trash. Once he was approached by a man who promised him food and shelter and a way back home but suspicious of his intent, Saroo trusted his instincts and ran away. After Saroo had been living on the streets for a few weeks, a kind man, unsure as to how to help the little boy, took him to a local police station, thinking that he’d be safest there. It was 1987, the police could make no sense of “Berampur” (as Saroo pronounced Burhanpur, the only city he knew) and so Saroo was declared a lost child. The next day, Saroo was transferred to a juvenile home—a common endpoint for street children and vagrant youth. Luckily for Saroo, the Indian Society for Sponsorship and Adoption (ISSA), a nonprofit child-welfare group, often paid regular visits to the home looking for children fit for adoption. After no one responded to his description and photo in an ISSA missing-children bulletin, Saroo was transferred to an orphanage and added to the adoption list. Cleaned up and taught how to eat with a knife and fork instead of his hands, Saroo was one day handed a little red photo album.“This is your new family,” he was told. “They will love you and they will take care of you.”John and Sue Brierley could have children of their own but they chose to adopt a lost Indian child as a way of giving back to the world. When Saroo flew down to Australia, he could not speak a word of English and neither could the Brierleys speak in Hindi. They communicated with cuddles and hugs, and some translation help from an Indian neighbour.
Accepting that he was lost and had no way of finding his way back home, Saroo knew that he had been given another chance, another life in Australia by his new parents. Not wanting to hurt them, Saroo was a good kid.
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The Brierleys loved sports and would often take their new son sailing along the Tasman Sea, where he learned to swim. Despite the shock of the new lifestyle, Saroo adjusted well, picking up the language as well as the Aussie lifestyle. However, he was privately haunted by his past. He still missed his family in India and thought of them often. As he grew older, the urge to find his roots grew stronger. He didn’t know where his home was but he vaguely remembered what it looked like. He spent hours staring at the map of India on his bedroom wall. One day, he opened his laptop and launched the newly introduced software Google Earth, a virtual globe made from satellite imagery and aerial photography that provided a bird’s-eye view of cities and streets on the computer screen.Saroo knew relying on Google Earth and some hazy memories to find his home was a crazy idea. But he was going to try. Of course, finding his hometown and his family soon became the most challenging task he had ever tackled in his life.
Photo Source
Saroo no longer remembered any Hindi, and the names on the map swam before him. He had no idea where to start. Trying to think logically, Saroo decided to follow the train tracks that led away from Calcutta, like a spiderweb crisscrossing the country. There were times when, after weeks of fruitless efforts and frustration, Saroo would give up the search. But he would return to the job, knowing that if he didn't he would regret it later. Eventually, Saroo hit on a more effective strategy. He multiplied the time he was on the train (around 14 hours) with the speed of Indian trains and came up with a rough distance of about 1200 km. He drew a circle on a map with its centre in Calcutta and with its radius about the rough distance he had calculated.You May Also Like: From India to UK: One Engineer’s 10,000 Km Journey in a Self-Designed Solar Autorickshaw
He found Burhanpur. He followed the path he remembered to the next station and incredibly, he soon discovered what he was looking for: the town of Khandwa. He found a Facebook group, Khandwa: My Home Town, where he left a message: “ I think I am from Khandwa but I haven't seen or been back to the place for 24 years. Can anyone help me?" He followed this up by describing and asking questions about the places he vaguely, but still, remembered. He got several responses that confirmed that his elusive hometown was indeed Khandwa.
Eleven months later, he was on a flight to India. From the hotel in Khandwa, he walked back the route to his home, almost etched in memory, even after 26 years.
Photo Source
The streets were familiar yet so changed and soon, he was standing right outside his old house that stood there, abandoned. He had known this could be a possibility but he was not ready to give up, now that he was so close to finding his family. He showed an old photo of himself to the neighbours, who told him that the family had moved. He kept showing the photo till he struck gold. A man took Saroo to meet his mother who still lived nearby. Numb at the enormity of the occasion, the mother and son recognised each other.Although she had long feared he was dead, a fortune teller had once told Saroo's mother that she would see her son again. With that she had found strength and hope, and now, incredibly, her son was standing right in front of her!
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Saroo asked about the rest of the family. He was shattered to learn that a month after he had disappeared, his older brother Guddu's body was recovered from the railway tracks. His mother never found out whether foul play was involved or whether the boy had simply slipped and fallen under a train. Kallu, married with three children, was a manager in a factory and his little sister, Shekila, was also married and had a son. Saroo remained in Khandwa for 11 days, seeing his family every day, eating his favourite boyhood meals and enduring the rush of visitors coming to see the lost boy who had found his way home. Though maintaining their new relationship had its challenges, Saroo was determined to remain in touch. Saroo had long forgotten the Hindi he knew, and his family never learnt English. They talked to each other with the help of a translator.While his mother Fatima wanted her son to live close to home now, Saroo's life remained in Tasmania. However, as he promised his mother, he has been back to India thrice since then. He plans to visit every year if possible.
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Here is a brief timeline of this incredible story.
1981: Saroo is born in Khandwa 1986: He boards the train, ends up in Kolkata 1987: He is adopted by John and Sue Brierley and grows up in Tasmania 2007: He begins searching for his hometown using Google Earth 2011: On March 31, he finds his village on Google Earth 2012: In February, he comes to India and finds his family When Saroo Brierley used Google Earth to find his long-lost hometown half a world away, he made global headlines. This inspiring story of survival and triumph against incredible odds is now a book, A Long Way Back (published by Penguin Books). See-Saw films (producers of the Oscar-winning 2010 film, The King’s Speech) have secured the rights to make it into a movie.The movie based on this true-life story is called Lion, and Dev Patel will be playing the lead role. Lion is all set to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, and will also be screened at the London Film Festival in October. It will release worldwide in November.
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Here is the riveting trailer of the movie.
[embedvideo id="-RNI9o06vqo" website="youtube"]Also Read: TBI BLOGS: The Heartwarming Journeys of Two Single Mothers Who Adopted Daughters
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This New Initiative Is Helping People in Mumbai & Pune Get Together to Hangout and Paint
The Paint Social initiative makes it possible for people to meet and paint together. The idea is to help people relax and have fun.
Ruchi, who has always had a creative bent of mind and is interested in painting as a hobby, started TPS with the aim of giving people a new way to socialise.
“People always keep looking for new things to do in any city. I thought of this creative idea involving painting, which has been my hobby since I was a child,” she says.
Ruchi ties up with restaurants, lounges, etc., and organises 2-3 hour long sessions where all people do is come and paint. The groups choose one painting from some of the options sent to participants beforehand, and the goal is to recreate it on canvas.
These are usually beginner-level paintings and an expert instructor paints along with the participants, guiding the group throughout. Participants also have the option of painting something else altogether.
Other than open events such as this, Ruchi also organises painting sessions at private parties, in customers’ homes, etc. Some groups like to sign up for making detailed and professional paintings – provisions are made for them too.
“The instructor guides participants step-wise. But they are also free to choose whatever they want to do. It is basically a place to play around with colours, have fun with your friends and make new friends. The idea is to help people shed their inhibitions and paint even if they don’t know how to – just to have fun,” she says. Currently, The Paint Social events are organised only in Mumbai and Pune, but Ruchi is planning to expand to other cities as well.
TPS events are paid events and the cost depends on the size of the painting, the amount of time people want to spend, additional arrangements for the event, etc. Ruchi is also planning to tie up with organisations that conduct fundraisers and help them organise painting sessions.
“People have told me that they look at these sessions as a way to meditate because they help them de-stress. Just playing around with colours is so relaxing that people not only come back for more but also recommend TPS to their friends,” says the 28-year-old MBA graduate.
You can contact TPS here: thepaintsocial@gmail.com
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TBI Blogs: Learn the Different Styles of Hand Block Printing from a National Award Winning Artist
Master artisan Lalchand Derawala talks about his introduction to hand block printing and his journey of becoming a National Award winning artist.
On an India Kala buying trip in Rajasthan, we visited Bagru, a small town about 35 km west of Jaipur, renowned for its distinctive hand-block printing and natural dyeing techniques that date back half a millennia.
We were there to meet Lalchand 'Chippa' Derawala, an artisan-entrepreneur with a National Award for block-printing.
He runs a thriving hand block printing studio that employs 30 artisans who print with wooden blocks and colour fabric in natural dyes, following the traditional techniques that produce Bagru’s signature patterned cloth.
Driving along the winding lanes of Chippa mohalla, or printers’ quarters, we passed several printing units to get to Lalchandbhai’s studio, and on reaching there, were greeted by freshly printed and dyed fabrics, neatly laid out on the courtyard, drying in the afternoon blaze.
Surrounded by beautiful, earthy reams of fabric that we sorted through for our range, we sat down with him to understand the craft practice better.
This is Lalchand Derawala's story of block printing, in his own words:
My father would travel to Jaipur to sell the cloth we printed. We would look forward to his bringing us treats from the city and we would know that it was a good sale from the number of things he would bring back for us.
We mostly printed fadat – cotton fabrics with dark indigo backgrounds for womens’ ghagra skirts.
[caption id="attachment_62744" align="aligncenter" width="5760"]
Natural indigo being prepared at the studio[/caption]
The patterning was mostly small floral and leaf motifs. Colours were the same then as we use now – natural dyed indigo blues, a deep red, ochre yellow and a brownish black.
An early start
I remember even when I was very young, I wanted to print cloth.
Our family has been printing for over a century now. It is our way of life, what we learn from our elders and they, from theirs. It is a 500 or 600-year-old tradition, learned by practice.
My father taught me how to print and dye cloth.
[caption id="attachment_62734" align="aligncenter" width="500"]
Lalchand Derawala started his printing workshop in 1993[/caption]
After practicing the craft and honing my skills for several years, I began participating in exhibitions in cities and showcasing the textiles I had printed.
Travelling out of town for exhibitions was an eye-opening experience for me. I met artisans from other parts of the country and we discussed each other’s craft practices.
I also met store owners and designers, and began understanding what kind of products people were looking for. We began printing bedsheets, dupattas and saris. They sold very well.
This was a big change for us - new products for people in cities. Word began spreading about our beautiful textiles and there was no looking back.
The printing process
In India, there are many different schools of hand block printing. Our prints are stamped by hand using wooden blocks carved with patterns, and the colours we use are derived from natural materials.
There are two styles of printing -
Bagru is done by printing dark or coloured motifs on a cream or dyed background. This process involves the use of natural mordants – like harda and alum – to capture the natural colours that we print on the fabric using our pattern blocks.
The second style, called dabu, has light coloured motifs on a dark ground.
[caption id="attachment_62828" align="aligncenter" width="500"]
(L) Coloured bagru motifs on a cream or dyed ground (R) Mud-resistant dabu print on a natural indigo background[/caption]
Here, we use a kaali mitti paste – a dark mud from our locality, to block print the pattern. When we dye the fabrics, the motifs covered with the mud print remain uncoloured, while the rest of the fabric takes on the hue of the dye.
Identifying a Bagru print
Colour combinations and motifs help differentiate one block-printing style from another.
An easy way to differentiate between a Bagru and Sanganeri style, for example, is the colour of the cloth on which the motifs are printed. In Bagru, the cloth has either a cream base or a dyed base, while Sanganeri prints have a white base.
Also, our prints make extensive use of geometric shapes such as kangura (triangle) and leher (waves), whereas Sanganeris only use floral and leaf motifs.
[caption id="attachment_62765" align="aligncenter" width="500"]
Bagru blocks in floral and geometric motifs[/caption]
Legacy
A few years after I established my practice, I set to work on creating my finest, most exquisite print. It took me about eight months from concept to execution, with multiple trials, strike offs and experiments to get the patterns and colours right.
The motifs were based on Mughal era patterns and such fineness in print had not been seen in a very long time.
For this fabric, the Government of India gave me the National Award and it felt very good to be recognized for fine craftmanship.
[caption id="attachment_62766" align="aligncenter" width="500"]
Lalchand Derawala with his award winning print[/caption]
The recognition from the National Award and my involvement with Paramparik Karigar – an organization that works to preserve and promote traditional arts and crafts – has allowed me to take the craft to a wider audience. I regularly conduct talks and demonstrations to create awareness about the craft.
In the past few years, I have had the opportunity to travel to many countries including Argentina, Italy, South Korea and Germany, to conduct workshops. I believe that the craft should be accessible to whoever wishes to learn it and to carry it forward in a new direction.
For a craft that was relatively unknown to the country till the mid 1970’s, Bagru block-prints are now a must have in every craft aficionado’s wardrobe, and that makes me very happy.
The future
We collaborate with shops and designers and also work with online retailers such as Jaypore, iTokri and India Kala, to market our products. Aside from this, we participate in exhibitions annually, interacting with customers firsthand and understanding their needs.
We have seen the market change and our work evolves with it to cater to the tastes of every type of customer.
[caption id="attachment_62787" align="aligncenter" width="500"]
Hand block printing in progress at the studio[/caption]
The growing awareness for handmade, environment friendly products has increased demand for our work. My workshop, which once had two-feet-long paatiyas (low tables) is now equipped with twenty-feet-long tables to accommodate large fabric sizes and larger production volumes.
More and more people are interested in buying our products, both in India and internationally, and my sons now work with me in the studio. Also, I continue to train young apprentices.
But I am not sure my grandchildren will follow in the family profession. The sheer physical labour involved in producing a quality handcrafted product, is not something today’s youth wants to be a part of. And quality cannot be achieved by lazy hands.
Incase you know of any artisans who India Kala can work with, please mail us their details at contact@indiakala.com.
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On Poetry, Feminism & Being an Indian Immigrant in Canada – An Exclusive with Rupi Kaur
Rupi Kaur, a 23-year-old poet, author, and spoken word performer, was only 4 years old when she moved from Punjab to Toronto. Her first self-published book, Milk and Honey, sold over 400,000 copies and was No. 3 on the New York Times Best Sellers list.
Some of the poems in the book, she says, “are biographical or autobiographical with respect to friends and family,” or are simply based on things that happen to people across the world. Her work, right now, is focused on feminism, love, race, violence, and more.
“I would have been a designer if I was not a poet,” says Rupi, who received her degree in professional writing, rhetoric studies and business last October. She is a part of the new generation of bestselling poets who use social media to share their work and build a strong community of followers over time – breaking one prejudiced perception after another. In a candid conversation with TBI, she talks about her journey as an immigrant into the mainstream world of a different country from the one she was born in, her poems, feminism and how she is writing through life at the moment.
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On the motivation and inspiration behind her desire to write poetry
I think it was just a desire to express. Growing up, there was a lot of silence at home in terms of a few things I was feeling. It was like, I am feeling all these things and that’s okay, but I am not supposed to talk about this and that. My art for me was a way to figure out what it was that I was going through and to figure out the emotions that I was experiencing. Since I was feeling these things so strongly, I was heavily motivated to express them. And when I expressed them I realised that the feelings were universal. That sense of community was so invigorating that I was consistently inspired to share.
On taking to social media to share her work and if it is a good idea for other budding writers to do the same
I think social media was a big support in allowing me to be who I am today. I wasn’t even trying to be a writer…in my frame of mind people like me don’t become writers. We are not authors. We read the books that authors write, but we are not the ones writing those books. Even when I wanted to publish and I was asking my professors about it, they told me – ‘no one’s going to publish a book of poetry…they don’t do that anymore. The only poems published are classics by people who are already dead.’ I felt that I was up against a gatekeeper who wasn’t letting me in and social media was great in a way that I was able to create a community of readers and prove that this was a viable option. This was a book that people wanted to read and therefore it should be and can be published. I feel that for young people of colour it’s very hard to break into the mainstream here in the West. But social media is an accessible environment and you get access to knowing readers around the world. I think it is very important to build your own community that way.On the journey since her book Milk and Honey was published
It has been incredible. I couldn’t have ever imagined it going where it has gone. I assumed that I would publish and the response would be just good – but it was so phenomenal and it is growing so quickly since then! One week it was at No. 3 on the New York Times list. It is absolutely incredible that this book, which I created in my living room in university, is now among bestsellers across America. And that gives me butterflies. To me it isn’t even real yet because this book is like a home-made recipe. Like your mum has that special recipe, right? And then all of a sudden it has become incredibly popular and every single chef around the world is making it. It’s like wow! It is so cool and so humbling. Most importantly, it allows me to believe in myself everyday because even though I have come so far, there are still days, and there will always be days, when I don’t believe in myself and all the negative feelings come up. Milk and Honey is like an anchor. It helps me know that I can do this, and I can do it again. It is proof of my power.
Many people still remember Rupi as the woman who shared a picture that showed her lying in bed with her pyjamas and sheets stained with a small amount of menstrual blood, on Instagram. The image was banned but put up again later. And it went viral, generating an almost endless debate.
Does she think the picture had some kind of positive impact?
Definitely! That project was done for school. Even my posting it on social media platforms was a part of my hypothesis. We were testing the way the same piece of art is perceived differently in different spaces. I had written poetry about menstruation in the past and photography was just another art form. I guess I was naïve because when I posted that picture I thought everything would be fine. Of course I received so many threats, so much anger and a lot of negativity, but I think that positivity was the end result of it all because people were finally talking about periods. And why shouldn’t we? I think it was amazing because families were sitting down and talking about it. I got an email from a girl who said that she sat down with her dad, brothers and sisters and talked about why this photo is important. I read scores of article that were calling 2015 the year of the period, the year in which talking about it was okay. I think many things came together – there was my photo, other people who were talking about the subject, and it was kind of a mini revolution centred around periods, which is very important.
On the core feelings that she takes inspiration from when writing poetry
I write about a lot of things. Mostly, my goal is to take different emotions and dissect them. Survival, feminism, abuse, love, healing, and loss, as you mentioned, are definitely the core themes of Milk and Honey, but they are probably not going to be the core themes of the next book or the book after that. In my growth as a writer, I am trying to explore other things that I haven’t touched upon yet.On feminism
I kind of always considered myself a feminist even when I didn’t know what it meant; the reason for that was because I think being a girl was so difficult that any term that allowed me to embrace being a girl, I wanted it. So I heard the term feminism, and in that word I heard female, and I was like ‘yes, that’s me’. I remember, in Grade 12 English class, my teacher asked how many of us were feminists? And I wanted to put up my hand instantly because it seemed like such a natural response. But I looked around the room and no one had lifted their hands. So I kind of shrank into my seat. My teacher said – ‘That’s interesting’ – and then started asking questions like –‘How many of you believe that men and women should be treated equally? How many of you believe that all religions are equal? How many of you believe that children shouldn’t be abused?’ And more of this and that…she was basically equalising the entire world in every way that we could see it and everyone was raising their hands. At the end of it she said that if you can say yes to all these things, it basically means that you are a feminist. So I think my introduction to feminism was so beautiful and was taught to me so honestly that it always stayed with me. I see feminism as the belief that all people – men, women, children, adults – should be treated equally at every single level. And I don’t know any other way to see that.
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Her favourite poem and what was her thought behind writing it
I have so many favourites, but there is one that goes – I don’t want to call women pretty because they are so much more than that.
It is basically about how we give each other compliments. Personally, in my journey, what I wanted most of all was for people to tell me that I am pretty. That was a compliment that I always searched for and when people would tell me that, I would feel so fulfilled, like that was the highest compliment I could ever receive and also like the highest compliment I could give to the women around me. And then, one day, while thinking about it I felt that it is so ridiculous. First of all – what is pretty? What makes you not pretty? I thought that the one thing that I can’t take credit for is how I look on the outside. That is all due to my parents and the universe and the higher power. And that is the one thing that I am trying to get compliments for? Why would I use that as a value system to make the women around me feel good, when what they really have is the power inside? So there is a kind of revolution happening inside of me which says that I don’t need to hear that I am pretty, even if society tells me that I need to be as pretty as possible to be successful. My intelligence is something that I created and I can work on, and my kindness, and how much I can give to other people.
Favourite poem from some other poet
One of my favourites is from the book The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran, and it is on marriage. I think it is one of the most beautifully illustrated poems on how a marriage should be. And the reason that the poem stands out for me is because I have grown up in a community where I have heard the word since the time I was born, and no one has described what a marriage should be. There is so much talk about it in our families – yes, you should get married; yes, you can do all those things, but after you are married; this is how your wedding should be; these many people will come to the wedding, etc. And it is all so superficial. Nobody touches the depths of a marriage and what that power looks like when two people come together. It was when I read the poem that I felt I want marriage too. It was incredible.
On the discrimination she faced because of her accent when she was growing up and how she overcame it
I think that is the case for everyone who is an immigrant and for whom English is a second language at school. It is unfortunate that so many of us experience that and are not able to communicate. When we moved to Canada my parents didn’t know any English and for the years when I was here without going to school, I wasn’t communicating in or learning English. So when I started school, I didn’t know any for a few years. When I did start speaking a little of it, I had to face the response and the bullying. I couldn’t even tell you how I overcame it, because you kind of just do! You either use that pain and you turn it into love and share the love, which is what I do through my art. Or you just keep it inside of you and let it rot and hurt you, but then you kind of end up spreading that negative energy to other people. So overcoming it for me was about self-love and accepting myself and realising that I am perfect the way I am.
Her advice to budding poets and writers around the world
Write every single day and hone your craft, especially when you don’t believe in yourself. Really, rigorously practise it, and there is no way that it’s not gonna blossom. Photo credits: Baljit Singh and Kp KaurLike this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).
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This Artist’s Quirky #100DaysofBangalore Sketches Will Make You Fall in Love with the City Again
And the best part is that these aren’t just the landmarks that you’d find in a Bengaluru guide book. One look at the sketches posted on her Facebook and Instagram pages and you can tell that the artist has experienced the essence of these places to be able to draw them so vividly.
Day 91/100 - Madiwala market is located on the road that connects Koramanagala and Sarjapur Road to Hosur Road. It is... Posted by Sunny Skies Starry Eyes on Saturday, August 6, 2016
And they are required to do one particular creative exercise, every day for 100 days.
Day 26/100 - When I first moved to the city, The Hole in the Wall Café was the most famous place for an English... Posted by Sunny Skies Starry Eyes on Saturday, May 14, 2016
She began working on the project in April and is currently sketching her hundredth dedication to the city.
Day 40/100 - Airlines Hotel is a landmark eatery that is about 50 years old. I was introduced to it through a friend -... Posted by Sunny Skies Starry Eyes on Saturday, May 28, 2016
Have a look at some of her work:
Day 54/100 - St. Mary's Basilica is among the oldest churches in Bangalore and can be seen towering over the... Posted by Sunny Skies Starry Eyes on Saturday, June 11, 2016
Day 49/100 - More than a decade ago, Mr. Mayi Gowda started a small book shop called Blossom Book Store. Located on... Posted by Sunny Skies Starry Eyes on Monday, June 6, 2016
Day 30/100 - Lalbagh Botanical Garden was initially started as a private garden, commissioned by Hyder Ali. The garden... Posted by Sunny Skies Starry Eyes on Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Day 25/100 - The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), one of the premier science and technology institutes in the... Posted by Sunny Skies Starry Eyes on Friday, May 13, 2016
Day 6/100 - The National Gallery of Modern Art is one of my favourite places in the city. It has beautiful architecture... Posted by Sunny Skies Starry Eyes on Sunday, April 24, 2016
Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).
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VIDEO: Riteish Deshmukh’s Rap Debut Will Make You Agree & Say ‘Thank God, Bappa Is Not Like Us’
Here are some snippets from the eye-opening, entertaining song:
What would he say, had he been like us?
Seeing our Offerings,
"Only 21 modaks? What big deal sir?"
Would He have said that?
To a Devotee with un-fulfilled wishes, “Oh. Ma'am you failed to stand in the queue of Wishes” Would He Have Said that?
To a devotee from Andheri, visiting the Lord from Lalbaug.. “This falls under Andheri Jurisdiction Please contact the Bappa from Andheri” Would He have said that?
Would he have offered his blessings as packages?
Ganpati& Shankar 'Blessings Combo'
Just Rs. 20,000
We placed him in every corner of our streets...
For a moment, how about placing him in our Hearts?
The fun video directed by Kapil Sawantand edited by Adele Pereira raises some serious questions at the end about the state of affairs on the day after the immersion.
A Day after the immersion is a sight so awful!
Millions of people who bowed at his feet
The feet are now seen lying somewhere
The hands that blessed all the living
Is badly broken and is somewhere lying..
The Bappa who brings us all together himself is now wrecked and scattered on the beach.
Let’s learn from Bappa and be kind, generous and treat everyone equally as an offering to Him on this Ganesh Chaturthi!
Watch the complete song here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4A7y-mMAA60Is anyone else reminded of Joan Osborne’s “One of Us”? Watch it here with us:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPFnHdJ0dl0Like this story? Have something to share? Email: contact@thebetterindia.com, or join us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia). To get positive news on WhatsApp, just send 'Start' to 090 2900 3600 via WhatsApp.
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An Empathetic Photo Series Sheds Light on the Invisible Lives of Africans Living in India
© Mahesh Shantaram; Prosper, Tanzania / Bangalore; Archival pigment print; 2016 Courtesy Tasveer[/caption]
Why “black” Africans, you ask? This is what Mahesh has to say, “We can’t generalise by saying this project is about Africans because it is about racism and skin colour. There are white Africans too but I’m trying to capture the experiences of black Africans in this series.”His interest in capturing their lives began when he read about a racially motivated attack against a Tanzanian woman in Bangalore. The project started with a single pressing question – who are the black Africans in India? [caption id="attachment_67192" align="alignnone" width="1200"]
Abdul Karim from Nigeria pursues a B.Sc in Information Technology from NIMS, Jaipur. © Mahesh Shantaram; Abdul-Kareem, Nigeria / Jaipur; Archival pigment print; 2016 Courtesy Tasveer[/caption]
To find the answer, he began scouring the news to find Africans who might be keen to bring attention to the problems they faced every day while living in India. When he reached out to many, some of them responded positively to his request of sharing their experiences.
The photographs are formal portraits, and most of them evoke a sense of isolation that the black Africans deal with on a daily basis. Mahesh has photographed them in varied settings: in their bathrooms, beside their prayer mats, inside cars and even with their children. One of our favourites from the series is that of an African leaning beside his car in a deserted parking lot with only a decorated elephant to give him company.
[caption id="attachment_67191" align="alignnone" width="1200"]
Aminu from Bauchi, Nigeria pursues a B.A. in Economics from NIMS, Jaipur. © Mahesh Shantaram; Ameenou, Nigeria / Jaipur; Archival pigment print; 2016 Courtesy Tasveer[/caption]
This exhibition marks one of the more serious attempts to capture the experiences of black Africans in India. Mahesh actively sought to include students in this project. He explains, “Some of them are taking management courses, others are studying subjects like radiology and pharmacology. But almost all of them do courses that will get them employed quickly. The saddest thing is that a lot of students do not get to go home and meet their families even once in a year. We should be sensitive about the fact that these people have left the comfort of familiarity behind to come and learn in a foreign land.”
[caption id="attachment_67190" align="alignnone" width="1200"]
Misana from Tanzania studies Computer Applications at Acharaya Institute, Bangalore. © Mahesh Shantaram; Misana, Tanzania / Bangalore; Archival pigment print; 2016 Courtesy Tasveer[/caption]
When we asked him how he thinks this project might help in sensitising Indians about racist attacks faced by black Africans, he said, “A lot of people have seen the photos and a lot of them identify with the work. I think this project has really captured the imagination of Indians, which is good. In this day and age, it is important for us to look at these visual representations. ‘Seeing is believing’ and what this project says is, ‘Look, these are the people you share your cities with and country with.’ I think that’s an important message.”
[caption id="attachment_67189" align="alignnone" width="900"]
Vitu from Malawi studies Psychology at Acharaya Institute. © Mahesh Shantaram; Vitu, Malawi / Bangalore; Archival pigment print; 2016 Courtesy Tasveer[/caption]
Mahesh is also of the opinion that his work is unique in the way that it does not explore the plight of the black African students through a single racist attack. He thinks that the media is keen on talking about these topics, but somehow when the message gets disseminated, a lot of people think that racist attacks are single isolated events.
[caption id="attachment_67187" align="alignnone" width="1200"]
© Mahesh Shantaram; Hamza & Shukura, Nigeria / Jaipur; Archival pigment print; 2016 Courtesy Tasveer[/caption]
He said, “Instead of doing one story on this issue, I thought, let me do a six-months-long or a year-long project. I wanted to keep meeting Africans and discovering all the untold stories. By exhibiting these photographs over a period of time in five cities, I thought I could keep the subject alive in the imagination of the public. Racism isn’t something that should be ‘news-worthy’, we should open avenues for people to discuss racism all the time.”
The "The African Portraits" exhibition will be on at Tasveer Gallery, Bangalore, till September 23, 2016. To plan a visit, please visit Tasveer's website or read Mahesh's updates here.
Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).
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#TrainDiaries: Ladies Coupe of Mumbai Local Trains as Seen through the Lens of a Photojournalist
"People definitely tend to be a lot less conscious around a simple everyday device like a mobile,” she says.
https://www.instagram.com/p/7rqt6zOQ8j/?taken-by=anushree_fadnavis Many of Anushree’s photographs are accompanied with well-written captions that add to the depth of the subjects she is photographing. When asked if she probes every subject for a story, she says, “If the moment is really sensitive and I see something spontaneous happening, I don’t wait to ask for permission. But if I’m sure that they don’t feel happy with me clicking them in a vulnerable way, then I don’t. If people aren’t happy with me clicking I put the phone away because it is important the action takes place regardless of someone being there to record it or not. Sometimes, I do talk to my subjects and ask them to tell me more about themselves. But at other times I just let them be because I don’t want to lose the moment by making them uncomfortable or self-conscious.” https://www.instagram.com/p/6skZJduQ1T/?taken-by=anushree_fadnavis An interesting and delightful aspect of Anushree’s photo-series is the range of sexual diversity in her subjects. Hijras and trans-genders make a regular appearance on her Instagram feed. Apart from talking about their tightly knit community and the kind of discrimination they face, they also show off their tattoos to Anushree because they are very well acquainted with her by now. https://www.instagram.com/p/7IxmAqOQwk/?taken-by=anushree_fadnavis You too can follow Anushree Fadnavis on Instagram here.Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).
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Meet IAS Officer Kavitha Ramu: Bureaucrat by Profession, Bharatanatyam Dancer by Passion
An IAS officer by day and a senior Bharatnatyam exponent in the evenings, Kavitha has been performing as a solo artiste for 20 years now; she has over 500 stage performances to her credit.
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Born in the temple town of Madurai, Kavitha started learning Bharatanatyam at the age of four. Her father, M Ramu, was an IAS officer and her mother, Manimegali, had worked as a professor of economics before marriage. At her mother's insistence, little Kavitha began learning dance from Guru Neela Krishnamurthy (sister and longtime Nattuvanar of the famous dancer Padma Subramanyam) of Madurai. In 1981, at the age of eight, Kavitha performed at the Fifth World Tamil Conference held in Chidambaram, her first major performance and an experience close to her heart. As a civil servant, Kavitha's father was transferred every few years and Kavitha studied in nine different schools during her early years of education. When Kavitha was 10, her family finally decided to move to Chennai and settle down there.It was here that Kavitha met KJ Sarasa, the legendary Bharatanatyam dancer who had developed the Vazhuvoor style of Bharatanatyam. For the next 15 years, she continued to train under him.
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She also learnt Nattuvangam (the rhythmic sound play of cymbals used to conduct and coordinate the choreography) from the famous Guru Smt. Indira Rajan. Having seen her father serve the country as an Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer, Kavitha had always wanted to follow in his footsteps. She was initially fascinated by the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) but, over time, decided on IAS as staying in India meant she could pursue her passion for dance. She has always been good in academics, and when Kavitha graduated in economics she was ranked sixth in the university. Her dance career continued to grow, with her performances receiving rave reviews from Chennai's leading critics. Concurrently, she pursued a post graduate degree in public administration.In 1999, Kavitha wrote and cleared the Tamil Nadu state civil services exams. In 2002, she cleared the extremely tough examination for the IAS. A little known fact is that in the same year, Kavitha was also busy making a mark as a Bharatanatyam dancer.
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Amidst the painstaking preparation one needs to clear the civil services exams, she flew to USA and Canada to play the lead role of Annamayya in a critically acclaimed Bharatanatyam recital choreographed by noted dancer Dr M Balamuralikrishna. When asked about how she managed to do both, Kavitha says:"When I took up the exams, I was a widely performing-artiste and there was no reason whatsoever for me to forsake one for the other. They are both important aspects of my life and they feed off each other. My professional life has taught me discipline while dance enables me to manage my stress."As a full time IAS officer working in Tamil Nadu, Kavitha's days are very busy. She has served as a Revenue Divisional Officer in Vellore, the Assistant Commissioner of Chennai's Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department, and the Joint Commissioner for Relief and Rehabilitation in the Tamil Nadu Road Sector Project (TNRSP). She has also served as the District Revenue Officer for the Chennai district. She is currently the General Manager for the Tamil Nadu State Tourism Development Corporation.
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One would think that her job wouldn’t give her any breathing space but it hasn't stopped Kavitha from pursuing her passion.
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Her day starts at 5.15 am when she leaves for yoga or functional fitness classes on alternate days. When she gets back home, she practises dance for some time before leaving for office by 9 am. She normally returns home by 8 pm but, if she gets back earlier, she likes to unwind by walking in the neighbourhood park. She also teaches dance to kids and loves reading and watching comedy films in her leisure time.With over 600 stage performances and a handful of choreographic works and thematic presentations at dance festivals to her credit, Kavitha has been performing for almost two decades now.
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Many accolades and titles have also come her way — from the prestigious 'Nadanamamani' and 'Yuvakala Bharathi' titles to the Balasaraswati Endowment Award. She is also an A grade artist of Doordarshan and an empanelled artist of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).“Earlier, when I was posted in other districts, it was difficult for me to practise and avail frequent leave to participate in dance festivals. But now, after 10 years in service and moving to higher positions in my profession, it has become easier for me to take out time to pursue my passion for dance,” says the talented artiste-bureaucrat, who has also coordinated the cultural events for the opening and closing ceremonies during the 1995 SAF games held in Chennai.By straddling two different and demanding worlds effectively and effortlessly, Kavitha Ramu has shown that where there is a will there is a way. As the inspiring lady says,
"To be able to continue with my passion despite the professional requirements has been an incredible journey."
Also Read: Meet Pratyaya Amrit, the Inspiring IAS Officer Who Has Placed Bihar Firmly on the Road to Success
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These 9 Marvellous Doorways in Amer Fort & City Palace Offer a Glimpse of Jaipur’s History
1. Ganesh Pol, Amer Fort
The Ganesh Pol or Gate is the entry to the private palaces of the Maharajas. Built under the orders of Mirza Raja Jai Singh, it is
covered with elaborate frescoes and a Ganesh painted above the gate, symbolising good luck.
2. Peacock Gate, Pritam Niwas Chowk, City Palace
Pritam Niwas Chowk is the inner courtyard of the City Palace. It has four smaller gates, each themed around the four seasons and dedicated to a particular Hindu god. The northeastern peacock gate represents autumn and has a small idol of Lord Vishnu on its lintel.
3. Lotus Gate, Pritam Niwas Chowk, City Palace
The Lotus Gate in the southwest is adorned with dramatic lotus petals and flower patterns. It represents the summer and lord Shiva.
4. Rose Gate, Pritam Niwas Chowk, City Palace
The winter season is showcased by the Rose Gate. Filled with repeating rose patterns, it is dedicated to Goddess Devi.
5. Leheriya Gate, Pritam Niwas Chowk, City Palace
The fourth gate, also called the Leheriya (waves) gate, is on the northwest side of the courtyard. It is in a gorgeous green colour, indicating spring and dedicated to Lord Ganesha.
6. Diwan-E-Aam, Amer Fort
Diwan-E-Aam or the Hall of Public Audience is a courtyard that is marked by 27 columns, each with an elephant shaped capital. It also has rooms leading off that were used by royalty.
7. Entrance, Amer Fort
Benches seen through the arched corridors at the entrance of Amer Fort present a departure from the usual ornate doorways of the rest of the palace. This place has an almost Mediterranean feel.
8. Balcony Door, Mansingh Palace Square, Amer Fort
The courtyard at the Mansingh Palace, Amer Fort, is surrounded by balconies on the first floor and has doors overlooking the central pavilion. The walls are decorated with floral patterned frescoes.
9. Door to the Dakshinottar Bhitti Yantra, Jantar Mantar
This door provides access to the Dakshinottar Bhitti Yantra, which is an instrument used for observing the different altitudes of celestial bodies. The marble arched panel on top of the door provides a detailed description of the yantra.
- Aparna Rajagopalan
You can have a look at Aparna's work here.
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About the author: Aparna Rajagopalan is a designer inspired by stories of people, places & culture. She curates Object of Affection, a visual collective of meaningful personal artefacts.
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Bengaluru International Arts Festival Brings Together 150 Artistes From Around the World
Since its inception in 2008, the festival attempts to spread the message of “harmony through culture and arts,” by allowing local as well international artists to interact with regional audiences and bridge cultural gaps through performance arts.
Source:Wikimedia
In this edition, more than 150 artistes from different countries, including Brazil and Sri Lanka, will perform their traditional folk dances. Other classical dance forms that will be performed include Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Odissi. The musical performances in the lineup include Hindustani, jazz and qawwali. Rama Vaidyanathan, a Bharatanatyam dancer who is all set to perform at Chowdiah Memorial Hall on September23, told Livemint, “This festival is important because it reaches out to newer audiences every year, to people who haven’t been initiated into the classical dance forms before.” Dr. Suma Sudhindra's daughter Namrat Sudhindra, a yoga professional, will also organise a yoga workshop in Cubbon Park on September 18. The workshop is open to everyone. As a part of its social awareness initiative, BIAF is also organising an 'Afforestation Go Green' drive to plant saplings in Neelamangla on September 25. Seating for events is available on a first-come first-serve basis and the schedule of performances is subject to change. Here is a list of artistes who are going to perform at BIAF. Here is the schedule of the events. To know more visit their website. For additional details contact +91 9980327800 or aim.biaf@gmail.com.Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com, or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).
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TBI Blogs: Meet the Artisan Who Created India’s First Androgynous Idol of Goddess Durga
Like Wes Anderson is to direction and Wordsworth is to romanticism, Kolkata’s Kumartuli is to idol making.
For art zealots, Kumartuli is an amalgamation of artists under the same sky making the same face, most widely known to the world as Goddess Durga. But for the ‘Pals’ of Kumartuli, it is a service to Maa Durga herself.
This simple artistic occupation has given birth to this cramped world of talent where, every year, thousands of idols are made, some of which are even exported to different corners of the world. In the small labyrinth of their studios, goddess Durga takes shape, with her 10 hands, four kids and a demon to slay. And what takes months to be modelled, turns into soil in four days, and thus ‘Dust thou art to dust returnest’.
Amongst the many studios in the Banarmali street, Chaina Pal has gained popularity for two reasons - one for her name and other for her occupation.
Although art knows no gender, yet only a few women today venture into sculpting Durga idols.
“As far as Kumartuli is concerned, there are only five to six women artists here,” says Ranajit Sarkar, secretary of the Kumartuli Shilpi Samity.However, Chaina did not follow the rules of gender differentiation, and has been part of this occupation ever since she was 17. She alone broke the chasm of disparity and created an audience for herself and Kumartuli.
Her story begins in 1994 when her ailing father left no heir to the 70-year-old idol making tradition.
Chaina says, “I had two brothers who did not want to enter this profession and three sisters, who had no interest in sculpting, so I took the onus upon me.”
It wasn’t easy for Chaina to challenge the prevalent male dogma of the society and make a niche of her own. When she entered the shop, her first challenge was to learn the art and create a customer base, which she knew would be lost after her father passed.
“A person can learn anything and everything with dedication, it may take time, but one learns it,” says Chaina.
Despite being a newcomer in the profession, she now holds the title of Dashabhuja (one with 10 hands) for her incredible agility in handling both, her studio and her house, at the same time.
This kind of stardom doesn’t sway the humble Chaina. She upholds the traditional style of modelling the idols and prefers them like her father and grandfather, even though these styles have now become passé.
“I like to see Maa Durga and her entourage in the same wooden plank, and that’s how I make them, unlike others, who have fallen to new designer ways of making idols,” she says. “I have not fallen prey to capitalism; for me, my workers are all the same and when we are done with making idols, we all take a vacation and travel together in the month of November.”Chaina has eight artisans working for her.
While Chaina’s eminence has spread through the sweet smell of the Ganges soil, she has also had to face some criticism.
Last year, she made an unusual Durga idol ‘Ardhanarishwar,' an androgynous sculpture for the transgender community, one of the first such idols in India. While the media praised the bold move on behalf of the transgender community, locals condemned the structure and Chaina.
Chaina however, remains undeterred: “Everyone has the right to pray and preach, and so does the transgender community. When they requested me to make it, how could I have refused?”
Bhanu Naskar, spokesperson of the transgender community says, “We wanted a woman to do this idol for us, and hence we approached Chaina di. While everybody rejected our proposal since it was the eleventh hour, she readily took it up, and completed it with her own hands.”
Bhanu went on to add, that although there are other woman artists as well, it was Chaina Pal who first started working in the industry and paved the way for other women to enter the field.
With only a handful of woman artist in the domain, “there is little scope of training more people," says Rananjit. Due to unavailability of proper space and crammed up studios, artists are not able to work properly and hence, young generations are reluctant to come and join them.
Cooped up somewhere in the maze of Kumartuli, women are overshadowed by shirtless, sweating men who proudly wield their brushes like armours, as the home-makers stay away, unlike Chaina who although shy, has boldly displayed her art beyond Kumartuli.
Before I leave Kumartuli, my reluctant self couldn’t help but ask Chaina what does her name mean? She laughed hysterically and said, it means ‘I don’t want’ in Bengali. Being the fourth girl child in the family, Chaina’s mother named her so, to stop the cursed birth of another girl child. And while her mother did not want another girl child, at present the octogenarian lives with her daughter Chai-na.
Reminiscing Chaina says, “Now times have changed, this unwanted name has brought me so much fame.”
With dusk, distant conk shells and Dhak could be heard. Taking a chai break, an artist intoned something that reverberates in the heart of every Bengali as Durga puja comes closer, “Dhak bajche, maa asche” (As the dhak beats, Durga Maa is coming).
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About the author: Deepanwita De is a Fellow with Milaap, working with Milaap's partners and borrowers, bringing back true stories of change, hope, and resilience from Bengal.
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Remembering M S Subbulakshmi’s Historic Concert at the 1966 UN General Assembly
The first musician to be awarded India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, Subbulakshmi was a cultural ambassador who took Carnatic music to the world.
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Besides being a globally renowned vocalist, she acted in a few Tamil films and was a philanthropist too. In fact, the singer was the first Asian musician to receive the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay award for charity work - she would frequently donate a major chunk of her earnings from concerts and royalties on records.Subbulakshmi's was a life of many towering achievements and among them was her concert at the United Nations in New York, the first ever by an Indian. As her birth centenary is being celebrated today, there is no better way of remembering her than through her music - the historic song of peace and hope she sang at the 1966 UN General Assembly.
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By the mid-1960s, MS Subbulakshmi had already become an iconic Carnatic star. Having heard Subbulakshmi sing on All India Radio and later, at a live concert in Madras, Lord Harewood (the director of the famous Edinburgh festival) invited her to perform at the 1963 Edinburgh festival. Her mellifluous music at the concert received rave reviews from the London press, contributing to her rising global popularity. The next year, the singer was invited by the then UN Secretary General, U Thant, to perform at the General Assembly in New York on United Nations Day, which falls on October 23. Subbulakshmi and her husband, Kalki Sadasivam, gladly accepted this invite. They would be accompanied on the seven-week concert tour by her talented team of accompanists, comprising V.V. Subramaniam (violin), T.K. Murthy (mridangam), T.H. Vinayakaram (ghatam), and her daughters Radha Viswanathan (vocal) and Vijaya Rajendran (tanpura).The high profile overseas tour and the media interest it generated were unparalleled. Every halt of Subbulakshmi''s concert tour was reported in detail. Reaching Europe on September 19, Subbulakshmi sang in Geneva, at the Redoute Villa in Bonn where Beethoven had once performed, and then in Paris at the Guimet Museum, before arriving in London on September 30. At the Gandhi Jayanti celebrations at India House on October 2, she sang bhajans in the presence of the Indian Ambassador. The next day, she left for New York to begin her US tour.
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Subbulakshmi's husband Sadasivam was the master of ceremonies at her concerts and he made sure everything went smoothly. On the afternoon of October 23, 1966, M S Subbulakshmi, wearing yet another unique silk sari from the looms of Kanchi Muthu Chettiar, dazzling diamonds and the usual circlet of jasmine and roses in her hair, mounted the stage to tumultuous applause.
The sight of the singer standing on stage and being cheered by the audience was captured on film and in photographs, and was a moment of pride for all Indians.
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Introduced to the audience by C V Narasimhan (the then Under Secretary-General of UN) as the 'First Lady of Carnatic Music', Subbulakshmi began with a Sanskrit 'Guru Vandana' in praise of Dakshinamurthy (Lord Shiva as the supreme cosmic teacher). From thereon, she held her audience in thrall, taking it on a grand journey of various songs in every South Indian language.
Deeply religious, Subbulaksmi never left for any important concert without taking the blessings of her revered spiritual leader, Acharya Sri Chandrashekharendra Saraswati of Kanchipuram. It was the Acharya who composed the lyrics of the hymn 'Maitreem Bhajata', which Subbulakshmi sang at the conclusion of her UN concert, ending with the ringing words Srey o bhooyat sakala jananam (Let grace and happiness abound for all mankind).
An anthem for universal friendship and world peace, the singer made this song a regular feature in almost all her subsequent concerts for the rest of her life. This is how the beautiful song goes:
Maitreem Bhajatha , Akhila Hrujjethreem, Atmavadeva paraanapi pashyatha Yuddham thyajatha , Spardhaam Tyajata , thyajatha Pareshu akramamaakramanam Jananee Pruthivee Kaamadughaastey JanakO Devah Sakala Dayaaluh Daamyata Datta Dayadhvam Janathaah Sreyo Bhooyaath Sakala JanaanaamWhile translations do not do justice to the grandeur of the occasion, the greatness of the music, or the sublimity of the message, here is the meaning of this song:
Cultivate friendship to conquer all hearts Look upon others as yourself Renounce war, forswear competition Give up wrongful aggression on others Mother earth is ready to grant all our desires The lord, our father, is merciful to all People of the world! Be restrained, generous and compassionate Let grace and happiness abound for all mankind.
Here is M S Subbulakhsmi's rendition of 'Maitreem Bhajata' at the UN General Assembly of 1966.
[embedvideo id="az9zYiC3JHo" website="youtube"]This was the first time that any Indian classical musician was performing at the UN and, thanks to M S Subbulakshmi, the performance received stupendous reviews.
The Secretary General of United Nations, U Thant, described it as "extraordinarily good music," while Harold Schornberg, the famed music critic of The New York Times, praised Subbulakshmi's performance sky high and declared that "it would live in his memory forever".
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On December 4, Subbulakshmi returned to a warm welcome in Bombay, having halted in Rome on the way for a private audience with Pope Paul.
"I am glad you are back home. Tell MSS we are proud of her achievement," said Dr S. Radhakrishnan, President of India, in a telegram to Sadasivam.
Her huge success at UN was a landmark event, an achievement that invokes awe even today, but Subbulakshmi remained untouched by all the fame. She knew only her music and perhaps this is what gave her art the pristine quality that made it immortal.
Other than it being Subbulakshmi’s birth centenary, the year 2016 also marks the 50th anniversary of her memorable performance at the UN General Assembly in October 1966. The United Nations Postal Administration is all set to issue a stamp to mark these memorable occasions and honour the legendary singer for her contribution to the world of music.
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Also Read: 20 Indian Musicians you Should have Heard at least Once in Your Life
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