PROGRAMMES CONDUCTED BY THE KENDRA DURING YEAR 2016

BENGALURU KENDRA OFFICE

2016

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan,

Bengaluru Kendra Compiled by;H.S.RAJASHEKAR

[PROGRAMMES CONDUCTED BY THE

KENDRA DURING YEAR 2016]

Address: No.43, Race Course Road, BENGALURU 560001, KARNATAKA, INDIA

PHONE: +91 80 22267303, 22265746, 22267421, FAX: 22287373

E-MAIL: [email protected], [email protected]

WEBSITE: www.bhavankarnataka.com

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NANJANGUD SRIKANTAIAH JANAKAMMA MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT

MUSIC PROGRAMME AT BHAVAN’S ESV HALL,

ON JAN 2, 2016

Sugama Sangeetha by Savitha and Rajeev Anand

PROGRAMME AT INDIAN INSTITUTE OF WORLD CULTURE, BASAVANAGUDI, BENGALURU ON JAN 8, 2016

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Sugama Sangeetha by Geetha Deepika Alura

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Smt. Vani Ganapathy

DISABILITY IS NOT A DETERRENT FOR ARTIST

A thinking bird, a smiling flower, a calm and peaceful horse… These startling and rare

images which Anu Jain depicts in her paintings are her way of communicating with the

world around her.

Anu, 32, wonders why disabled persons are stigmatized, when no one is perfect in this

imperfect world. Born without legs and rudimentary elbows. Anu paints, photographs and

designs artwork. She is no amateur either, having cleared Chitra Bhaskar Part –II from

Prachin Kala Kendra, Chandigarh.

Anu may not have fingers, but plays the piano. An avid reader of Sudha Murty‘s books,

she recently painted Murty‘s portrait and presented it to her. A surprised Sudha wrote to

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan to organize an exhibition of paintings of a rare artist. The

exhibition sponsored by Infosys Foundation, opened on Saturday 16 and was on till

January 23.

Her family is her backbone. While elder sister Abha and younger brother Trilok help her

update her website, her parents Kiranprabha and Vinay Kumar Jain stand as her pillars.

Abha says Anu is a vibrant, self-motivated, resourceful person and the family is only

supporting her interests. ―One day, my mother gave me a brush and paint and asked me

to draw on white canvas. I gradually felt interested and explored. I was home trained. My

paintings are reflections of my thoughts.

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Most of my paintings have flowers, birds, the sunset and sunrise. No flower is dull in my

work, they are bright and cheerful. Pink is the colour of hope, love and happiness and you

can see many pink flowers in my work. All that art requires is focus and patience‖ says.

Painting on discarded X-ray sheets are another interest. Her ‗Ganesha on X-Ray‘ caught

many eyes at the exhibition. Currently settled in Bengaluru, she conducted the Art

Workshop for the children of Bhavan-BBMP school at Srirampuram.

―Her interaction with students can make a tremendous impact both in their sense of art

and their attitude towards life‖ says H.N. Suresh, Director, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

What disappoints Anu is the lack of ramps and lifts in public spaces across India. ―We do

not have enough special school, disabled – friendly roads and footpaths. Treat us like

normal people‖ she says.

(Courtesy - Times of India)

Artist Anu Jain and H.N. Suresh, Director, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan,

lighting the lamp at the inaugural of the exhibition

Peeyush Jain, Hon. Treasurer, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and Dr. Vijaya, Veteran Journalist, honouring artist Anu.

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Bhavan-Infosys Foundation

OUTREACH CULTURAL PROGRAMME AT MES COLLEGE, MALLESHWARAM ON

JAN 23, 2016.

Carnatic Harmonium Recital : Harmonium : Vidwan. C. Ramadas, Violin : Vidwan Venkatesh Jois, Mridanga : Vidwan. C. Chaluvaraj, Ghata : Vidwan M. Gurumurthy, Tambura : Sujatha Ramachandra

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Bhavan-BBMP Public School Kannada Dance Drama ‘Kindari Jogi’ at BVB, on Feb 6, 2016

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Kindara Jogi

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BVB IN ASSOCIATION WITH ICCR PRESENTED KATHAK BY DANCE COUPLE HARI AND CHETANA,

ALONG WITH THEIR TROUP AT BVB ON FEB 13, 2016.

Dancers of Noopur Performing Arts Centre,

the performing outfit of the couple‘s dance school, at the recital

Feb. 20 : Neela Ramgopal is one of those rare artistes who have succeeded both as a

performing musician and a teacher. She continues to straddle both streams, being one of

the accomplished Carnatic vocalists Karnataka can proudly flaunt. Aspiring musicians yearn

to become her wards, and among Carnatic vocalists, she is a top notch singer.

―Neelambari‖ is a group of four performing Carnatic vocalists—Usha Kesari, Geetha

Murthy, Bhargavi Manjunath and Rema Ramaiah— all B High and A grade artistes of AIR.

As wards of Neela, they have made their mark individually as well. They are regular

performers at classical music events, focussing on thematic concerts, which is a welcome

change from routine concerts.

Such theme-based concerts initiate the audience into aspects of music hitherto unknown

to them such as compositions on certain deities, on composers themselves, etc., which can

prove to be one of the first steps in creating a better-educated audience vis a vis music,

which in turn can lift the standard of music by generating more informed and demanding

listeners. Neelambari needs to be appreciated for this, although to them, theme-based

concerts might mean more a challenge than being looked at as a service to the music field.

Dasara Compositions with Emphasis on ‗Dina Nithya Jeevana Thathva‘Artists : Neela Ramgopal, Geetha Murthy, Rema

Ramaiah, Usha Kesari, Bhargavi Manjunath.

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Every classical dancer in Karnataka needs to be grateful to Guru H R Keshavamurthy,

because he was one of the earliest practitioners and proponents of classical dance in

the State. What Rukmini Devi Arundale did in Chennai, Keshavamurthy did in Karnataka,

not on that scale or focus, but he certainly was one of those responsible for accruing

respectability to classical dance, and many young girls from conservative Brahmin families

taking to dance at his Keshava Nritya Shala in conservative Malleshwaram.

What Keshavamurthy has given to the culture field in Karnataka has in fact gone

unsung and unrecognised, because he not only belonged to an era of humble beginning

and growth, but he was not a savvy marketer. Even today there is none to parallel him in

his depth of knowledge on varied subjects that go to make an artiste complete, such as

Samskritam, Kannada literature—modern and ancient, folk arts, forms and music, Carnatic

classical music, and Kathak and Bharatanatya.

Vasanthalakshmi Venkataram and B K Shyam Prasad are two of his children who are long-

standing dance teachers in Bengaluru, with Shyam Prakash even having established the

Keshava College of Dance and Music, which is affiliated to the University of Bangalore.

Shyam Prasad‘s and Vasanthalaskhmi‘s families are also into the arts field. The latest third

generation dancer to enter the fray is Lasya Priya, Keshavamurthy‘s youngest son,

Ravishankar‘s daughter.

Lasya Priya

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1. Kathak by Poorna Acharya 2. Bharatanatya by Sukruti Ananth 3. Bharathanatya by Raghunandan

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Odissi by Vandana Bharatanatyam by Ritwika Bharatanatyam by Aparna Menon Ghosh

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BVB-Karnataka Nrityakala Parishath present ―Natarajotsava 2016‖ at Khincha Hall, at 4

pm. An exclusive festival for male dancers in an otherwise women-dominated art form, this

year‘s festival, into its nineteenth edition, will cover Bharatanatya, Odissi and Kathak,

preceded by Nritya seva by senior teachers Mysore Nagaraj and Jayakamala Pandian.

Nritya Seva is a special segment of the programme got up about nine years ago to put

on stage senior teachers, and record it for the archives, by the Karnataka Sangeeta Nritya

Academy and the Parishath.

This is one platform where male dancers from outside Bengaluru are given an

opportunity to perform. This is really appreciable as male soloists from outside the metro

find it difficult to make their presence felt in known or popular fora.

Nataraja

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LANDMARK CENTURY AT INDIAN INSTITUTE OF WORD CULTURE

A culture NGO with phenomenal reach, infrastructure, networking and public

goodwill is Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (BVB), anywhere in the country. Its activities continue

to lend hope that ancient Indian wisdom and traditions will not disappear against the

onslaught of western cultural and lifestyle influences.

A sure fire pointer to this is the 100th successful conduct of the BVB-Infosys Foundation

(IF) programme on April 15 at The Indian Institute of World Culture (IIWC) venue in

Bengaluru, marking a century of shows of the varied traditional arts of Karnataka,

especially dying arts.

Besides music sabhas, several private organizations promote classical music and dance

year round in the City. This is apart from some of the major annual festivals devoted to

these arts. What ails other traditional performing arts is patronage, finance, and viability, a

lacuna more than rectified by the BVB-IF project.

It provided an opportunity for over 500 artistes to go on stage since inception in April

2010; brought to fore some rare arts form; created an interested and appreciative

audience, and acted as a clap board for young artistes from all over Karnataka, especially

from rural areas, many of whom had their first glimpse of a metro such as Bengaluru,

when they came to perform for Infosys Foundation.

Six years ago, when the association of the two organizations was concretized for this

project, it was a coming together for a cause—promoting young talent, especially from the

economically weaker sections, and those from rural areas. The ideal has been more than

met, the 100th programme of devotional music on not marking a culmination of the

venture but ushering in a renewed beginning of much more to come.

If Sudha Murty thought it best to propagate Indian culture through the Bhavan there

was a sound reason behind. Way back, in 1997, she set up an annual endowment

programme in her personal capacity in memory of her grandfather, Hanumanth Rao

Kadim Diwan, a teacher by profession, and a true Indian at heart...... his love for the

country‘s culture and philosophy was what prompted Murty to set up a programme in his

name. This association got further cemented in 2010 through the BVB-IF project.

Says H N Suresh, BVB Director, Bengaluru Kendra, ‗This project has been an ideal

channel for the less seen and less heard arts and artistes. In that sense it is the unique

project which is truly altruistic in nature‖.

Pointing out that every programme has been above average in quality, he says the

project will have a cascading effect with its nurture and revival of near-extinct art forms.

‗The public in South Bengaluru have responded well; the key is to provide interesting

programmes‘, he says.

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Hirakata, Tamaki vacant, puppetry, magic shows, yakshagana, vachanas, fusion music,

daasapadas, light music, devotional songs, DVG‘s famous ―Mankuthimmana Kagga‖ in

music form, instrumental music such as violin, flute, veena, jaltarang, mukhaveena and

saxophone, percussion, book launches, environmental awareness projects, and lecture-

demonstrations are just a few of the forms and themes covered under the programme.

One of the most gratifying aspects of this project has been the recognizing of talent of

the differently-abled, whose performance in this forum was an inspiration to the organizers

and the public, more than being an opportunity for them to perform.

One has to mention two persons responsible for the continuation and success of the

programmes—K C Pemmaiah, Manager, Programmes & Projects, and Prema Thotadhri,

Associate Secretary, BVB. It is a reality today that cultural events even in residential areas

do not attract much of an audience, many shows running to near-empty auditoria.

Hamstrung with this difficulty, the duo also had to deal with presenting not popular art

and artistes, but less popular or near extinct forms, and yet woo viewers—a horrendous

task in itself.

But the credentials of the quality of the performances and the innate attraction of the

art forms presented were established soon after the project got off, ensuring a steady

audience. Buoyed by this response, the BVB-IF project is poised to get bigger and better.

Dr. Sudha Murty Chairperson, Infosys Foundation felicitating Justice M. Rama Jois

who was the chief-guest at the 100th annual programme at IIWC

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Artists who performed pose with Dr. Sudha Murty ,

Justice Dr. M. Rama Jois and Sri H.N. Suresh

Devotional music to mark 100 shows

Bombeyata

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Noted Puppeteer K V Ramesh presenting

a colourful puppet to Dr. Sudha Murty

ESPOUSING PEACE

It was a coming together of Samskritam scholars, spiritual gurus, academicians, and

artistes at the Rotary Centennial Peace Symposium in Bengaluru, which looked at coming

to an understanding of the word peace itself, and how it can be established at the micro

level, and consequently in society, so that antagonism, war, strife and conflicts no

longer rule the world.

The two-day symposium got up by Rotary Bangalore Indiranagar and BVB,

Bengaluru Kendra, from April 22, saw the participation of familiar yet respected names

such as Shatavadhani Dr R Ganesh, Rajagopala Sharma Ganapaati, Prof. M N

Chandrashekar, Swami Shanthimayananda of Ramakrishna Math, Bengaluru, Ananda

Bhanteji, General Secretary, Maha Bodhi Society, and Dr Chiranjeev Singh, former

ambassador to UNESCO among others.

―Peace is Possible‖ was the underlying message of the seminar, which began with

chanting of peace mantras drawn from Samskritam texts by Rajagopala Sharma, with

eloquent commentary by Shatavadhani Ganesh. A specially choreographed dance on

the theme of peace, titled ―Rasothkarsha‖ by Abhinava Dance Company lent strength to

the concept in terms of interpreting it through a visual art medium.

Yoga and meditation are integral to inner peace, from which stems tranquillity at the

macro level. Dr S N Omkar gave a lecture-demonstration on ―Yoga and meditation‖ on

April 23, which was followed by a panel discussion on the theme of peace. Noted scholar

Dr Hampa Nagarajaiah, Rev Fr Dr Eugene Lobo, PRO, Karnataka Regional Catholic Bishop‘s

Council, and Dr Syed Ejazuddin Ashrafi, former MLC, lead the discussion.

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Curtains were drawn on the two-day event with music recitals by several artistes,

revolving around the conference theme. ―Shama-Saama‖, under the direction of Carnatic

vocalist T S Sathyavathi, saw Maruthi Prasad S R, Anjana P Rao and Shilpa Shashidhar

(vocal), Sangita Srinidhi (veena), Smitha H M (violin) and Adamya R (mridanga) take to

stage. Violin by Aneesh Vidyashankar and a Bharatanatya recital by Subhashini Vasanth

rounded off the programme.

Doves, symbols of peace being released by Rotarian‘s to mark the conference

Lighting the lamp from left : Rtn. M.K. Panduranga Setty, Past Rotary International Director, Rtn. Peeyush Jain, President,

Rotary Banagalore Indiranagar, Rtn. Sushil Gupta, Trustee, The Rotary Foundation, Rtn. Flt. Lt. K.P. Nagesh, District

Governor – RI Dist 3190, Rtn. Suresh Hari, Chairman, Rotary Centennial Peace Symposium

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Mantra recitation by Rajagopala Sharma and Group

Rajendra and Nirupama in Rasothkarsha

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MAY 4 : INDIA , HUMAN RIGHTS CRADLE

India, except when she was ruled by non-Indians, has always practiced human rights,

a philosophy that is deep rooted in her values and traditions since ancient times.

―Vasudaiva Kutumbakam‖, is unique to Indian ethos, said Justice R C Lahoti, former Chief

Justice of India.

He was speaking after releasing the book of another legal luminary, Dr. Rama Jois,

titled ―Human Rights Bharatiya Values‖ published by Bhavan.

It is painful to see that India, the mother of several great religions of the world, should

come to be painted as an ―intolerant‖ nation. This is because of political opportunism, and

the denigration of the great ideals of India. It would be belittling the concept of Hinduism

if it were to be construed as ‗religion‘ in its narrow and conservative sense, he said.

―The expanse of the word Dharma as understood in Samskritam, is much deeper than

what is conveyed by the English word ‗religion‘. The English language does not possibly

have a word which can fully encompass within its fold the meaning of the word Dharma!‖

Justice Lahoti lauded the variety and range of subjects on which Dr. Jois has written.

He complimented BVB for publishing the book ―which is of great relevance to

contemporary society‖. The book is a renovated scripture which conveys the essence of

ancient scriptures in modern terminology to suit the youth, he pointed out.

The book launch was held at the Bengaluru Kendra May last. D H Shankara Murthy,

Chairman, Karnataka Legislative Council, presided. Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee, Chief

Justice of the High Court of Karnataka, and Sanjay Sahay, ADGP, spoke. K G Raghavan,

Hon. Secretary, BVB, introduced the book to the audience.

Justice R.C. Lahoti, former Chief Justice of India lighting the lamp while other dignitaries on the dias joins

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Justice R.C. Lahoti, former Chief Justice of India being felicitated by from left Sri. N. Ramanuja, Chairman, BVB, Sri. H.N.

Suresh Director, BVB, Justice Dr. M. Rama Jois, former Governor of Bihar and Jharkhand

BHAVAN-INFOSYS FOUNDATION PROGRAMME

AT INDIAN INSTITUTE OF WORLD CULTURE, BASAVANAGUDI, BENGALURU ON MAY 20, 2016

Dasara Padagalu & Vachanas by Vocal : Dr K S Vaishali

Tabla : Vid.Vikas Naregal Harmonium : Vid.Madhusudha Bhat

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FASCINATING EPIC JOURNEY

World epics, their rich and varied content and literary artistry notwithstanding, attract

few readers if any. Yet the conference on Mahavakvyas got up by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

(BVB), Bengaluru Kendra, June last, threw up such animated participation as to rekindle

interest in them, demanding a compulsive visitation.

Epics, by definition, are voluminous, immediately debarring them from the interest area

of youngsters. Any kind of reading today, is, after all, passé! What distinctly came across in

the four-day event was the vastness of the literary world vis a vis epics, ―Mahakavyas‖— the

Indian nomenclature for epics— being more relevant to present times, rooted as they are

in the cultural ethos of the land.

If creative writing of recognized artistic value is a cornerstone of categorizing a literary

work as a Mahakavya, Indian epics traverse from the mysteries of time till date, capturing

every aspect of life, the essential difference being that Mahakavyas represent,

quintessentially, the culture, traditions and life philosophy of India, whereas the western

―heroic‖ epics are straitjacketed.

Inaugurating the seminar on June 17, Prof. Maha Mahopadyaya Reva Prasad Dwivedi

said a work of art has little use unless it aids in introspection and self-realization. Lauding

the seminar as a great opportunity to get to know world and Indian epics, Prof. Dwivedi‘s

points to ponder were that the message of the Vedas was central to Mahakavyas, sans

which they needed to be shunned; Alankara is the essence of poetry and not mere literary

embellishment.

Delivering the keynote address, Justice B. N. Srikrishna, former Judge of the Supreme

Court, and Vice-President, BVB international, while appreciating the great service being

done by BVB for the ‗renaissance of Indian culture‘, dwelt at length on the Pancha

Mahakavyas—considered the five gems of Sanskrit literature—covering Kalidasa, Bharavi

and Sreeharsha, to clearly arrive at what constitutes Mahakavyas.

In a scholarly talk that was yet succinct in communication, culled from his study and

understanding of the epics, Justice Srikrishna derived the definitions of Mahakavyas from

classical Sanskrit poets such as Vishwanatha and Dandi, their messages being more

contextual to current times than ever before; their implementation imperative for a

‗sublime life‘.

Chief Guest Dr. T. V. Venkatachala Shastry pointed out the dichotomy between

eulogizing of ancient Indian literature as a national heritage and the apathy towards them

in the neglect of their learning. Incorporating classics into the education system alone

could ensure their becoming the lifeblood of society once again, he felt.

Sri Madhu Pandit Dasa, President, ISKCON, in his presidential address spoke of the

Akshaya Patra programme—synonymous with the service activities of ISKCON— which

today feeds over 11 crore children in 10 states, even in the remotest of areas, the

cascading effect of the mid-day meal scheme being better enrolment in schools, dramatic

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dip in dropout rates, and addressing the problem of malnutrition in a country where 3,000

children die every day due to lack of nourishing food.

Curtains were drawn on the event with Sri Veerappa Moily, MP, in his valedictory

speech quoting from Ramayana and Mahabharata to reiterate that their ethical core is the

lifeline of Indian society. He drew from his own five-volume epic, ―Ramayana

Mahanveshanam‖, to reinterpret the ―Rama Rajya‖ of yore to present times, within a

―secular framework‖.

Chief Guest Sri Manu Baligar, President, Kannada Sahitya Parishath, felt Mahakavyas

could be popularized by organizing workshops for youngsters, appealing to BVB to take

up the task.

Cultural programmes, centring on Mahakavyas, rounded off the academic sessions on

all days.

Conference highlights:

—Book launch—Message of Mahapuranas—a compilation of the 2014 national conference

—Recitation and singing of excerpts from Mahakavyas

—Eight sessions with seven speakers each

—50 scholars from across India including Kashmir

—Epics from 10 Indian languages

—Epics from two foreign languages—Latin and Greek

— Topics ranged from Ramayana and Mahabharata to classical Sanskrit works, Kambha

Ramayana, What Mahakavyas Mean To Me, Pancha Mahakavya‘s in Telugu, Folk Epic

Traditions in Hindi, Telugu, Epic Traditions in Persian, Urdu, Gujarati, Punjabi, Kashmir,

Tulu, Kodava, Homer‘s Illiad and Odyssey (Greek), Aenid of Virgil (Latin), and Divine

Comedy of Dante (Italian).

—Book exhibition of BVB publications.

Felicitations to eminent epic poets Prof. Reva Prasad Dwivedi of Varanasi and

Dr. T.V. Venkatachala Shastry of Mysuru (sitting extreme right and left)

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Scholars chanting Vedic hymns

Launch of book, ‗Message of Mahapuranas‘

Rendering prayers from Mahakavyas under the direction of Smt. Gangamma Keshavamurthy ( second from right).

Also seen is Sri. M.A. Jayarama Rao, renowned gamaki.

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Prof. Reva Prasad Dwivedi of Varanasi and Dr. T.V. Venkatachala Shastry of Mysuru being felicitated by

Sri. Madhu Pandit Dasa, President, ISKCON, Bengaluru, and Justice Sri. B.N. Srikrishna, former Judge,

Supreme Court & Vice President, BVB, while other dignitaries on the dais join in.

Sri. M. Veerappa Moily being felicitated by Sri. K.G. Raghavan (left)

Sri. Ramakanth Rath of Bhubaneshwar being felicitated by

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Sri. Pathi Sridhara and Sri. Chiranjeev Singh

Dr. Manu Baligar, President, Kannada Sahitya Parishat, being felicitated

by Sri.N. Ramanuja, Chairman, BVB, Bengaluru

INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY AT BVB COMPLETE YOGA CAPSULE

His wiry frame and agile movements belie his age, despite the mop of gray. He exudes

energy and enthusiasm in the name of yoga. Kumara Reddy B H, a former State level

basketball coach, who represented Bangalore University in the same game, is a yoga

expert and teacher who lives and breathes this ancient spiritual discipline, making him one

of the sincere and knowledgeable yoga teachers in Bengaluru.

There is no fancy name for the yoga he teaches, imbibed essentially from B K S Iyengar,

and the study of practically every book on yoga including Iyengar‘s ―Light on Yoga‖.

―Health issues made me turn to yoga, and I started teaching it from 1998‖ says Kumara,

who has designed his own module incorporating the essential suryanamaskara,

pranayama, asanas and meditation into it.

On International Yoga Day—June 21 he will give a yoga demonstration along with his

many students of Bhavan‘s Yoga School at the Bengaluru Kendra. With the twin

experiences of being a sportsman and a yoga expert, Kumara points out ―yoga is good

enough to keep one fit, agile and healthy, physically and mentally. A supple body is the

added bonus‖. When queried about other forms of exercise, he says gyms give muscle

mass; it is an artificial form of exercise; walking is good for the heart; only yoga gives mind-

body alignment and leads to inner peace‖.

A cross-section of enthusiasts, from 18 to 70 years of age, flock his classes, and benefit

from his yoga training which is age and health specific—an expertise that comes only with

earnestness and experience. Kumara has no name for his school—he is his own brand

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name. Come rain or shine, he is up at 4.30 am. His criss-crosses the City throughout the

day, teaching yoga at the individual level.

Lauding International Yoga Day as having created better awareness and attracted

more adherents, Kumara says yoga is a way towards spirituality. ―To me, every day is yoga

day‖. He is one teacher who does the asanas with his students, demonstrating the correct

way of going about it, which is crucial. Done wrongly, yoga can be detrimental to health

and agility. For enquiries on yoga classes, contact 9448043186.

Akarna Danurasana

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Ekapada Shirasaasana

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Bhavan-Infosys Foundation Outreach Cultural Programme at Seva Sadan,

Malleshwaram, June 25 and 26.

Bharatanatya Recital

Poojitha Cadambi Arupa Lahiry Abhaya Lakshmi

Shreema Upadhya Rashmi Agarwal Namrata Krishnamurthy

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July - 2016

JULY 9 : BOOK GIFT TO KANNADIGAS

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan worldwide President, Sri. Sunderlal G. Mehta‘s book, Rich

Tradition Richer Heritage will be translated into Kannada shortly, while exploring the

possibility of rendering the work in other South Indian languages.

The decision was taken at the launch of Sri Mehta‘s book in Bengaluru July last,

on a suggestion made by Prof. M. H. Krishnaiah, former president, Karnataka Sahitya

Academy.

Speaking about the book, Prof. Krishnaiah mooted the idea of making it a part of

school curricula as it had nuggets of wisdom that could lay the foundation for character

building and creating an ethical society.

Dr. K. Radhakrishnan, Advisor, Department of Space, and former chairman, ISRO,

who released the book said the work should not be limited to a Kannada translation, as

every citizen should know the value of the heritage of India; Bhavan should take a lead in

this regard. The younger generation should learn to ―read‖ and Bhavan should become a

forum for literary activities, he said.

Recalling his school days when students were asked to write a piece taken from

Bhavan‘s Journal daily, Dr. Radhakrishnan said the exclusivity of the language (Samskritam)

was perhaps a hindrance for the spread of ancient Indian knowledge.

Citing the various streams of learning such as Ayurveda, as espoused by Charaka and

Shushrusha, Artha Shastra of Chanakya, Brihat Samhita of Varaha Mihira on science,

Natya Shastra of Bharata Muni on performing arts, and Sangita Ratnakara of

Saarangadeva on music, he said all of them had relevance today, needing an exhaustive

revival.

A fitting closure to the compact, intellectually-oriented function was the recitation of

Vishnu Sahasranama by Sandipani Gurukula, befitting the occasion.

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H.N. Suresh, Prof. M.H. Krishnaiah, Dr. K. Radhakrishnan, N. Ramanuja and K.G. Raghavan at the book launch Rich Tradition Richer Heritage, on July 9.

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Recitation of Vishnu Sahasranama by Sandipani Gurukula

BHAVAN-INFOSYS FOUNDATION PROGRAMME AT INDIAN INSTITUTE OF WORLD CULTURE, BASAVANAGUDI, BENGALURU

ON JULY 15, 2016

Thatva Padagalu : vocal : K M Ramaiah, ekadaari tala : D. Narayanamma,

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shruti : Mahalingaiah, damadi : Prakash, kanjira : Ratnamma

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Aug 18 : A Rakhi Bonding For Life

Raksha Bandhan for children at the BVB-BBMP Public School in Sriramapuram went

much beyond symbolism, with the students understanding and celebrating the festival as

a ―mutually protective and symbiotic relationship with all living beings‖.

What was most pertinent, timely, and meaningful was the tying of green rakhi to trees

and plants by the children, pointing to the environmental awareness among the young

minds, and making the festival as not just one of bonhomie, but as a pledge for respecting,

nurturing, and preserving nature.

The day could thus be considered as a relevant and important lesson in the school

curriculum albeit in fun and informal fashion.

Justice N. Kumar, former judge of the Karnataka High Court, who was Chief Guest,

underlined similar sentiments, pointing out that the Constitution of India itself had ratified

the celebration of Raksha Bandhan, through its tenets of equality and respect to all.

―There is a historical importance and reference to this festival, in the filial affection of

Lord Krishna to Draupadi. Raksha Bandhan is about universal brotherhood, making it an

important national festival‖, he said.

Sri Daulat Rao, National Secretary (South), Bharatiya Vikas Parishat (BVP), presided. Sri

Doraiswamy, Vice-Chancellor, Pesit University, and Sri Mumtaz Ali Khan, former minister,

were the Guests of Honour.

The programme was jointly organised by BVB and Bharat Vikas Parishath.

33

Girls tying the rakhi

Children tying the green rakhi to plants.

PROF U S KRISHNA RAO AND SMT. CHANDRABHAGA DEVI ENDOWMENT:

BHARATANATYA - AUG. 21, BVB

34

35

SEPTEMBER - 2016

ANCHORED IN CHANGING TIMES

Youngesters learning at the Gandhi Institute of Computer Education & IT

Isn’t it heartening for a conscientious citizen to know that a culture organization has trained

thousands of underprivileged youth and senior citizens to become computer literate, free of cost?

Well, this reflects the visionary attitude of the hallowed institution. Does it not point to its

rootedness in Indian culture too, in its conduct of Bhagavad Gita classes, complete with a

curriculum, written and oral examination?

rootedness in Indian culture too, in its

conduct of Bhagavad Gita classes, complete

with a curriculum, written and oral

examination?

Computers and Indian scriptures are on two

ends of the learning spectrum, in terms of

time and substance, which the Bharatiya

Vidya Bhavan has straddled with success.

It is this victory which will be exemplified this month when the convocations of the Gandhi

36

Institute of Computer Education and IT, and Sandipani Gurukula, which conducts the Gita classes,

are held at the Bhavan premises of the Bengaluru Kendra.

The criterion for eligibility for the computer course is simple: the prospective student should

belong to the 18-35 age group, or be above 60, and come from a low income background. Access to

the course is easy, but training them in computers, where English is of essence, is no easy task for

the instructors.

THE FREE COMPUTER CLASSES ATTRACT THE YOUNG AND THE ELDERLY

Senior citizens benefitting from the free computer course

Yet, the course begun at the Bengaluru Kendra only in 2013, has trained about a thousand persons

in computer basics such as office assistant and account assistant courses. Some 350 senior citizens

have benefited from the three-month course, lending them confidence, penning up the digital world

to them in a big way, and helping them to communicate with their grandchildren, as admitted by

them.

Some 60,000 persons have completed the course successfully, in the seven Bhavan kendras run by

Mr. Praveen Kumar S, whose dream of eking out on his own turned out to be satisfying too. From

the first computer training centre he set up at the Chennai Bhavan in 1997, to the seven other

centres he runs in South India, his has been a story of translating one of Bhavan’s ideals into a

practical module.

Systematic teaching courses without compromising on quality and hands-on experience have

made the Bhavan’s computer classes truly beneficial as a starting point in becoming computer

literate. The convocation for the Sixth batch of the Institute, supported by Rotary Indiranagar,

37

Suprajit Foundation, and M P Birla Institute of Management, will be held at the KRG Hall, on Sept.

3, at 11am.

Sri K. C. Ramamurthy, MP, will deliver the convocation address.

Bhagavad Gita Course Convocation

It is often said that our heritage shows in our parenting methods. Electronics engineer Rohini

Chakravarthy gave up a satisfying teaching job to take care of her little daughter. Her recitation of

the scriptures, and teaching slokas to her child sowed the seeds of spreading this knowledge to a

wider audience.

Parama Pujya Sri Sri Sri Jayendra Puri

Mahaswamiji, Padasevaka

Peethadhipathi of Sri Kailash Ashrama

Mahasamsthana, Rajarajeshwarinagar.

What took shape was Sandipani Gurukula, which traces its roots to Rohini’s father, Prof. S

Srinivasan, a Samskritam scholar and Kannada academician, who was secretary of the Kannada

Sahitya Parishath.

Kannada literature, from the ancient to the modern, and Samskritam was the enviable staple diet of

Rohini as a child. Literary and cultural activities were not given secondary position, enjoying equal

status as her pursuit of academic qualification. A similar upbringing marked the childhood of her

daughter, Rohini’s fervour to share Indian tradition and learning with others resulting in forming

Sandipani Gurukula in 2000.

38

Bhagavad Gita classes at Bhavan

Today, she takes classes in Bhagavad Gita in several schools in Bengaluru and at the IISc.

EACH DIPLOMA HOLDER IS PROFICIENT IN THE RECITATION AND

DISCOURSE OF THE GITA

She conducts regular quiz contests. Her wards range from ages 8 to 80, her classes are free, it is a

multi-religious group, and she has groomed a professional outfit to recite the Gita when invited by

organizations.

In her multi-pronged approach towards preserving tradition and taking one step towards spirituality,

Rohini has included Bhagavatam, Soundarya Lahari, Lalitha Sahasranama, Vishnu Sahasranama,

and Durgasaptashati classes, where the stress is as much on explaining the slokas with meaning as

the recitation.

She now has a staff of 36 trained teachers who have volunteered to teach Bhagavad Gita. Each one

of her teachers holds a university post-graduation in different streams, who despite being

academically well qualified, have chosen to spread the message of the Gita, more as a passion than

a profession.

ROHINI HAS DEVOTED HER LIFE TO SPREADING THE MESSAGE OF THE

GITA

Roped in by the Bengaluru Kendra four years ago to conduct Bhagavad Gita classes, Rohini worked

out a three-year professional diploma course which has oral and written segments, and a paper on

how to implement the Gita in daily life. Three chapters of the Gita are dealt with in great depth

taught in each of the six semesters running to six months each.

Bhavan and Sandipani will proudly present the first batch of the diploma holders at convocation on

Sept. 18, at the Bhavan premises, when 52 successful candidates will become trained ambassadors

of spreading the message of Bhagavad Gita

39

Parama Pujya Sri Sri Sri Jayendra Puri Mahaswamiji, Padasevaka Peethadhipathi of Sri Kailash

Ashrama Mahasamsthana, Rajarajeshwarinagar. - Jyothi Raghuram

Gujarat

It was a classical dance recital in Ahmedabad Krishnabhakti Thi Kavya Ras Sudhi, on July 10, when

two dozen artistes chose compositions on deities such as Ganesha, Krishna and Durga, and drew

from Surdas and Tulsidas, besides from modern Gujarati poetry.

Classical vocal recital at Ahmedabad

Krishna Bhakthi Kavya Ras Sudhi

A classical vocal concert was held on July 19, on the occasion of Guru Purnima, by nine awards of

Pandit Vikas Parikh, in the Mewati Gharana, which was a rare portrayal in itself.

The classical vocal music programme featured two large teams exclusively of men and women

which made for a wholesome concert, whose musical effect was rich.

40

Another segment of classical music, Ahmedabad

Thiruvananthapuram

Padayani, a folk art associated with festivities of some temples of southern Kerala was performed

by Kadammanitta Gothra Kalari on the 16th. The dancers sported masks or kolams of different

colours and designs made of areca nut fronds. The costuming added a sense of magic.

Padayaani

Rajasthan

41

Kathputli, a puppet show by Prakash Bhatt

and troupe with live music was held at Jaipur

on the 6th. The artistes interacted with

students after the show.

Puppet show at Jaipur

The colorfully clad puppets Kalbelia dancers, Jaipur

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

The inaugural of the outreach programme was held at the Bhavan’s auditorium in Hyderabad on

July 16. Sri B Venkatesham, Secretary to Youth Advancement, Tourism & Culture, was chief

Guest. Sri I.Y.R. Krishna Rao, former chief secretary, Andhra Pradesh, presided.

Perini Thandavam, Hyderabad

A RAKHI BONDING FOR LIFE

Raksha Bandhan for children at the BVB-BBMP Public School in Sriramapuram went much

beyond symbolism, with the students understanding and celebrating the festival as a “mutually

protective and symbiotic relationship with all living beings “.

42

What was most pertinent, timely, and meaningful was the tying of green rakhi to trees and plants

by the children, pointing to the environmental awareness among the young minds, and making the

festival as not just one of bonhomie, but as a pledge for respecting, nurturing, and preserving nature.

Girls tying the rakhi Children tying the green rakhi to plants

The day could thus be considered as a relevant and important lesson in the school curriculum albeit

in fun and informal fashion.

Justice N. Kumar, former judge of the Karnataka High Court, who was Chief Guest, underlined

similar sentiments, pointing out that the Constitution of India itself had ratified the celebration of

Raksha Bandhan, through its tenets of equality and respect to all.

“There is a historical importance and reference to this festival, in the filial affection of Lord Krishna

to Draupadi. Raksha Bandhan is about universal brotherhood, making it an important national

festival”, he said.

Sri Daulat Rao, National Secretary (South), Bharatiya Vikas Parishat (BVP), presided. Sri

Doraiswamy, Vice-Chancellor, Pesit University, and Sri Mumtaz Ali Khan, former minister, were

the Guests of Honour.

The programme was jointly organised by BVB and Bharat Vikas Parishath. •

43

LEARNING, EAST TO WEST

Bhavan’s Bengaluru Kendra has plunged into a range of activities these past few years, fanning out

even beyond the borders of Karnataka, to set its cultural footprint as far as the Northeast. Yet the

Kendra has kept going with its well-entrenched focus areas with equal interest, classical music and

dance classes being one among them.

Journalism and Samskritam classes, once synonymous with the Kendra itself, will be re-introduced

from this month, re-emphasizing the dynamics of Bhavan’s thrust areas.

Traversing from East to West in its belief of spreading the fragrance of India globally while

welcoming the best from the West, western music classes will be introduced this month, bringing a

much-needed exposure to this genre of classical music to youngsters who are learning Indian

classical music at Bhavan. Opening up a learning opportunity to those interested in its western

counterpart will be major fallout of these new classes.

44

Violin, keyboard, guitar and flute will be taught for the three-year diploma course in western music,

the comprehensive syllabus laying equal emphasis on theory.

The certificate course in Samskritam will be conducted by Vyoma Linguistic Labs Foundation,

classes for which will be held at the Bhavan premises.

With the commencement of the post-graduate diploma course in journalism, straddling both

Kannada and English, media studies will make a re-entry into Bhavan.

The course, with journalist Sri N. S. Sridhara

Murthy as coordinator, will cover six areas of

study, hands on training forming an important

part of the curriculum.

For details, contact :[email protected],

www.bhavankarnataka.com, or 22267303,

22267421 Jyothi Raghuram

GITA: BEYOND SECTARIANISM

Bhagavad Gita is not confined to any caste or religion, but is a practical guide to face the

vicissitudes of life and emerge unscathed, Sri Jayendraswamiji of Kailash Ashram said.

Delivering the convocation address at the BVB-Sandipani Gurukula Bhagavad Gita diploma

certificate distribution function at the Bhavan on Sept. 18, the Swamiji said the Gita was the only

work in world literature which looked at human life in all its dimensions, offering solace and

solution that was at once universal and tailored to individual needs.

Swamiji handing over the certificates

45

“Mahakavyas”, roughly translated as classics in the western context, remains a vibrant body of

work even today, with a sizeable readership, understanding, and popularity in India, whereas

western classics have been forgotten and cast aside.

This speaks of the utility value, timeless and universal appeal of ancient Indian epics, enhanced by

the literary, spiritual, scientific, metaphysical, and psychological content and sense in them, he said.

The Bhagavad Gita course is conducted by Rohini Chakravarthy, the Gurukula Founder, in

association with BVB. *

Kalia kela at Bhubaneshwar Oshakathi dance at Bhubaneshwar

Pala dance at Bhubaneshwar Puppet show at Bhubaneshwar

46

Udrar Padhatiya Sangeet at Bhubaneshwar Baindla katha at Hyderabad

Cheriyal Paining at Hyderabad Dappu dance & Gusadi dance at Hyderabad

Dappu dance & Gusadi dance at

Hyderabad Golla Suddulu at Hyderabad

Folk singing at Jaipur Baatposhi Gissagoi at Jaipur

Music at Kolkata Balya dance at Pune

47

Vrindavani Venu at Pune

IN MEMORY OF MS

The inaugural of the birth centenary celebrations of M. S. Subbulakshmi was celebrated by Bhavan

along with the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) with a musical tribute by Dr.

Deepti Navaratna, Executive Director, IGNCA, on Sept. 16.

The event assumed special significance with

the Chief Guest, Sri H. N. Ananth Kumar,

Minister for Chemicals, Fertilizers and

Parliamentary Affairs announcing a

donation of Rs. five crores by the Union

Ministry of Culture for the auditorium

coming up in memory of MS at the IGNCA

premises.

“The building, a tribute by Karnataka for the

great musician and humanitarian, must be

completed this year and be thrown open by

the time the centenary year of MS

culminates”, he said.

“Sadbhakti”, the musical tribute, featured

songs of MS in various Indian languages.

48

Sadbhakti by

Dr. Deepti Navaratna

49

50

JUSTICE K.R. GOPIVALLABHA IYENGAR

ENDOWMENT PROGRAMME: AUG 1, AT BVB

51

Vanamaali :

Bharatanatya

feature by

Kalakshetra

Foundation

PROF U S KRISHNA RAO AND SMT. CHANDRABHAGA DEVI

ENDOWMENT: BHARATANATYA - AUG. 21, BVB

52

MBA COURSE INAUGURAL

The 18th Batch of the MBA course of M.P. Birla Institute of Management, at BVB, was inaugurated on Sept. 7. Dr. G.S.D. Babu,

Director, M.P. Birla Foundation of Fundamental Research, inaugurated the programme. Sri. N. Ramanuja, Chairman,

Bengaluru Kendra, presided, in presence of Institute Director Dr. N.S. Vishwanath

BHAVAN - HK KEJRIWAL FOUNDATION :

VEDIC RECITATION: SEPT 14, AT BVB

53

Vedic Recitation by Vidwan Sri. Rajagopala Sharma Ganapaati,

Sri. Ganesh Ganapaati and group

54

BHAVAN-INFOSYS FOUNDATION OUTREACH CULTURAL

PROGRAMME AT SEVA SADANA, AUG 20.

Flute recital by Sri. Raj Kamal and Party

BHAVAN-INFOSYS FOUNDATION PROGRAMME

AT IIWC, AUG 26

Sugama Sangeetha by Ashish G Nayak, Sreemanth Kumar Neelur (Tabla) and Suresh Nayak (harmonium)

55

PROGRAMMS FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER

2016

KALABHARATHI TURNS 15

Kalabharathi Students performing on the eve of Kalabharathi 15

Classical performing arts have to be taught individually for the aspirant to be able to grasp even the

basics, is a belief that compels many parents to send their children to expensive, preferably well-

known teachers; institutional teaching impedes growing into a teacher or performer, is another

opinion.

Kalabharathi of the Bengaluru Kendra celebrates 15 years of teaching of visual and performing

arts to those from ages 7 to 70, putting up its wards on stage this month.

Intensive training to those seriously interested in making a career out of arts, is imperative.

However, the Bhavan has been filling a huge culture gap through its arts classes, the purpose being

a multi-pronged cultural spread; the benefits of this endeavor cannot be discounted.

56

Where else can one find a range of traditional performing arts classes such as Hindustani and

Carnatic vocal, Sugama Sangeetha, classical dance, Mridangams, Tabla, flute, Veena, and

even keyboard and drawing and painting classes, under one roof, with a reasonable fee

structure?

If one is to review the art classes at Bhavan in toto, one has to say that Kalabharathi has evolved

into an art learning centre with a host of learning opportunities.

Staggered timings of the classes allow aspirants to learn more than one art form at the same venue,

learning in groups creates a lively atmosphere while nurturing a competitive spirit, a sense of

camaraderie helps in developing inter-personal skills, keeps youngsters pleasantly occupied during

weekends-- overall grooming a new set of appreciators of classical arts.

A major thrust of learning at the Bhavan is exposure to performances, the innumerable cultural

shows at its premises doubling as a ready and familiar venue for the students.

Reviving fading arts has rendered the Bhavan platform a nurturer of rare arts, opening up precious

forms to the students too.

Held under the Mathoor Krishnamurti Memorial Endowment, the annual cultural event of

Kalabharathi this year will be held every weekend at the Bhavan from Nov. 6, when the paintings

of the art students will be on display.

The five-year diploma courses are split into annual certificate courses, with 70 aspirants receiving

their certificates this year at the convocation that will be part of the Kalabharathi anniversary.

KALABHARATI : CASH PRIZE AWARDEES

Rakshit Srujan

Carnatic Vocal

(I Year)

Shubhangi S.

Veena

(I Year)

Gurukiran Hegde

Hindustani Vocal

(II Year)

Shreyaa Shastry Raja Vignesh N.S. Gopalakrishna

57

Bharatanatya

(II Year) Tabla

(I Year) Ananthanarayan

Mridanga (III Year)

R. Mayura Krishna

Mridanga

(III Year)

Stella David

Keyboard

(I Year)

Kshama Sridevi M.V.

Drawing & Painting

(V Year)

SMT SUSHEELAMMA NANJUNDAIAH,

SRI NANJUNDAIAH, AND SRI. DILIP

SHETHKALABHARATHI TOPPERS – 2016

Panchami P.

Carnatic Vocal

(I Year)

Subhaga P. Nitindala

Carnatic Vocal

(III Year)

Umashankari C.

Keyboard

(II Year)

Lalitha S.

Keyboard

(II Year)

Honnappa N. Nayak

Keyboard

(II Year)

KALABHARATHI : TOPPERS - 2016

T.G. Sai Sharada

Bharatanatya

(I Year)

R. Ruthika

Bharatanatya

(II Year)

Janhavi V

Bharatanatya

(III Year)

Akshay Satish

Mridanga

(III Year)

Triyan Mukherji

Drawing &

Painting (I Year)

Pavitra K.

Drawing &

Painting (II Year)

Bhavani Iyengar M.K.

Drawing &

Painting (III Year)

Sheetal S. Kooduvalli

Drawing &

Painting (IV Year)

Abhay Mohan

Drawing &

Painting (V Year)

Sathvik M.G.

Hindustani Vocal

(I Year)

58

Simran M. Chadia

Hindustani Vocal

(II Year)

Sarat Chandra Bardhar

Hindustani Vocal

(III Year)

H.S. Krishna

Tabla

(I Year)

M.R.Vivekananda

Tabla

(II Year

S. Chandana

Veena

(I Year)

Kalavathi P.

Veena

(II Year)

Rajyotsava – 2016

This year’s Rajyotsava celeberation features a whole spectrum of performing art shows ranging

from folk forms and yakshagana to sugama sangeetha and classical dance. Got up in association

with Rotary International District 3190, the highlight of the cultural programme, Sambhrama, is a

feast of classical dance styles—Dances of India— which incorporates all six classical forms,

besides sand art, and earthy rhythm instruments.

Directed by Smt. B. Bhanumathi, well-established teacher known for her

successful experimentations in Bharathanatyam, and conceptualized by Dr.

R.V. Raghavendra of Ananya, a highly regarded classical arts institution,

Sri Raghavendra Hegde, sand artist will add variety to the show at Chowdiah

Memorial Hall, at 4 pm

Smt. B Bhanumathi

Sri M

Come November 6, a large chunk of public not only from Bengaluru but from different parts of

Karnataka converge at Bhavan to listen to the talks of Sri M, spiritual guide and vedic scholar,

drawing hope and sustenance from his lucid address drawn from Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavatam and

other epics.

The two-day talk preceding Nov 6 has been drawing packed audiences over the past few years, Sri

M’s credibility and authenticity of being a Guru in the truly Indian tradition of leading a transparent

and simple life, taking a quantum leap subsequent to his recent Walk of Hope padayatra for

communal harmony, when he traversed the entire country on foot, covering 7,500 km in 474 days.

59

Sri M

The talks every year culminate in the birthday celebrations of this “modern day mystic”, the

difference being that there is no lavish celebration, but only receiving of the blessings of Sri M.

At this year’s three-day lecture programme at the Bhavan premises, beginning on Nov. 4, Sri M will

dwell on the “Yoga of Action—Bhagavad Gita chapter 3”, focussing on Karma Yoga. The talks

begin at 6.30 pm.

Veena Solo

Smt. Manjula Surendra is a veena artiste with an academic background worth boasting about. She

has a post-graduation and an MPhil. in music, and is pursuing her PhD at Bangalore University.

Her other accomplishments in music include having passed the vidwat examination with distinction,

and being an A grade artiste of AIR and Doordarshan. Currently being groomed by Vidwan D.

Balakrishna, she has learnt from C. Krishnamurthy and Gyanambal for many years.

Smt. Manjula Surendra

Founder trustee of Aarabhi Cultural Academy, Smt. Manjula

has participated in several music ensembles, besides being a

soloist. The Gayana Samaja best musician award for 1989, and

Nadajyothi Yuva Puraskara award, 2009, have been hers.

Smt. Manjula will be performing at the Indian Institute of

World Culture on Nov. 11, at 6 pm, under the BVB-IF outreach

series.

60

BHAVAN-INFOSYS FOUNDATION OUTREACH CULTURAL

PROGRAMME AT G.R. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION, SEP 22

Sugama Sangeetha by Smt. Savitha Ganesh Prasad & party

CUTURAL OUTREACH PROGRAMME REPORTS :

BVB-INFOSYS FOUNDATION PROGRAMMES :

OCT, 2016

Trichy Kendra organised Natyanjali by students of

Srirangam Bharatanatyalaya on Oct 9, at Arulmigu

Akilandeswari temple.

The programme was part of the Kendra’s efforts at

promoting young talent.

The Kendra along with Infosys Foundation has held 37 such events

during 2015-16, bringing on stage 164 talented youngsters.

Dancers of Srirangam Bharatanatyalaya

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CULTURAL REACH OUT- JULY, AUG, SEPT.

Sugama Sangeeth

by

Dr. Swati Vyas Kapadia & group, Gujarat,

on July 30.

Semi classical patriotic songs

by

young artistes Gujarat, on Aug 15.

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Shivaradhana Indian classical group dance

by

Dharma Thakkar and party,

Gujarat, on Aug 28.

Shivaradhana

Indian classical

group dance

by

Sri. Dharma

Thakkar and party,

Gujarat,

on Aug 28.

Kootiyattam

- “Subhadhra Dhananjayam”

by

Sri Margi Madhu

of

„Nepathya‟ ,

Kerala

on Aug 12.

63

Thiruvathira Kali by Smt. Manjis Ajit and troupe, Kerala, on Aug 26.

Folk Drama : Lok Natya

Tamasha Shaili -

Agnipariksha, by

Sri. Dilip Kumar Bhatt

and troupe, Rajasthan, on

Sep 29.

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Folk Dance Gotipua Nata

by

Odisha Dance Academy,

Bhubaneshwar,

on

Sep 5.

Folk Dance :

Chadheya Nata

Odisha by Nrutya Sangeet Kala

Parisada

on Sept 19.

Folk Dance

Gotipua Nata

by

Odisha Dance

Academy,

Bhubaneshwar,

on

Sep 5.

65

„Putra Kameshti Yaga‟ a doll show by Smt. Anu

Visweswaran at Bhavan as a part of

Dasara celebration from Oct 1, to Oct 10. Padmabhushana Dr. B. Saroja Devi lighting the lamp

to inaugurate the doll show on Oct 1.

Kathakeerthana

„Sriramanjaneya

Yuddha‟

by

Kum.

Tushara

L Acharya

on Oct 6.

Vachana : „Srirama Pattabhisheka‟

by

Sri. K.G. Raghavan, Hon. Secretary,

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, on Oct 7.

66

Bharathanatya by Dr. Vasundara

Doreswamy and troupe,

sponsored by ICCR on Oct 8.

INFOSYS FOUNDATION ANUPU FESTIVAL

DEC 9, 10 & 11

67

TRIBUTE TO BUDDHIST HERITAGE

Anupu, on the banks of the Krishna river near Nagarjunasagar dam, is an expansive archaeological

wonder of Buddhist learning and culture dating back to the 3rd century.

It is not just a tourist destination; it is a historic walk into an ancient seat of Mahayana Buddhism in

South India, its magnificent architecture a reflection of past glory brought to life.

Discovered during the construction of the dam, the ruins of the ancient Buddhist centre was

unearthed, literally throwing up a place of marvelous architectural interest, complete with a Vihara

(Buddhist university), Harati temple and a large amphitheater.

Anupu, the place where Acharya Nagarjuna preached Mahayana Buddhism, was painstakingly

reconstructed in detail by the Archaeological Survey of India, the 80 hectares of the site coming

alive as a historical and cultural world monument of Buddhism.

The intricacy of the structures lie in their divisions, the stupas having circular brick walls with

cladding of limestone slabs, the Simhala Vihara housing two halls, one enclosing an image of the

Buddha, and the monasteries having limestone columns set in brick and stone walls.

MEGA CULTURAL FEST – 2016

The amphitheater enjoys pride of place, its stepped columns opening up to a central playground.

Just before the amphitheater is the Harati temple sporting a statue of the mother Goddess in a sitting

posture.

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Limestone - Ayakpata showing the transportation of Siddhartha‟s headgear (crown)

to heaven by the gods, accompanied by musicions.

The stark and arid landscape of Anupu, scattered with greenery here and there, has its own unique

appeal.

The Anupu festival is a celebration of India’s rich Buddhist heritage, where the ancient monument

will reverberate with traditional performing arts events, seamlessly linking the glories of an ancient

time to the cultural legacies of a later age, while nurturing and preserving the same for times to

come.

Centred geographically, linguistically, and culturally in the Andhra region, the festival will

naturally focus on folk arts, theatre, and classical dance and music drawn from there, with special

emphasis on folk forms, their colour, vibrancy, and their very sustenance factored in.

Symbolically, the festival will be inaugurated by Buddhist monks who will pay floral tributes to the

image of Buddha.

The maiden performance will be the folk dances of Andhra, representing the essence of Telugu art

vis a vis an indigenous culture, followed by a nadaswaram recital, which dates back to generations

of players in the Telugu heartland.

69

Instrumental music, Kuchipudi, folk dances, classical dance features exclusive to Andhra, and

devotional music embody the arts featured at the festival, a highlight of which is a cultural

programme by the employees of Infosys.

Their stage outing will showcase music, dances, and a fashion show, the specialty being that all of

them will be in the traditional format.

Even the fashion show will feature traditional costumes drawn from different states of India, where

the essence of Telugu will blend into the rich cultural milieu of India.

Over 350 artistes will pay obeisance to the Buddha through the festival, tailored as a tribute to

India’s cultural mosaic, integral to which are age-old monuments.

Indian culture, as evidenced in its scriptures, customs, traditions and arts is not only the soul of this

ancient land but is its hope and beacon light too, for re-creating a beautiful, peaceful world.

To keep alive India’s cultural heritage and diversity, Infosys Foundation has been supporting

activities connected to art, a recent effort being the reconstruction of ancient monuments and

bringing them alive through traditional performing and visual arts festivals.

The first such festival was held in March 2016, at Lakshmeshwara in Gadag District, when the

restored 2,000-year-old expansive temple complex of Someshwara reverberated with dance and

music, equally of the folk variety, attracting an audience of thousands, drawn from adjoining

villages.

The cultural matrix of India lies as much in its history, the huge monuments sprinkled all over the

country bearing testimony to ancient India’s scientific architectural intricacies and its rich tradition

of public festivities and arts.

To help re-create this past glory, Infosys Foundation plans to wed Indian traditional arts and

historical monuments by holding annual culture festivals at archeologically renovated sites.

The core value the Foundation will establish through these festivals, where the venue is central to

the performances, is the continuation of a cultural legacy.

Creating public awareness of a slice of India’s ancient history and wooing large audiences through

presenting myriad arts against a historical backdrop will be of essence here.

The mega Anupu culture festival, the second event on similar lines, is a celebration of the cultural

diversity of India in the lap of history.

- Jyothi Raghuram

Group Dance

The BVB-ICCR Horizon series presents Bharatanatya group dance by Veena C. S. and troupe at the

Bhavan premises, at 6pm. A dancer cum academic with several interests in allied fields such as

stage lighting, Veena has a host of national and international performances behind her, with

thematic dance productions and her Kala Sampada School of Bharatanatya encompassing her

holistic approach to the art.

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C.S. Veena

Yoga, Samskritam, Carnatic vocal and dance theory are part of the curriculum at Kala Sampada,

which institution has groomed dancers who have done particularly well in dance competitions and

examinations besides being giving solo recitals.

Women’s Instrumental Trio

C.S. Veena Vani Manjunath Prema Vivek They proudly call themselves the Women’s Trio in Carnatic Music, specialising in instrumental

music concerts. Shubha Santosh (veena), Prema Vivek (violin) and Vani Manjunath (flute) have

been performing as a team for two years now and are gaining stage space as a three member

women’s troupe.

Currently training with Sri.H. S. Sudhindra, Shubha has several performances and awards to her

credit, while Prema, having learnt from Sri. H. V. Krishnamurthy and Smt. Neela Ramgopal, is

presently being guided by Smt. Kanyakumari of Chennai.

Besides routine performances, Vani has ventured into interesting outings. She has dabbled in fusion

music with the troupe Kohum, has composed music for plays and for Doordarshan, and has

organized classical orchestral music programmes.

The trio will perform at Indiranagar Sangeeth Sabha under the BVB-Infosys Foundation Outreach

Programme, at 6 pm.

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Bharatanatya by NRI dancer

The Pandanallur Mutthaiah Pillai Endowment

Programme will present a Bharatanatya recital by

NRI dancer Chinmayee Kamakotika

Venkatraman, a dancer with the unique distinction

of having both her dance and music debut

performances the same day!

Chinmayee’s outings include classical solo

recitals, group dances— many composed by her,

and bhangra, topped off with Rangila, a dance

feature where she was both choreographer and

one among the many dancers, and which was for a

philanthropic cause.

The recital is at Khincha Hall, 6 pm.

- JR STROKE OF COLOUR AT HAMPI

Chinmayee Kamakotika Venkatraman

A literally colourful outcome of Hampi Utsav

2016 was the painting of 40 canvases with

different subjects, of which Bharatiya Vidya

Bhavan’s Bengaluru Kendra too boasted of two

well appreciated works.

It was an occasion for the Kendra to feel proud of;

its Director, Sri. H. N. Suresh, an award-winning

artist, was one among the 20 select artists picked

by the Department of Culture and Toursim,

Government of Karnataka, to participate in the art

camp at Hampi, as an adjunct to the festival.

Hema Koota near the Saraswathi temple,

amidst the famed ruins of Hampi, formed the

awe-inspiring backdrop for the three-day camp,

the un-prescribed theme allowing artists to draw

from the haunting beauty of the surroundings.

What got translated on to the canvas of Sri.

Suresh were two nimble figures, Virupaksha @

Hampi and Gandharva @ Hampi. The paintings

encapsulated the presiding deity of the

Vijayanagara empire, as a reality, and the

celestial beings— Gandharvas—as personifying

the beauty of Hampi, inspirationally, and as a

conception of beauty.

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Virupaksha @

Hampi Acrylic on canvas 3ft x 3ft

The painting pays

obeisance to the presiding

deity of Hampi, Lord

Virupaksha, accompanied

by the dhyana shloka,

“Aangikam

Bhuvanam...”, of the

Natya Shastra, in praise

of Nataraja, the Lord of

dance. The work was

commissioned for Hampi

Utsav, 2016, at Hampi

Gandharva @

Hampi acrylic on canvas

3ft x 3ft

The painting depicts

flying Gandharvas,

besides tracing

raga chakra –

the assignment of

definite times for

singing particular

ragas in a 24-hour time

cycle. Utsav, 2016,

at Hampi

The fluidity and exotic beauty of the forms, both in the Virupaksha and Gandharva paintings, was

what set apart the art works as classics.

CUTURAL OUTREACH PROGRAMME REPORTS :

BVB-INFOSYS FOUNDATION PROGRAMMES :

SEP, OCT, 2016.

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Sixty six cultural programmes were held in which 661 artistes performed to an audience of about

2000. The events included Gond Ghusadi and Jada Koppu Kolattam folk dances of Telangana, a

workshop on Nirmal painting tradition by the Hyderabad Kendra, Jagran Gondol and Kalagi Tura

folk dance and music of Maharashtra (Pune Kendra), and Lok Utsav and Baul Mela (Kolkata).

The Jaipur Kendra organized a folk dance recital cum workshop at Bikaner where artistes got an

opportunity to learn and perform traditional folk dances of Rajasthan.

ANDHRA PRADESH AND TELENGANA

Ghusadi is a traditional

dance of the Gond tribal

people performed at the

time of Deepavali, the

biggest festival of The

Raj Gonds of Adilbad

District.

As harvesting is over and

the season is cool, the

Gonds, dressed in

colourful costumes and

decorated with ornaments,

go to neighbouring

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Jada Koppu Kolattam is the name of

the alluring dance form practiced by

young people. The term Kolattam is

derived from kol, which means, a

stick, and attam, meaning play. The

circular movements are welltimed and

executed, the ropes hanging from

above getting plaited by the dancers in

the form of chanthadu.

Nirmal painting, the 400-year-old art

of making soft wood toys and

paintings, is an attractive handicraft

model, the finely carved figures and

dainty paintings attracting art lovers.

Students of four schools were trained

in drawing and painting of Nirmal art.

Telengana folk dance-Jada Koppu Kolatam by

Sri. Bhupati & group, Hyderabad, Oct 15.

Nirmal painting exhibition & workshop by of Smt. Ramadevi & group, Hyderabad, Oct. 20.

RAJASTHAN

Some traditional folk dances of Rajasthan are losing out to fusion dance, preventing pure traditional

dance arts from reaching people.

To promote Rajasthani folk dances, over 30 dancers were identified to participate in the workshop

Telengana folk dance - - Gond Ghusadi by Sri. Bhupati & group, Hyderabad, Oct 15. villages in groups,

singing and dancing.

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on pure traditional folk dances including Gangaur, Charu, Ghumar, Terahtali and Manjira.

KERALA

The rendering of folk songs to the accompaniment of instrumental music by Sri. Adarsh M. R. and

troupe, meant the presentation of a fading folk form by artistes from a rural background. The

artistes were drawn from the Vaimuzhi Folklore Study Centre, Pathanamthitta.

Pathanamthitta Sep 14.

MAHARASHTRA

Deepshikha

by

Smt.Anjali

Karhadkar

& troupe,

Pune, Oct 7.

Deepshikha, a musical play on the life of women saints of Maharashtra such as Muktai, Janabai,

Girija, Soyara, Nirmala, Vena and Meerabhai, was presented in the form of bhajans, bharud,

abhang, fataka, nandi & bhairavi.

The struggle these saints went through was well depicted in the play, and co-related to the problems

of women in today’s society.

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Natya Nandi Parva, popular songs of musical

dramas, also known as Nandi or opening songs

along with musical pointers (suchak pade),

rendered by Bal Gandharva in plays like

Saubhadhra, Swayamvur and Manapman were

presented, with the singers draped in traditional

costumes.

Kalagi Tura (Bhedik Lawani) by Shahir Bharat Bhagawat

Thorat and troupe, Pune, Sept 2.

Musical play-Natya Nandi Parva” by

Smt. Preethi Gokhale & troupe,

Pune, Oct 21.

Folk music – Jagran Gondal by Shahir Balasaheb

Kanhere, Pune, Sept 23.

WEST BENGAL / AGARTHALA

Lok Utsav and Baul Mela included folk music by 80 artistes, kathak and poetry recitation with

instrumental music

Lok Utsav & Baul Mela,

folk music, kathak, poetry

recitation with

instrumental music,

Birbhum,

Sept 12.

:

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KARNATAKA RAJYOTHSAVA

CULTURAL PROGRAMME ON NOV 1

Sri T.S. Nagabharana, noted film director, Dr. B. Jayashree, ex-member of

Rajya Sabha, Dr. Vijaya senior journalist, being felicitated. Also seen in the picture are

H.N. Suresh, Director, BVB, Rtn. H.R. Ananth, District Governor - Rotary District

3190, Rtn. Ambika K. Narayan, District Director - Club Service

Kuchipudi : Prateeksha Kashi and troupe

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Mohiniattam:

Rekha Raja,

Sindhu Achar,

Tejasvini

Muralidhar,

Angel John,

Kamakshi

Anantha

Subramanya

Dance drama by disciples of Guru B Bhanumathi