Brew April 2018

VOL-2 ISSUE-10 `100 I APRIL 2018

08

The Goblet Of Music

18

Arjun Kamath The World Through His Lens

THINK. CREATE. LIVE

CONTRIBUTORS

Dr. RAJESH JEGANATHAN

& ADVISORY BOARD

CONTRIBUTORS THOTA THARRANI CONTRIBUTORS & ADVISORY BOARD

A young and dynamic medico. He runs the prestigious Billroth Hospitals based in Chennai.

Dr. RAJESH JEGANATHAN

& ADVISORY BOARD

A young and dynamic medico. He runs the prestigious Billroth Hospitals based in Chennai.

This year we enter a bigger dimension, planning across a wider reader base with THOTA THARRANI Thota tharani a big step forward, this was ignited with a This by yearthe weone enter a bigger dimension, planning logo designed and only Thota acrossLifestyle a wider reader baseawith a big step forward, Tharrani. Brew extends heartThis year we enter a bigger dimension, this was ignited with athe logolegend designed by the one warming planning thank you note to across a wider reader base with only Thotacontributions.

Tharani.

Brew Lifestyle a himself foraand his bigincessant step forward, this was ignited with extends a

heartwarming thank the legend logo designed by theyou onerole andtoonly Thota Tharrani.

Brew Lifestyle extends a heartfor his incessant contributions. thank you note to the legend ASHOKwarming VERGHESE himself for his incessant contributions.

VEEJAY Veejay Sai SAI

An award-winning writer, editor, and a culture critic.

He has written and published extensively on Indian An award-winning writer,food editor and a classical music, fashion, theatre, and art.

himself

culture critic. He has written and published VEEJAY SAI extensively on Indian classical music, fashion, theatre, food and art.

He is the Ashok directorVerghese of Hindustan group ASHOK VERGHESE of institutions, the pioneering He is one the of director of Hindustan group of educationalinstituions,one groups in the country.

He educational is of the pioneering groups a big supporter and cause for promoting in the country.

He is of a big supportergroup and cause for He is the director Hindustan young talent in art and music.

Vita

Passionate about grassroots development of sport in India.

She co-owns VITA DANIChennayin FC, Chennai’s football team in the ISL and Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), India’s first-everabout professional table tennis league.

Passionate grassroots development

ofpromoting institutions, theand pioneering youngone talentofin art music. educational groups in the country. He is a big supporter and cause for promoting young talent in art and music.

VITAinDANI of sport India. She co-owns Chennayin FC, Chennai’s football team in the ISL and Ultimate Tableabout Tennis (UTT), India’s firstPassionate grassroots development G ever Venket Ram table tennis league. ofprofessional sport in India.

She co-owns Chennayin

Anil Jain ANIL JAIN

A leading Indian fashion photographer whoand has FC, Chennai’s football team in the ISL shot principle stills for several Ultimatephotography Table Tennis (UTT), India’snotable firstprofessional table tennis league. firms. ever He quit his engineering studies to work with cinematographers for a while, after which he joined G VENKET RAM a course in visual communicationa at Loyola College.

He then worked with photographer Sharada Haskar A in leading Indian his fashion photographer who and 1993, started own studio.

G VENKET RAM

An intensive design to succeed and redefine the parameters of success. Anil Jain was always cut to be ANIL JAIN andesire Entrepreneur takingand an active interest in Business An Intensive to succeed redefine the parameters of success, AnilHeJain was right from an early age. is the promoter of Refex always cut industries out to be Ltd; an Entrepreneur, taking Refex Trading(s) Pvt. Ltd, and Anil Jain Intensive to succeed an active An interest in desire Business right and fromredefine investments. the parameters of success, Anil Jain was an early age. He is the promoter or Refex always cut out to be an Entrepreneur, taking industries Ltd; Refex Trading(s) Pvt. Ltd, an active interest in Business right from and Anil Jain Investments. an early age. He is the promoter or Refex

has shot principle photography stills for several notable films. He quit his engineering A leading Indian fashion photographer who studies to work with cinematographers Aruna has Sairam shot principle photography stills for for a while, which heHe joined aengineering course in several notable films. quit his A winner of after the prestigious Padma Shri award. She visual communications at Loyola College. studies to work cinematographers for is the vice-chairman of with the Sangeet Natak Akademi He then worked Sharad a while, after with whichphotographer he joined a course in which is India’s premier national institution for Haskar and in 1993, started own studio. visual communications athisLoyola College.

industries Ltd; Refex Trading(s) Pvt. Ltd, Neeru Nanda and Anil Jain Investments.

A graduate of Delhi university and a passionate

NEERU writer.

NANDA She was

a free-lanced feature writer for ten years before switching to publishing. Author of NEERU NANDA a collection of short stories titled ‘IF,’ she has also A graduate of Delhi University and a worked on novels and short stories for childreen.

music He andthen dance.

Ms. Sairam is one of India’s most worked with photographer Sharad renowned ambassdor’s forstarted music successfully taking Haskar and in 1993, his own studio.

ARUNA Indian music to SAIRAM the International arena.

passionate writer. She was a free-lanced A graduate of Delhi feature writer for ten years beforeUniversity switching and a passionate She wasofashort free-lanced to publishing.

Authorwriter. of a collection feature writer years before on switching stories titled “IF”, she for hasten also worked to publishing. Author of a collection of short novels and short stories for children.

ARUNA SAIRAM A winner of the prestigious Padma Shri award. She is the vice-chairman of the A winner of the prestigious Padma Shri Sangeet Natak Akademi which is India’s award. She is the vice-chairman of the premier national institution for music Sangeet Natak Akademi which is India’s and dance. Jeganathan Ms. Sairam is one for of India’s Dr. Rajesh premier national institution music most renowned ambassador’s forof music, A young and dynamicMs. medico.

He runs the prestigious and dance.

Sairam is one India’s successfully taking Indian the most renowned ambassador’s Billroth Hospitals based in Chennai.musicfortomusic, international arena. successfully taking Indian music to the

stories titled “IF”, she has also worked on novels and short stories for children.

INTERNAL TEAM TEAM INTERNAL

INTERNALTEAM TEAM INTERNAL TEAM INTERNAL

EDITOR & CEO EDITOR & CEO

EDITOR & EDITOR & CEO PUBLISHER & CEO CEO

Sameer Bharat Sameer Bharat RamRam Sameer Bharat Ram Sameer Bharat Sameer Bharat RamRam Sameer Bharat Ram

DESIGNER DESIGNER DESIGNER DESIGNERS DESIGNER DESIGNER DESIGNERS

An award-winning writer, editor and a culture critic. He has written and published extensively on Indian classical music, Dani fashion, theatre, food and art.

international arena.

EDITORIAL EDITORIAL TEAM TEAM

EDITORIAL EDITORIAL TEAM TEAM SUB Editor

Akshaya Akshaya G G

Aishwarya Aishwarya Sridharan Sridharan

Yoheswari Devaraj

Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Sheeba Grace Akshaya G Aishwarya Akshaya GVijayaraghavan Aishwarya Sridharan Sridharan Yoheswari Devaraj Sheeba Grace Nanditha Sheeba Grace

/ CONTRIBUTING WRITERS FEATURE FEATURE / CONTRIBUTING WRITERS FEATURE /FEATURE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS FEATURE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS FEATURE // CONTRIBUTING WRITERS FEATURE / CONTRIBUTING WRITERS / CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

CIRCULATION CIRCULATION CIRCULATION CIRCULATION

Vijayaraghavan Janani Suri Aishwarya Kanchi Dhinesh Babu S SNanditha Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Janani SuriGanesh Vidhya Anand Sanjana Ganesh Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Dhinesh Babu S Babu Dhinesh Babu S Babu Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Janani Suri Aishwarya Kanchi Nanditha Vijayaraghavan Janani Suri Vidhya Anand Sanjana Nanditha Dhinesh Dhinesh S Aarathi Arun Nandita Vijayaraghavan Vijayaraghavan Divya K Purushotham Elumalai V John Paul S John PaulJohn S John John Paul S Paul Paul S S

Elumalai V Elumalai Elumalai V V V Elumalai

Aparna P Aarathi Kochumon Anagha Natraj Radee Sadakshi Kalyanraman Keramalu Akila Sridhar Aishwarya Kanchi Sadakshi Kalyanaraman Aishwarya Kanchi Arun Veejay SaiSai PranavSilambarasan Silambarasan Sadakshi Kalyanraman Karthik Keramalu Akila Sridhar Aishwarya Kanchi Sadakshi Kalyanaraman Aishwarya KanchiKarthik Aarathi Arun Veejay Silambarasan Silambarasan Abinaya Subramanian Aishwarya Kanchi Padma Murugahappun Padma Murugahappun Akshay Ramesh Aasha Sriram Senthamil Akshay Ramesh Vilani Aasha Sriram Vilani Senthamil

Aarathi Arun Aarathi Arun Pavithra Babu Aarti Aney Pavithra Babu Aarti Aney

RRYA GG YD DG TG E& YD EE& D ENENSS I I GG NN SS TT RR AA TTSESETG S& YA TT E& SI IG Published by Sameer Bharat Ram Published Publishedby bySameer SameerBharat BharatRam Ram

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DECEMBER 3 I BREW LIFESTYLE2017 I MARCH 2018 BREW ER LIFESTYLE 2017 BREW LIFESTYLE NOVEMBER 2017 DECEMBER 3 I BREW LIFESTYLE2017 I MARCH 2018 BREW ER LIFESTYLE 2017 BREW LIFESTYLE NOVEMBER 2017

THINKLIVE CREATE FROM THE ARCHIVES WHATS BREWING

08 COVER STORY

08 The Goblet Of Music 12 The World Through His Lens

CONTENTS

ISSUE-10

28 CREATE

28 Indie Movement 34 The Woman Who Plays Many Characters

18

THINK

18 Mission Impossible 24 Integrating Culture & Development

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FROM THE ARCHIVES 58 Sohan Jakhar Paintings,People,Places and Perception.

40 LIVE

40 Cholamandal Centre for Contemporary Art 46 What You Eat Is What You 52 Become Varanasi & Her Vivid Verve

62

WHAT’S BREWING

62 Bonjour Alexa Bio-Methane Bus? Smart backpacks Indoor herb garden devices

65 61

BREW LIFESTYLE

JANUARY 2018

5

BREW BREW LIFESTYLE LIFESTYLEAUGUST JULY 2017 2017

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COVER STORY

THE GOBLET

OF MUSIC

A MUSICAL EUPHORIA Sheeba Grace

“Music is a basic response. To me, it’s more like learning how to speak.”

If someone ever asked me ‘what can you not live without?’ my answer will always be ‘music.’ I’m sure most of you all would agree to this. Music adds spice to life, lets us escape into the world of the unknown and heals the broken hearted.

Featuring, Darbuka Siva, a man who knows his music not because he has learnt it but because he has discovered how to respond to it. Interesting much? He believes that music has to be responded to naturally and not go to school for it.

Siva has been the creator of many projects that are out of the ordinary. La Pongal was a platform solely founded to expose contemporary folk music in South India to the world. Unlike the other genres and music that is found copiously on the internet, South Indian Folk music wasn’t, and that, led Siva on a journey to unravel authentic folk music in the South. He sensed that the folk music in India was as exotic as Brazilian or Arabic Music which pushed him on his way to discovery.

Siva was part of OneBeat, a US State Department project that brings together 25 musicians from all across the world for a music residency in Atlantic Centre for the Arts in Florida which served as an imperative International platform for his folk music. His most recent project being ‘Darbuka Siva Project,’ a collection of various expressions that represent his current state-of-mind through sights, sounds and collaborations inspired by people, places and experiences. His love for football was revealed through ‘Gala Gala,’ a music video that exhibits a group of remarkably talent boys playing football in the locality of North Madras.

He has worked as the Music Director for the movies ‘Kidaari’ and ‘Enai Noki Paayum Thota,’ and his single ‘Maruvarthai’ has a total of 40 million views on Youtube.

And now, hop on and let’s disappear into a world of rhythms and tones. It’s not a surprise that he comes up with ‘This is going to be on repeat’ kind of music every time. I must mention that it was amazing how unsophisticated and plain-spoken he was during our chat.

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Q. Tell me about your journey? When and where did you start?

My first ever independent initiative towards music was when I started this band called ‘Zara.’ It was a collaboration with singer ‘Tanvi Shah.’ We first met at a common friend’s place and discovered our mutual interests in South American and Arabian Music. The band also turned out to be my initial introduction to the Chennai’s music scene back in the days. We just played anything we loved listening to.

Q. What genre of music do you consider your work to be?

I don’t see myself having a particular genre for the kind of music that I make. It honestly has to do with the state of mind I am in at that moment. On a sonic level though I don’t think I have anything called a genre in my mind. I think it’s basically for the music labels to categorize music.

Q. What inspired you to make music?

I’ve never learnt music in my life. I’ve always made music on a trial and error basis. I thought it was natural for people to groove to music and by playing along to the beats on a chair or a table. I treat music as if it was a response. For me music on a primary level is a basic response. I didn’t even think that this is something that needs to be acquired. I kind of learnt it like how I would learn a new language.

Q. What are you currently working on right now?

I’m working on some interesting films and they all have an independent approach to it. I don’t look into who the stars are or who the producer of the film is.

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I will mostly be collaborating with the director and so I’d like to know his approach towards music. And in that sense the movies that I’m working on are free spirited and that’s how I prefer making music.

Q. So, how did you acquire this name Darbuka?

First of all, I completely detest having a name that has a prefix as an instrument. I even remember how I used to bully my friends for having such names.

But it all started back when I had to put my name on a show’s invitation for a private party and my friend found it too common to just write my name as Siva.

And so we were on a mission to find a unique name for me and my friends ended up adding ‘Darbuka’ as my prefix as I’m one of the very few people who play this instrument in India. I was okay with it as it was just for a private event. Later when I worked as a Radio Jockey, there was already a RJ Siva and to stay unique I continued calling myself that. But honestly, not everybody gets to name themselves and so I’ve come to the point of acceptance and I am happy about it. On a lighter note though, sometimes people call me Darbuka and that ends up being weird because how would one feel if someone were to call them a trumpet or a piano?

Q. What is your advice to the young, aspiring musicians? *laughing* I am not a huge fan of advice. I’m sure they will figure it out.

“On a sonic level though I don’t think I have anything called a genre in my mind. ”

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COVER STORY

arjun kamath THE WORLD THROUGH HIS LENS Sheeba Grace

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Arjun Kamath, a man who views the world through his lens, an intriguing storyteller, a photographer and a filmmaker. He earned his Master of Fine Arts degree in film and production from Southern California’s Prestigious School of Cinematic Arts. He is proud to have Ryan Coogler (Director of Black Panther) and George Lucas (Creator of Star wars) as his seniors.

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His pictures take the viewers on a journey to the subject’s world and their emotions. His extraordinary style of storytelling is the first of its kind in India. Photo-narratives such as Avani, that portrays the strength of a mother and Coming out which explored the persecutions faced by a homosexual couple in India took the internet by storm and even caught the attention of the United Nations. The article ‘Meet ArjunKamath: From Engineering student to Internet Stardom’ was published by the UN to felicitate his success.

His photo ‘The Little Boy from Hampi’ was featured in the National Geographic.

started shooting in 2009 and I’m sure my pictures wouldn’t have been picked up by National Geographic even if I had the best of the cameras and the lenses. I’ve been shooting for 8 to 9 years now and I realized you just have to keep shooting to get better. You learn through your mistakes and take inspiration from people who have decades of experience and see what they are doing right. Somehow in your subconscious you start thinking differently when you shoot more. You are able to visualize things better even before you can start shooting.

For example, if I found an old man on the road and click a nice portrait of him just sitting there then what will I be delivering to the viewers? But if I see the same man now, I would ask myself a few questions before I start shooting.

For example, what is he doing here? And why is he sitting here all by himself? and If I were to show it to somebody in England what would they make of it. What can I include that would add value to that picture?

He adds more essence to the already intense photograph by giving it the below caption: I made this portrait of 12-year-old Ajitha while he was busy guarding a tribe of goat on the outskirts of Hampi. I smiled politely and asked him, “Do you go to school?” (In Kannada) He smiled back warmly and said, “No...”

That “NO” still hasn’t left my mind. Was it a happy no, or a sad no, we’ll never know.

Arjun opens up to The Brew Magazine on his visual storytelling quest.

Who is Avani to you?

Avani is a character that is very close to my heart. I am the only child to my parents. I’ve watched my mother for all my life and I got to understand a mother’s heart. Avani depicts the strength of a mother. It’s a character that portrays how one can be traditional yet progressive. Avani is a mother who fought till the end to protect her child at all costs.

When asked about his views on getting recognized

by National Geographic, he says: People always ask me what camera I use and which lens. I

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What would you like your viewers to take away from your work?

I’d like to give my viewers an intrinsic experience of being there at that moment and feeling the emotion that’s captured. For example, a picture taken in Kashmir that is being viewed by someone in the South should be able to understand the story as if they were at Kashmir at that point of time. The idea is to create a momentary experience that feels almost real.

What makes a good photograph?

First of all, I have to like it! It has to make sense to me. If I don’t feel connected to the photograph then I would say that there is not point of taking that picture. The primary goal, again, is to give my viewers a experience that is virtual but feels almost real. It’s all about feeling the moment and capturing a picture that means something to you.

What are you up to when you are not out shooting?

I love watching films. I watch two to three films a week and I always watch it in the theatres. I like to explore new restaurants and I am also working on my upcoming feature film/photo-narrative. I enjoy watching interviews of great directors so I get to learn from their journey and also be able to educate myself.

How has Social Media played a role in your photography?

I would say Social Media has played a healthy role. It has provided me with a wider audience. But in terms of my photography it hasn’t been that relevant. Even if Social Media becomes non-existent I would still continue to do what I do. I, personally, do not believe in paying for likes and views and I prefer to have it that way.

When asked if he was a feminist…

I wouldn’t say I am pro-women or pro-men, I’m just pro-human. I don’t like injustice happen to anyone.

If I see injustice happen to somebody I will fight for them irrespective of the gender. When a person is not treated equally it bothers me. At the end of the day, it is all about empowering everybody!

What would you like to tell your younger self?

You didn’t think about the overall odds but kept going on and on. You did not give up even for once. You chose your own path. For the roads that you have taken and the experiences that you have been through... Good job! *pats myself on the back*

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THINK

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MISSION IMPOSSIBLE Aarathi Arun

When we look at the diagrammatic representation of the earth, it quite puts us in awe. With the extent of its vastness and immaculate discrepancies, it is definitely something that none can possibly explain vividly without raising an eyebrow.

When scientists and explorers are still digging deep into the origin and its many stories, the faith followers and those related, continue to trust their long-told history, the earth continues to rotate and revolve despite any kind of argument about itself.

When one sits and observes this character, it will surely enlighten and unfold life’s simplest solution for all problems that has been presenting itself, right in front of us, bare in our naked eye. No matter what happens, we continue to go on.

We may be blessed if we have a gifted life with not so many problems to deal with on a daily basis. Or we may be a part of the alternate, those who have nothing but issues for a breakfast on their plates. Whatever the case may be, we simply accept the fact that we are here for a reason and master the art to deal with every situation sensibly. Haters will be haters but we got to find a way out of every struggle and yet move on graciously without demeaning ourselves or creating harm to those around us.

When I read about the events of mass destruction that happens around the world on a periodical basis all through history has ever recorded, it is quite evident that the world has found its way to self-balance. What the earth was intended to hold or bear is still a mystery unsolved, probably unsolvable. But what we do know is that the earth knows its plan and acts accordingly. We as humans, who form an integral part of this massive design are on the other hand, the vulnerable lot, who tend to confuse ourselves as to what our role is in this planet.

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The way people argue, claiming that they know everything and they decide everything, it is a matter of ridicule, I would boldly say. Could any man trace back to his very beginning, as to where it all started? When one cannot ascertain something so personal about oneself, then how is it that he claims to be the knower of all? The program based on which our planet survives is a miracle that we see, feel and live each day but hardly accept it as one. The intricacy of the solar systems and other possible galaxies is a whole new and extremely wide area of interest and intrigue that is far beyond our understanding capacities.

The details thus far are mind blowing and if man could decipher the codes and break in to space learning about all this, it is quite a feat of achievement. But however far he had gone, there could not be found a definitive end. This shows the indefinite source of the powerful systems that we are surrounded with and wherein we play the most minuscule part in.

Our human mind is somewhat like that; housing many parallel universes

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much unknown to our own conscious mind and knowledge. The part that is most desirable and at times the most susceptible is what comes out in the open and presents itself. To conquer that and live a standard life is the mission that we need to learn to take and solve. We would have come across situations in our own private lives when we would have acted one way in one given instance and much differently on the same instance on another day. Those times would have probably got us thinking as to why we reacted conflictingly. It might have been an occurrence of the parallel universe acting up without our conscience.

Every human born unto this world has a reason to be carrying his/her weight around and for a purpose. We are supposed to thrive as a species, bearing our offspring and teaching them survival and excellence skills. But not all are bound to do that. Some are just here to teach, be the leader, the source of inspiration and knowledge, who could not have by the most minuscular of reasons set aside their brains to work for a dear

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and dependant one. All they have been blessed with is the gift of intelligence in abundance and that requires an enormous amount of dedication to their field of expertise in particular.

Our knowledge of our past can stretch as far as the dated records show us how and what life was back then. But then, what about the specifics of what had happened before that? Even as archaeologists and excavators are discovering many new amazing facts about the past, those that lay hidden and undiscovered are immeasurable. Would people back then, say about the 1000 years ago believed that we could fly from place to place? Could they have imagined that the human mind was capable to many such articulate and simply spell binding discoveries? Well, here we are flying private jets, living underwater on submarines for days together, sending and receiving electronic communication, and so on and so forth to name a few.

Achievements are never made solely upon one condition. There are many ways many people have achieved what

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they have. Often those kinds of people dedicate their entire life and energy to deriving their life’s sole concern. Like a pushing force from within. Sometimes, some other of these people happen to stumble upon an achievement by chance.

And when they learn what they have been bestowed with and appreciate it, working hard enough to continue keeping it, life becomes great.

The ultimate line of thought that I am trying to traject here is that nothing is impossible when we put our heart, mind and soul to it. Hard work and dedication, combined with a person’s will power can move mountains. Life stories of people with physical disabilities and limitations have really made me wonder with a towering mound of respect for them.

It is exceptionally life changing. Every single act of valour and courage and the accomplishment thereafter builds tremendous hopes in the hearts of the less deprived and most challenging.

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“If he could have done it, why not me?”

This is a very simple line but a line so mammoth in strength and catalyst in character for approaching the most feared.

This is the simple thought that we should keep reminding ourselves about and also keep repeating to those around us when they need to hear it the most. Taking a small step everyday will move us one step closer towards our goal. So, do not prejudge yourself and discourage the fire burning within. We are our best friend and critic.

We are our best judges. We are our sole motivating factor. We are everything that we expect someone else to be. Stop searching BREW LIFESTYLE I APRIL 2018

and exhausting oneself never endingly. Look for it and find it within yourself. Rediscover the true meaning of your soul’s search.

Victory begins the minute every person realises that.

Life gets mundane over a period of time and we start wondering as to why and for how long to run this race. That is the point of self-realisation. That is exactly the time our soul reaches out to us and kick starts the process. Do not fret. We have heard time immemorial stories of heroes and legends across all cultures who have accomplished divine feats close to impossible. Whether 22

we choose to believe them or not, our sub conscious builds a wall of strength, positivity and hope which will steer our minds in the direction that we truly want to.

Every person discovers their inner strength in the least expected of moments, when they are the most broken and feel like life’s end.

Do not feel like you have reached the end of the stairs; turn back and look around, for at the top of that climb is a gift worth a million and a view worth all the pain. Today is not the end and tomorrow is only the beginning!

THINK

integrating culture &

development Anagha Natraj and Pranav Radee

With a one of its kind music season, thriving dance and art schools, ethnically diverse population and a hub of the colonial past, one cannot deny that Chennai is a culturally vibrant city. Having a rich heritage and the presence of various art forms, it would only be surprising if the people of the state did not use culture as a medium to propagate thoughts and ideas for the greater good of the society.

The origin of art can be traced back to the time of cave paintings when our ancestors used drawings to communicate with one another and also spread ideas to their successors. The perception of art can vary according to the viewer’s sensibilities; while a few may argue that it is a form of entertainment that helps them slip away from reality while a few others argue that art paves a path for improvement of human intellect to live a better life.

The Urur Olcott Kuppam vizha (UOKV) is a music festival that aims to reclaim public spaces. The concept of taking marginalised arts to high art spaces and high arts to the marginalised places is something that is highly creative. UOKV’s philosophy is that every space is cultural and that no art belongs to only one space. The festival had various singers, musicians and dancers perform in public spaces like the Metro, beaches, MTC Bus and Central railway station. On Day 2 of UOKV 2018, an RO unit was installed at the Besant Nagar Bus Depot to provide bus drivers, conductors and other depot workers with clean drinking water.

A beach clean-up was also organised and people spread awareness about environmental issues. This method of integrating cultural fests with community service makes people view developmental work as a celebration. Citizens do not feel burdened or compelled to volunteer, but view it as part of the festivities. This Vizha acts as an example of how we can protect these public spaces from the hands of corporates or the government as well as celebrating oneness and spreading awareness.

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Photo Credit – deccanchronicle.com

Music is one of the art forms that have been greatly explored. It is universal in the sense that one doesn’t necessarily have to understand the lyrics to feel the emotions it’s trying to evoke in the listener. Like every other art form, music can also be used for different purposes, for entertainment, relaxation, spreading messages and even propagating political ideologies. The ability of music to act as political agency for an individual or a group is called ‘Political Music.’ ‘Casteless Collective’ was an event that was recently organised by Director P. Ranjith with the aim to promote individual underprivileged young Tamil musicians. In an interview to The News Minute, the Kabali director who has always been vocal about caste-discrimination said, “Art is political. I believe we can have a lot of conversations through art. That’s how I see cinema and that’s how I see music. If art is for the people, then it is

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political. Imagine the kind of impact we can create out of this art.” The Chennai Poromboke paadal, penned by Kaber Vasuki and featuring T.M. Krishna, is a music video which highlights the importance of common spaces and the responsibility of citizens to protect it. “The song helped make actual progress on the ground. As a means of communication, a music video is probably a more engaging medium than say, a news article,” says Kaber Vasuki, Founder of the band, “Kurangan,” and an independent musician and songwriter. “When society is changing, or part of society is changing, it is inevitable to have cultural products that address these changes and the consequences of it either directly or indirectly,” he adds.

Photo Credit – Chennai.citizenmatters.in

A.R. Rahman composed a 19 minute music piece called ‘The Flying Lotus’ about demonetization. “The flying lotus is an impression of the rise of India, the whole journey of India. I wanted to do something on what was going on in India during demonetisation and what will happen in the future. It’s open to interpretations,” Rahman told IANS in an interview.

This is again an example of music and culture being used to propagate hopeful political ideas.

The coexistence of cinema and politics in Tamil Nadu is more relevant now than ever with everyone curiously anticipating what the two big film-stars Kamal Haasan and Rajinikanth have to offer to the citizens of the state. Tamil Nadu has always been an example of how cinema propagates ideas and awareness to the people and does more than just entertain them. Recent movies like Aruvi, Aramm, Taramani, Kaaka Muttai and Magalir Mattum, have used the art form to spread socially responsible ideas.

Photo Credit – thehindu.com

Chennai has also been seeing an increase in the number of Stand-up comedians who in the past few years seem to underline political issues with their satire which not only makes the audience laugh but also subtly plants a seed of thought in their minds.

‘Alexander the comic’, a famous stand-up comedian in Chennai, uses this art form to talk about corrupt politicians and the unjust political system. We live in a time of vitiated social relations- religions, caste and class divide people. The possibility of using art to propagate ideas and bring down the human-made walls to unite people is of high necessity now more than ever

Photo Credit – Chennai.citizenmatters.in

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CREATE

INDIE MOVEMENT

The Genre of Self E x pression Abinaya Subramanian

Imagine a world without music, feels like a nightmare right?

Indeed it will be. We start our day hearing Suprabatham, rhythm of morning Namaz from a nearby mosque or that jingle bell from a church in our street we are always surrounded by music.

Right from a mother’s lullaby to the tinkling bells of an ice cream vendor on the streets everything has a tone and a rhythm to it.

These are mostly sounds we hear by default, but what about the sound or music we listen to by choice? I am talking about that memory card(s) of yours which may have some priceless collection of all your favorite songs. Most of us will have varied selection of songs from different genres like metal, rock, folk, pop, jazz, classical, Hindustani and musical theatre but how many of us have at least one song under the genre called ‘independent music?’ I guess it’s high time we start shining some light on this interesting and engaging genre of music.

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Indie music is unique because it has a distinct style or sound of music and includes all the possible sub-genres, scenes, sub scenes, cultural attribute and the degree of independence the artists have while making music. Although indie music is believed to inherit its do-it-yourself approach from the punk movement of 1950’s it stayed unique and underground until the world saw some dedicated indie labels. Some people say that rebellious minds make independent music, eliminating major record labels maybe - yes, rebellious minds they are, but they make music with sheer passion and love, but why do we say it eliminates major record labels, when we all know there is a huge pool of talent and creative minds all across the world? We can’t expect every single one of them to get noticed, or expected to be supported by a label, right? Let indie be indie.

Let’s roll back to the 1990’s; yes! India is no exception to see artists in this genre of music. And guess what? A band from our very own Chennai called ‘Moksha’ made us all proud in the 90’s. Moksha was the only Asian band to be featured on an Iron Maiden tribute album, which was released by a UK based recording company. The recording company released a twin CD pack that featured songs by various renowned bands from all over the world and had one Iron Maiden song covered

by Moksha and also Moksha’s original. Mr. Timothy Madhukar – member of this iconic band believes that Indie scene is doing really well compared to that in the 90’s.“Earlier we had to play lot of covers. Our audience usually have a tolerance for one or two of our original songs but would immediately start asking for covers after that but today we are pleased to see that it’s not the case anymore.” But how much of it has changed? “Not very much but we do have proper forums (though very few) that encourages us to play our independent music, earlier it was always cover driven,” says T T Sriram founding member, guitarist, and lead vocalist of Skrat.

Skrat is an Indian Heavy metal Indie band from Chennai having a huge fan base all across the country. It’s quite overwhelming to see Skrat being invited to important college festivals and you know they have managed to establish a strong fan base, when you see the whole crowd roaring during their performances.It is pretty amusing to witness the crowd

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sing any indie song collectively in a commercial music era is something rare and phenomenal but few bands like Skrat have achieved it, about which T T said, “The best and easiest way to reach out to people is social media, the next way would be, gigs! Meeting fans, people and musicians’ helps, word of mouth is still the best way to reach out to people and literally,we have to be our own PR.” “There are lot of factors that come into play, when it comes to making money out of music, it is very intensely market driven, you have to make sure people really like your music, which is not everyone’s cup of tea, still there are few who are full time independent musicians and that being their main source of income, while most of us take up jobs to make a living,” Sriram said, explaining the reason why most of the indie artists were not full time musicians. Also when he was asked if he would ever enter the commercial music scene he readily said “No.” He prefers to write his own music and express his thoughts and emotions through it. He is positive that there is no better feeling than making your own music and gifting people a chance to look into our world. How true - Isn’t that the beauty of this genre of music itself?

Whatever said and done, the independent music has reached far and further, breaking its boundaries that was set within the niche and the loyal listeners. The world of digital media encourages the discovery of new music, creating opportunities for bands & artists to reach new followers and also help them sell their music; ironically the same medium comes with a huge risk of disseminating the songs without the artist’s consent. It is because of indie bands like pavement that paved way to most of the artists and bands from radio head, imagine dragons, alt-J, Arctic monkeys to Coldplay and Taylor swift to nourish and grow as world’s phenomenal bands. But what about India, we love our Kollywood, Bollywood and Tollywood so much that the indie artists most likely end up working for commercial music out of no choice.

But it is indeed good to see a change in the indie scene. After all, little drops of water make an ocean right? However, it is also interesting to see playback singers entering the indie world.

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Ranjith is a renowned playback singer in the industry for 15 years now - who has no indie roots but has started making his own music and he is all set to release a couple indie tracks soon. When he was asked if the idea of playback singers entering the indie world would make a difference in the current scenario, he said, “First of all, today - where social media is an ultimate platform for everyone to connect, I don’t think there are any major demarcations between independent singers and playback singers. Lots of indie musicians are entering commercial scene and even indie scene is hunting for popular playback singers who can come up with more originals, but if independent music has to thrive in this country, I think movies should stop using songs in them, that could be one ultimate step, which will leave audience to want new music and new artist from the indie scene and yes, movies have started dropping songs, it’s not like how it used to be. We have been seeing changes in movies recently where they have now started dropping songs unless there is an ultimate requirement for the specific scene.” But, what made a successful playback singer like him turn around and look into the indie music scene now?

“When it comes to movies, we all know it has a story with so many scenarios that demands certain songs for a particular scene. The songs are usually composed by a music director and the singers are asked to express the situation’s emotions while recording. But today I look forward to truly express myself as an indie artist, because I get to create every aspect of my song and I sing it the way I want it,” he said passionately.

Precisely what indie music is all about!

Unlike Ranjith, Shakthishree Gopalan, another popular playback singer has her strong roots in indie music and she even manages to release her indie tracks quite often while also recording music for films. It’s fascinating to see her promote

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her music with her heart and soul in it. What are the setbacks when it comes to film music? “I think the audiences have a lot of access to information - even if they don’t actively seek for it, they are provided with this information easily because of the big labels that constantly puts out information regarding new music that is coming out. This information is available everywhere, say for example, on Television and social media and everywhere, they get the same information through many folds, they even get it through their favorite actor, music director or through director. But when it comes to indie music, and to the audience that follows independent music, I think for them it’s not as easy to receive this information, because it is not available everywhere, first reason being there are no proper big platforms that announces new music or new artists coming out with new songs constantly - even when the audience actively seek out, the probability of accessing them is less because it is not present on mainstream media or on major platforms, which I believe makes indie music a lot less discoverable to people who may not have listened to indie music before but may potentially want to listen to this kind of music too.” What a clear insight! When asked if her huge fan base help in promoting her indie music she responds, “Yes (laughing out loud) - it does help, it has helped me showcase to a different set of audience base, having said that there are a few questions I’m trying to find answers for, which I will know as I keep releasing my indie tracks.“ Indie is not just another genre of music, its more than that, artists will make music no matter what, because it’s their self-expression. Indie is more raw and passionate unlike other mainstream music! Right now you reading this on a coffee table - why don’t you Google any of these artists’ indie music and give it a listen? I know you can do it!

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CREATE

Vaishnavi Sundar

The Woman Who Plays Many Characters

Aishwarya Kanchi As an independent filmmaker, actor, writer and activist, Vaishnavi Sundar plays many roles in the field of theatre and filmmaking. Finding it limiting to sit inside a classroom all day long and listen to the teacher go on and on about topics as a kid, it was natural for her to sneak out and try her hand at different things.

She made sure to participate in as many extra-curricular activities, and staying outside the classroom and her aversion towards studying made her realise she was good at a few things. And that’s when it all began.

Ever since her undergraduate years

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of studying commerce at Ethiraj College for Women in Chennai, she has been performing on stage and by the end of her post-graduation (in business administration from Anna University) she started performing commercially. Travelling a lot since then and performing in many places in India and UK established her as a theatre artist. In the process of doing theatre for so many years she learnt her way around various departments that go into making a production - sound, light, back stage, etc. Filmmaking proved to be another natural switch for her - she

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had written a script and wanted a few filmmaker friends to take it up and do a film on it. Having been advised to do it herself, she took a shot at it and this decision has been no less than life-changing for her.

Five years on, Sundar has constantly been performing, directing and doing a bunch of other things. If asked to choose between acting and directing, it’s not possible she says, since the two departments are incomparable and she cannot make any kind of choice here.

Vaishnavi Sundar was born and brought up in Chennai and grew up in the cantonment area of Avadi. Thus she had neighbours from different parts of the country and was exposed to many Indian languages. She has acted in and directed over a dozen films since 2010 in six languages - Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi and English.

Learning languages is nothing new to her and she understands a bit of Italian as well.

She has watched over a million non-English cinema and most of the time finds herself understanding languages even without subtitles.

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She is currently working on her first feature-length film ‘But What Was She Wearing?’ which began in December 2016 and will be produced under her own production company Lime Soda Films (they were looking for a simple yet creative and representative name for the company, when a whole day’s thinking was coming to naught and they ordered lime soda which struck a chord and they decided to name it after the drink). Many of her films have been screened at film festivals in India and abroad, but until now she has done shortlength films and documentaries and feels that film festivals can be more appreciated based on their feature films, which are longer. A five-minute version of the film has been produced titled ‘To What End?’ and this has already travelled to five international film festivals and she hopes that the full version will travel to a lot more. It talks about sexual harassment at the workplace and brings to light certain successful and unsuccessful stories of victim shaming.

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Spreading the message is a vital part of her work and she feels that this can start from home. Children need to be taught the concepts of equality, unity, gender roles and the roles parents play at home. Children need to be taught how to break the stereotypes surrounding girls and women, look beyond them and raise a voice against any harassment that might happen just about anywhere. Apart from working on films and theatre, Sundar is also a writer and an activist. She writes on feminism, cinema themed around social justice and women’s rights. She also actively takes part in protests and has an on-the-go attitude towards them.

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Vaishnavi Sundar is almost always working. The word ‘hobby’ is nonexistent to her and she takes whatever she does seriously. Even if it is writing poetry only about once a year. You can’t say her working style is one project at a time; she always has multiple things going on. But the main focus is for the big ones, like her feature-film she’s currently working on. As a person constantly on the lookout for new perspectives and ways, she is someone who doesn’t tire out easily. Whether it’s the once-in-a-year poem or a feature film, there’s a lot more to come with quite a big baggage of variety and vigour.

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Cholamandal

Centre for Contemporary

Art

Preserving the Precious Aparna P Kochumon Extending across almost 10 acres of land, caressed by the blue waters of the Bay of Bengal on one side and fringed with Casuarina trees, Cholamandal Artists’ Village is the transformation of a dream into reality, envisaged by the world-renowned visual artist, KCS Paniker. Ever since its establishment in 1966, artists have been living here, working, creating and contributing towards art and society.

Formulated by Paniker along with several other artists such as Late J. Sultan Ali, Late Redappa Naidu, Late Jayapala Paniker, Late M.V Devan, Late Aadimoolam, V Viswanadhan, S.G. Vasudev, and so on, Cholamandal was thought of as a converging space to nurture the renaissance in the arts arena – the Madras Movement. The artists were alumnae of the Madras School of Arts and they derived several laterals in the realm of visual arts. Paniker cleverly moulded western modernist technical innovations with the cultural traditions of Indian arts and crafts, which largely met the exigencies of the moment. The clique, which commenced as a group of 30, were initially engrossed in unearthing an Indian response to the art that was created in the West. Combining influences from the East and the West, they stemmed a new lineage – Abstract Expressionism in contemporary art. They tried to extricate themselves from the grip of the standard figure and space defined by perspective - the ideals arbitrated by the Western Renaissance art tradition. The figurative style of folk art, the anecdotal style of Indian miniatures, the grand epic style of traditional sculpture and the enrichments of iconic and calligraphic imagery, all became possibilities in their work. For Madras, a state that had its roots vehemently embedded in classical dance and music, the lack of contemporary exposure to visual arts was a glaring lacuna. The introduction of the contemporary classicist touch of art to the rather orthodox society that favored the traditional alleys of performing arts over visual arts, was a breath of fresh air. They followed the Bauhaus credo that art needs to embrace crafts, wherein visual artists engaged in allied crafts and handicrafts also, which made them self-sustainable in any environment. Cholamandal has completed over 50 years of its existence autonomously and is India’s largest self-supporting art colony and probably the only one of its kind in Asia.

Over the years, the Village has accrued an extensive collection of paintings and sculptures. The Cholamandal Centre for Contemporary Art which was opened in 2009 is an eco-friendly façade made of exposed bricks. The upper level of the complex hosts a permanent museum, which showcases selected works by the artists from the Madras Movement. The lower level of the complex has a commercial gallery with a moving collection of exhibits, which are periodically changed as and when a sale happens. Some works from the Madras Movement are also displayed here, as an extended museum.

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The collection encompasses works from late artists, the value of which is unfathomable. The worth of some of them even runs into a few lakhs! These works of art are not just mere splashes of color on canvas, but a souvenir of a bygone era.

Besides the materialistic elements we project as a reminiscence of the past, art profoundly speaks in a language of its own and conveys an ardor that rises from the intangible ethereality it possesses. Though physical, they own a delicate volatility and versatility, which miraculously converges the period, art-scape and temperament of a lost eon onto paper with various media of ink and colour. The Madras Movement, which emphasized on the concept of Abstract Expressionism, inspired the artists to delve into the subtle art of saying and not saying through imageries, which could be deciphered in multiple ways. The possibilities of abstract art were intensely BREW LIFESTYLE I APRIL 2018

exploited to convey the multifaceted genres.

One of the striking traits in Paniker’s and M. V Devan’s works are that they often weave several minuscule yarns into a larger canvas. Seemingly abstract at the first glance, they unfurl tiny stories within them, sketched elusively in many corners. They combine the modernist tropes of skewed perspectives and illusive depths with an old-fashioned narrative style. Another aspect is the usage of Indian symbols and trajectories, trying to reinforce the Indian connect in their works. The works of Adimoolam and K.V Haridasan are a testament to the fact that abstraction is born from experience and not just color and strokes.

During an attempt to collate the early works of some artists, it was noticed that many were in less than ideal conditions owing to natural and human factors.

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Several of the works were sourced from personal collections and archives. The saline, moisture-laden air of Chennai and especially the proximity to the sea had contributed to further deterioration in some works of art on paper. Some of the paper-based paintings displayed fungal attack, often evidenced by the sudden appearance of yellow, brown, black spots of discolouration! Further physical loss had been caused by silverfish which had eaten away superficial paper fibres resulting in image detail loss as well. The actual delicate nature of paper had been rendered more fragile by inherent acidity and natural ageing processes which had resulted in making the paper base extremely brittle and easily prone to breaking.

Considering the incalculable worth of the art and the adverse ethos they are often situated in, measures for redeeming and

conserving them was the need of the hour at Cholamandal.

Owing to this, Aparajitha V.R, a skilled Art Conservator based in Chennai has been invited to the Village to inspect and assess the condition of the works of art on display and also deliver a series of talks titled ‘Conversations on Conservation’ on the significance of preserving art and the methods to do the same. An alumni of the Government College of Arts and Crafts, Chennai, Aparajitha studied Masters in Conservation and Restoration at the National Museum Institute, New Delhi. In her first session, she elucidated the gathering on the know-how involved in framing and displaying an artwork, which is otherwise unknown to a layman.

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Considering the present condition and stability after detailed examination of the paintings in the museum, two works by Paniker, both oil paintings, one on canvas and the other on paper have been chosen for conservation treatment. Conservation can be broadly categorized into two – Curative Conservation and Preventive Conservation wherein the former relates to active treatment of artefacts, which display severe damages that require immediate attention and the conservation techniques are applied directly to the artefact, while the latter refers to the process where the artefact does not undergo any intervention, but addresses the appropriate selection and modification of various surrounding parameters that affect the artefact – the display or storage materials and control of temperature, humidity and lighting systems etc. Curative conservation is a more intensive and time-consuming process as the artefact is in a vulnerable damaged state. The artefact is photo-documented in a detailed manner at every step to record the progress of treatment and note the alterations in appearance of the artefact as it undergoes conservation while providing references and retaining visual information for the future as well the differences and to maintain records. The first phase involves cleaning the work wherein the term ‘cleaning’ is intended in its generic connotation. There is a quintessential measure of tidying done to remove, dust, dirt or any tangible aggregated matter. Depending on the base medium on which the painting is rendered and the kind of damage involved, several techniques are applied at this stage. If the base is paper, it is de-acidified using solvents which usually reduces the yellow tinge of the paper that has occurred due to acidity and age and renders a natural brightness to it. The second step – Stabilization is about executing the necessary procedures, which ensure that further physical loss in the painting is arrested and the overall condition of the painting is improved by strengthening the paper or canvas supports and consolidating the paint layer by the use of appropriate specific conservation materials. The final phase – Reintegration, deals with restoring the losses in image details. Keeping in focus the aesthetics of the work, only the affected areas of the imageries and details are retouched BREW LIFESTYLE I APRIL 2018

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with paint following the consent of the client or the possessor of the artefact.

According to Aparajitha, the oil on canvas painting by Paniker from his Words and Symbols series has a very thin layer of paint that has an extensive network of drying cracks. Bereft of a strong adhesive, there is barely any binding amidst the color and the canvas base. Time has deprived the paint of its elasticity, forming tiny cracks on the surface. Rather than a smooth single layer of color, there are now several tiny islands of paint borne out of the cracking and the paint sections are losing adhesion to the canvas below, resulting in flaking. Apart from the timeevinced damages, there are also predominant signs of some intervention done in the past in terms of over-painting evident on the surface, which would be removed in the cleaning phase itself before restoring the original artefact.

The next work by Paniker incorporates the dry brush and oil paint medium on paper. Derived from a wood pulp source as opposed to a pure cotton or 100% alpha-cellulose base, the paper base is of an inferior quality and is easily susceptible to disintegration. This mammoth work of 4 ½ ft * 6 ½ ft dimension was kept folded owing to its humongous size until 2009 but was later spread out and exhibited as a part of the Madras Movement collection when the museum was opened. The acidic nature of the paper combined with localized stresses caused by the folds and creases have resulted in tears and planar deformation, hindering the work from being spread out completely flat on a surface.

Taking into account the age of the works and the varying degrees of damage, Aparajitha reckons that the former work will require up to three months for restoration and conservation while the latter will need five. The ‘Conversations on Conservation’ talk series will have its next session once Aparajitha concludes her work on the artefacts.

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WHAT YOU EAT IS WHAT YOU BECOME

Divya Purushotham, Founder and Chief Nutritionist at Sano Holistic Nutritional Clinic.

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A vegan diet is described as a diet without meat, fish, dairy, eggs or other products sourced from animals.

Its growing popularity is due to: 1. Nutritional choices that centre around taking care of the earth’s resources and environment 2. Ethical issues of animal care 3. Use of antibiotics and growth stimulants for production of animals 4. Threat due to animal borne diseases 5. Health advantages of plant based diets The health effects of vegan diets include higher fiber, magnesium, folic acid, vitamin C & E, iron and phytochemical intake. It is also lower in calories, saturated fat and cholesterol, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, calcium, zinc and vitamin B12. A vegan diet has shown to lower risk of cardiovascular diseases, obesity, type II diabetes and some cancers. Vegan diets are most useful as it increases the protective nutrients and phytochemicals and also minimize intake of dietary factors which have direct implications on several chronic diseases.

Cardiovascular protective effects Vegans when compared to non-vegetarians consume increased quantities of fruit and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are rich in fiber, folic acid, anti-oxidants and phytochemicals which are associated with lowered blood cholesterol concentrations, lowered incidents of stroke and lowered risk of mortality of stroke and ischemic heart disease. Increased consumption of whole-grains, soy and nuts also providescardio-protective effects.

Cancer protective effects A vegan diet offers a variety of cancer protective dietary factors.

Increasing consumption of legumes, fruits and vegetables, tomatoes, allium vegetables, fiber and vitamin C plays a protective role against cancer.

BONE HEALTH As long as the calcium and vitamin D intake is adequate in vegans there are no serious bone health threats as there is ample supply of other protective factors for bone health.

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Important consideration for Vegans 1. It is important for vegans to avoid Vitamin B12 deficiency. Adding vitamin B12 fortified food and supplements under recommendations of a healthcare professional are suitable to prevent this deficiency.

2. Similarly, calcium intake must also be adequate. Calcium fortified foods in addition to food sources rich in calcium which include green leafy vegetables, tofu and tahini will help to keep your calcium levels in check.

3. Consumption of Vitamin D fortified foods and supplements under recommendations of a healthcare professional are important to maintain your vitamin D levels at optimal levels.

4. Omega – 3 fatty acids can be obtained from plant foods rich in Alpha linoleic acid which include ground flaxseeds, walnuts, canola oil, soy products and hemp seeds. Micro algae supplements rich in DHA can also be included in a vegan diet.

5. Since the phytate content of a typical vegan diet is high it is important to consume foods rich in zinc. You can include, whole grains, legumes and soy products to improve the availability of zinc inside the body. Research has shown that vegans are thinner, have lowered serum cholesterol, reduced risk of rising blood pressure and lowered risk of cardiovascular diseases. The only major concern is the bone mineral density which is an important determinant of the risk of fractures. This can be kept in check with maintaining optimal levels of calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12.

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VARANASI & HER VIVID VERVE Nanditha Vijayaraghavan

Mark Twain once wrote, “Banaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together.” Varanasi or Banaras, also referred to in the Hindu scriptures as ‘Kashi’, derived its name from the word ‘Kash’ meaning brightness. Since its birth, Varanasi, ‘The City of Light’, has been living up to this meaning, propagating Indian culture, values and tradition in every way it knows best. Located in the middle valley of Ganges, in the eastern part of the Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi is nearly 3000 years old and stands proud as an important centre of Hindu devotion, pilgrimage, mysticism and poetry. The city also recently joined the global bandwagon of UNESCO “Cities of Music” under the Creative Cities Network.

Being synonymous to the holy river Ganga, the vibrant city of Varanasi, its ancient by-lanes and multicultural ethos make for an absolute delight for any tourist to visit and explore. Here are our top picks for a first-time visit to Varanasi.

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Explore the Ghats, Temples & Galies Varanasi is the city of temples, ghats, kunds and galies (narrow lanes). Much of the daily life in Varanasi takes place on its 87+ ghats—stone steps that descent steeply towards the river and stretch northward into a crescent. The spectacular long sweep of ghats along the banks of the Holy Ganga is a sight unparalleled to no other. Life here unfolds almost magically from dawn to dusk as a steady stream of devotees, swelling to thousands on auspicious days, perform rituals and special prayers. While the small temples in the city are used for daily local prayers and rituals, larger ones are associated with Hindu history and mythology. The Durga Temple (known as the Monkey Temple due to the monkeys hanging around) is one of the most significant, dedicated to goddess Durga who protects the city, and the Kashi Vishwanath Temple (Golden Temple), dedicated to Shiva, is one of the holiest Indian temple.

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Take a Spiritual Ride on the Ganges As you take one of the popular boat rides along the shore, you’ll get a better view of all the ghats from the water. Assi Ghat is where the Ganges meets river Assi, and although it is not as popular for tourists and visitors, it is an important ghat for Hindus, as pilgrims bathe here before worshiping Lord Shiva. Dashashwamedh Ghat is one of the oldest ghats and is where the famous Ganga Aarti ceremony takes place every evening. Manikarnika Ghat is considered to be the most sacred cremation ghat where consigning the mortal remains to fire is believed to provide eternal peace to the soul of the dead. The pind daan ritual at this ghat is performed to provide ultimate relief to the restless soul and paves the way to the ultimate world of peace.

Witness the Grandeur of the Ganga AartI Go on a boat ride on the holy river Ganga and observe the religious rituals being conducted on the Ghats of Varanasi.

The guided Ganga Aarti boat ride lasts for 4-5 hours and can be opted for in the morning or evening. The evening trip also includes a visit to the cremation grounds at Manikarnika Ghat.

You would be able to have a panoramic view of the rituals as the aarti is conducted on the river’s edge amid much fanfare and religious fervour. The glittering lamps and reverberating chants of the hymns evoke spiritual sentiments as you glide by in the boat.

Experience the Local Style and Taste Treat yourself to a plate of hot aloo puris as you wake up in Varanasi to a stunning topography of miniature waterfalls and the blessed waters of the Ganges. Located near the Vishwanath Temple, Blue Lassi is one of the most popular joints in Varanasi. The place has become famous for its signature drink, the Pomegranate Orange Lassi, which is a refreshing delight. With its walls adorned with passport sized photographs, letters and postcards, the restaurant is frequently visited by many offbeat travelers. Shopping in Varanasi is the best thing to do on a free afternoon or evening. The city is widely famous for its silk saris and ornate jewels. Visit the local market to buy different items of interest. The intricate pattern of floral designs and elaborate zari or thread work saris must be purchased from this beautiful place. The local market here is filled with illustrious fine silk and apart from saris, one can buy shawls, carpets, stone inlay work, bangles and idols of Hindu or Buddhist deities. The main shopping areas to explore in this city include Vishwanath Lane, Thateri Bazaar, Chowk and Godowilia.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES

SOHAN JAKHAR Paintings,People,Places and Perception.

How did it all start? When did you decide to be come a professional artist?

I was inclined towards painting/drawing since my childhood. I don’t have any clear idea as to what education I would follow but I was interested in art, advertising and fashion and dreamt for higher education in any of these fields. But as I was living in a small city Sikar in Shekhwati region, these people weren’t aware of all these fields.

After 10th it was time to choose a subject stream, my parents told me to opt for science, but I was not interested.

Meanwhile I found out, that in my home town one school offered drawing & painting subject as an option in arts stream. I opted for drawing & painting along with two other subjects and somehow I got the consent of my parents.

In school, after seeing my interest, our drawing & painting teacher told me to pursue higher education in fine arts from Jaipur. After 12th I got admission at Rajasthan School of Art despite my parent’s hesitation. In arts school,I came to know more about visual arts and I wanted to become a professional artist.

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Going to art school. How did it shape you?

The Rajasthan school of art lacked a true art school environment due to negligance of the concerned authorities (which still continues). The art school did not have enough infrastructures for classes and other activities. Very few well qualified teachers who could guide and nurture young people were posted there. Anyway, in art school I developed my skills of drawing, painting, graphics and an artistic vision with the help of some of our best teachers. I was fortunate to have good company of friends. We had a lot of conversations about art and helped each other by sharing ideas & concepts. If you are with a good bunch, you push yourself along.

“I like the Vibrancy of the street bazaars. Inspiration comes from city life�

Most memorable of the many shows done?

My most memorable show with my first group was at Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur. It was a learning experience and I have a lot of fond memories associated with it. I think doing work in the studio and then presenting them in gallery space for viewers is a different kind of experience. Just after my graduate study with five of my friends we planned this show and exhibited more than 100 works in the biggest gallery of JKK. Before the show I was very anxious of the media, who asked questions about my work. In this show I had done work on current affairs and social issues. The response to our show was very good. Many people visited our exhibition and asked me many relevant/ irrelevant questions about my inspiration and objective. And some people criticized me for my subject matter. Media persons took our interviews and published our artworks in newspapers. We had a great time at the gallery for a week. That show helped me build a lot of confidence as an artist and motivated me to excel in the field.

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What inspires you in the subjects you choose to paint?

I like the vibrancy of our street bazaars. Our street visuals are full of colors, text, sound and surrounded by visual stimulation, a noisy visual chaos of vendors, hawkers, taxis and brilliant billboards along the streets. l like the way hawkers & taxiwalas decorate and write catchy phrases on their push-carts and taxis, though the vendors/taxiwalas appear name less, each of them has their own personality and it reflects on their cart/taxis. These vendors, hawkers and taxis dominate the busiest urban landscapes. I am visually documenting Your work has something very urban about them. Is there anything specific that inspires you?

I was born and brought up on a farm near our city , Sikar. So as a child I was not exposed much to either city or rural life.

My only companions were my brother, sisters and TV after school time. Through television I learnt about big cities and was attracted towards city life and started dreaming of living in a big city. For higher studies in fine arts I came to Jaipur, that was my first exposure to a city life in a real sense. I had immersed myself in city life. It greatly influenced me as a person and helped in shaping my personality and outlook as an artist. So inspiration for my work comes from city life and I paint with references from urban street scenes with subjects like vendor/ hawkers and taxis. These roadside stalls, carts and taxis are not just an object to be seen but a process wherein social and subjective identities are being formed. The visuals of these stalls/taxis grew out of major cultural and technological transformations that occurred in the last decade, which included the impact of the consumerism, advertising and Bollywood.

What is it that you are currently working on?

I just started a new project with visual of vendors and taxis of my home town with a different approach. I juxtapose the images of vendors on the taxis to form a different metaphor. These vendors and taxis seem to reflect a scenario in a permanent state of transition and moving life.

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WHAT’S BREWING

Bonjour Alexa!

Bio-Methane Bus?

Alexa, a virtual assistant developed by Amazon is capable of voice interaction, music playback, making to-do lists, setting alarms, streaming podcasts, playing audiobooks, and providing weather, traffic, and other real-time information, such as news. It can also control several smart devices using itself as a home automation system.

Currently, interaction and communication with Alexa are only available in English, German and Japanese.

Tata Motors rolls out country’s first Bio-Methane Bus. The bus will help in catering to the need for a greener country by providing an alternate fuel technology. Its use will contribute in a positive manner to the Smart Cities proposition of keeping them clean. It is also a good option for wet garbage management. Operating engines on bio-methane will also help promote Government of India’s Smart City initiative.

Source: jagranjosh.com

Smart backpacks

Indoor herb garden devices

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Digital nomads and entrepreneurs – a key consumer group online and opinion leaders – travel a lot and bring their gear along. That’s why it’s only natural to see a demand for better backpacks. They come with chargers, USB, Bluetooth, RFID and other geeky extras that we’re not even sure how to use – but hey, there’re people who do. The good thing about those smart backpacks is that they have to be well-made and durable, so it’s a premium product by default and you can make a good profit.

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Young people now follow two big trends: they are tech-savvy and they care about what they eat. It’s very hip right now to grow herbs in one’s own kitchen. That’s opening the market for smart devices that water plants while people are away and alert if soil fertilization is needed. Some have additional lighting to enhance plant growth. Others double as fish tanks so the fish fertilize the soil and the soil filters the water. The closed ecosystem is the perfect smart gadget for the urban environmentalist.

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