She looks like a toy car. Yet, she is just like the present-day automobiles. The ‘queen’ who once graced the French roads, she remained a competitive car for a long time because of her front wheel drive and fuel efficiency. The 1973 Citroen Dyane 6, she is the prized possession and a ‘member’ of Steven Rebello’s family.
“She is a second generation car in our family. It all started with my dad Ronald Rebello, who was a car afficionado. I lost my parents early in life but I have terrific memories associated with them. The same holds true for the car. Whatever was close to my father is very precious to me,” says Steven.
His passion is an inherited one as “the only talk in his house would be about cars, gear boxes and power steering.”
A small but strong car, she came all the way from Delhi to Bengaluru. “It was in 1975 that my dad learnt about this car, which was in Delhi then. An adventurer, he took my mother and my infant brother to Delhi. He bought this little car and started his journey to Bengaluru. It took him three days in that sweltering heat to reach but the car did not give any problem,” he explains.
It was after this journey that Ronald fell in love with Citroen and from here began Steven’s passion for these unmatched machines as well.
“This car looked very funny when we saw it the first time. But then, they were far ahead in terms of technology. She has travelled the rough terrains of Chikkamagaluru and Shivamogga and she is perfect till date,” he says.
A 600 cc air-cooled engine, this car has a canvas roof, radial tyres, high clearance, synchromesh gearbox and is one of the first cars to have a front wheel drive. While it is the mechanism of these cars that holds great value to Steven, it is also the priceless memories attached to it that makes it a part of his family. “We have spent our childhood popping our heads out from its roof and waving at people. It has a bouncy suspension, which is why the villagers would start shouting ‘kappe car’ (froggy car), whenever they saw her on the estate roads,” he reminisces and laughs.
As the saying goes, ‘history repeats itself’, Steven’s daughters, Keya and Fiona, treasure the beautiful car. “It has been great having this car,” says Keya. The story does not end here.
“I have always been a lover of Citroens. As a teenager, I had seen another Citroen in Shivamogga that was owned by two Catholic nuns and was used as an ambulance. I admired it back then and moved on. But after 20 years, when I had the money, I went looking for this van.” He made a sketch of the van, which was a 1974 Citroen AK 400, and went to all the garages of Shivamogga.
“The nuns still had it and one of the mechanics told me the rank of the nuns and where it was available. It wasn’t an easy task as I had to beg them for it,” he explains. As the van needed restoration, Steven restored it with a touch of creativity by combining two of his passions — Citroen and coffee. “I am into the coffee business, so I converted the Citroen van into a mobile cafe,” he says. As the coffee was brewed and cookies were baked, the van surely “steered up all his five senses” and his love for the Citroen grew multifold. His wife Anjali too has a soft corner for it.
“While dating her, I used to pick her up in this car and it has been a part of our lives. These cars have a mind and soul,” he says.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> MetroLife / by Prajna GR / DHNS – June 30th, 2015
Thanks to the number of food trucks that have come up in the City, the foodies here are a happy lot. Though the concept of food trucks is not new in India, it has been gaining popularity in Bengaluru only over the last two years. These trucks have found many takers and one can always spot a lot of crowd around them.
Owned by Sudarshan MS and Francis Xavier along with two others, ‘De3-The Eatery’ was started in March 2013 and serves Continental, Italian and American food. One can spot it in Shanthinagar, Kammanahalli and Jayanagar. “We always wanted to do something different and focus on quality and cleanliness. The idea of starting a food truck came in as we wanted to popularise the concept of mobile and clean restaurants with an open kitchen. So when people see how their food is being prepared, they get a sense of satisfaction,” says Sudarshan.
Many of these food trucks have a clear idea of their target customers. ‘The Great Indian Bhukkad’ was started by Suraj Agarwal in 2014 and caters mainly to the students of PES University, Banashankari. Parked at the college premises, it offers a variety of rolls and wraps among other Chinese dishes. “Our USP is that we cater only to students and our prices are reasonable. The students know that we serve clean and hygienic food and really appreciate the taste. We are glad that we have been able to establish a relationship of trust with them,” says Suraj.
‘Spitfire BBQ Truck’, which was started in 2014 by Sidhanth Sawkar and Gautami Shankar, moves around in Sahakara Nagar, Kammanahalli, Indiranagar and Koramangala. As the name suggests, it serves barbecued delights. “Bengalureans today are getting into food culture professionally. As the city is a melting pot of different cultures, people here are open to different types of food. Everyone has high expectations from us not just because of the food we provide but also the personal bond that we have built with our customers,” says Sidhanth.
Their experience of working in the food industry in the United States led Siddharth and Bharath to start ‘Off Road Food Truck’ (ORFT). The place, which was started in January this year, often stops in Sahakara Nagar and Kammanahalli and serves burgers, sandwiches, Spanish rice, chicken and fried ice creams. “We were working for different restaurants in the US. It was our interest for food that brought us together. Our idea was to go up to people and serve them rather than they coming to us,” says Siddharth. According to him, cleanliness, affordability and convenience are the things that attract the crowd to ORFT.
Some of these trucks are area specific too. ‘Frying Wagon’ in RT Nagar was started merely two months ago but has been seeing great business. The truck serves Chinese dishes and rolls and the dishes are served only on eco-friendly paper plates. Vijay Kesarkar and Soujanya Vijay, the owners, say, “Our business is picking up and now people are aware of us. They look for cleanliness, quality and hygiene and come to us because we meet their requirements. Our prices are reasonable thanks to which, we have a lot of students coming to us. Even the IT crowd comprises a chunk of our customers.”
‘Meals on Wheels’ is another such truck that can be spotted near Richard’s Park in Frazer Town. Serving Chinese cuisine with a twist, one can often see foodies relishing a variety of momos, Chinese ‘bhel’ and saucy lollipops here. “The concept of food trucks is becoming popular in India and people in the City are more open to it now. The business too is growing at a fast pace,” says Syed Harris, who owns the truck along with Aftab and Maaz.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> MetroLife / by Surupasree Sarmmah / DHNS – June 29th, 2015
Their poor economic background proved to be no deterrent for two students who carved a niche for themselves through sheer hard work.
This translated into three gold medals and a cash award for Karunya Shetty, a botany student of Mangalore University, and two gold medals for Shwetha Bhandary P of SVS College, Bantwal. Shwetha completed her MCom from Bantwal College.
Overjoyed after receiving these gold medals and cash award at the 33rd convocation of Mangalore University on Wednesday, both Karunya and Shwetha exemplified their thirst to overcome their economic status and excel academically. Karunya’s father Shekar Shetty is a shopkeeper and her mother Shoba is a housewife. Venkatesh Bhandary, Shwetha’s father, too is a shopkeeper and her mother Vrinda rolls beedi for a living.
Eligible for Inspire scholarship awarded by the department of science and technology, Karunya said she wants to do research in plant bio-technology.
Incidentally, she is the first postgraduate in her family. She is presently working as a guest faculty in the same department.
Shwetha repaid her parents by winning two gold medals. Having already landed a job as a clerk in Indian Overseas Bank at Padubidri, Shwetha said it was marks that she scored in first semester that motivated her to do well in the remaining semesters. She is keen to pursue a course in ICWA.
The convocation also saw history student Preethi R Udupa of Dr G Shankar Government First Grade College of Women, Ajjarkad walk away with the loudest applause for her two gold medals and five cash awards. Sangeetha Karanth, chemistry department; Logeshwari K, department of human consciousness and yogic science; and Shalini Shetty, chemistry department, Mangalore University, walked away with two gold medals each.
source:http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Mangaluru / TNN / June 18th, 2015
“Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj was among the most progressive rulers of the world. He introduced bold interventions and welfare schemes that were far ahead of his time,” Janardhan Waghmare, a former MP, said in Bidar on Sunday.
He was speaking at the Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Jayanti organised by the Shiva Chhatrapati Smarak Samiti at the Rangmandira in Bidar.
Shahu Maharaj introduced reservation and affirmative action in terms of free education, scholarships, hostels for girls, promotion of business by lower cast traders, and equality before the law for all. His unstinted support helped Dr. Ambedkar get education of global standards, he said.
P.G.R. Sindhia, the former Minister, lamented that politics had become a monopoly of the rich.
“The rich spend money in elections and come to power. They make laws and create schemes that benefit the rich. It happens in all parties. There is no exception,” he said. Maruti Rao Mule, former MLA said the lives of Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule and Dr. Ambedkar had inspired millions.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Bidar – June 29th, 2015
Jackfruit is all set to dispel the notion that kebabs can be made only from meat. The chunky jackfruit aril makes tasty kebabs and also tasty machurian.
The many avatars of jackfruit, like idlis, kadubu, sheera (kesaribath), cake, appam, vada, wild jackfruit juice, were on display at the jackfruit mela that was held at Fisheries College in Mangalore on Saturday.
Demonstrating the making of kebabs and manchurian, Shankar Prabhu, a progressive farmer, said: “Jackfruit has changed my life. Though it’s available only during the monsoon period, its shelf life can be extended to about six months with ready-to-cook and pre-packed ready-to-eat food processing techniques.
A grocery store owner at Sanoor, said: “This fruit has made my life. The prosperity I could not achieve from my grocery shop business of two decades was made possible through jackfruit in seven years. I regularly participate in such melas once a week.”
He added that at a recent two-day mela at Kumta, he made a transaction of Rs 1 lakh. “The products we brought disappeared within a day. There was a long queue for the food we prepared using jackfruit,” he said. For six months in a year, he embarks on this journey of popularizing jackfruit during the monsoon season in the city.
Raghava and Vijayalaxmi, a couple from Dharmasthala, have been dabbling in jackfruit delicacies for a year. They make dry jamoon and other jackfruit-based condiments like garige, unduga, pickle, pappad, tender jackfruit in brine etc.
Muralidhara Prabhu from Bantwal, who started the Halasu Preemi Okkoota (Jackfruit Lovers Federation) a year back, said: “Though there are 75 varieties of jackfruit, mostly in Kerala, in the district, however, we have not more than 10-12 varieties.”
His sale at Pilikula a few days back earned him Rs 30,000 in a day. “Not every jackfruit can be used to make all dishes. For finger chips, pappad and garige, we use a particular variety. If you use the wrong kind, the chips will be hard or go soft within a day. Pappad prepared from a wrong variety of jackfruit can make it tasteless,” said Prabhu.
On display were more than 20 varieties of jackfruit, including the red, fleshy jackfruit. So much was the attraction that red jackfruit bulbs were selling at Rs 30 to 40 a dozen.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Mangaluru / by Stanley Pinto, TNN / June 28th, 2015
Front Page of The Hindu on June 25, 1975. Photo: The Hindu Archives
The Emergency was declared on June 25, 1975. The writer recalls the day her mother Snehalata Reddy was imprisoned, and underlines the need to keep memories of those dark years alive.
Artist, actor and political activist Snehalatha Reddy was incarcerated in the Bangalore Central Jail during the state of Emergency declared in June 1975, first under the Defence of India Rules and then under Maintenance of Internal Security Act with no hearing. No charges were filed and she had no recourse to a court of law. She died on January 20, 1977, before the Emergency was lifted. / by Special Arrangement / The Hindu
The sudden ringing of the phone rips the silence. I rush down the stairs, hoping it won’t stop before I reach. I hear my mother’s disembodied voice. “They have brought me here again, can you come?” I race to the Victoria Hospital, praying I get there before they take her away.
These images continue to haunt me after 40 years. I still wake up in a sweat to the ringing of that phone, trying to comprehend the madness of the Emergency. I can never compensate for losing her so soon, so young, so pointlessly, still wondering ‘why’ and to put things right by assuaging my anger with constructive actions. As if by doing so, I can bring her back or fulfil her aspirations. Each day, I realise how miserably I fail. Now, with a cultist Prime Minister, the old fears resurface.
I find her, as always, sitting in the RMO’s room having an animated discussion about public health and the care of female prison inmates. She turns to me, almost regal in her bearing, but there is pain and sadness in her beautiful eyes. We hug and kiss wordlessly. I cling to her for a moment; almost believing that if I hold her tight enough they can never separate us.
Time is up. We hug hurriedly whispering “I love you”. The police have come to escort her back. I feel limp and helpless as I watch her being led away to the police van. The doors shut and I can barely see her through the grill. Our eyes lock. I follow the van through the streets of Bangalore to Central Jail. The large almost fortress like doors open with a loud grating metallic echo followed by a deafening thud as they hit the inner walls. The van drives in; I lift my hand to wave, she does the same. Our hands freeze in mid-wave till the doors shut with a final bang. I stare at nothing for a long while following her with my mind. The body search. The long walk to the cell. The clang of the cell door, rattle of the key, warden’s shrill laugh. Her sitting defeated on her cot. Tears begin to roll uncontrollably. She is so near; yet so far away!
Snehalatha Reddy — or Sneha as she was affectionately called — was born to Indian Christian parents, second-generation converts. My mother resented the British and the colonial rule, so she reverted to her Indian name and wore only Indian clothes. She could spin magic, turning gloom into sunshine and fear into the excitement of adventure. She had a tormented childhood and understood my anxieties. She loved people and abhorred cruelty and injustice. She always paid scant respect to caste and class, with no national boundaries, harboured no discrimination. She taught us to value people and to treasure knowledge and experience. As a feminist she believed in equal rights and abhorred men who used tradition as a cover up for exploiting women.
My parents were Socialists, greatly influenced by Dr. Lohia. Though they expressed themselves through arts, their activism and ideology permeated their lives. Theirs was a partnership based on love and respect. She was passionate and warm; while he was calm, a voice of reason, the tranquil revolutionary. He was the shade that protected her flame.
We find a notebook among her meagre possessions. In it she has written, about the Bangalore Central Jail. “As soon as a woman comes in, she is stripped naked in front of everyone else. When a human being is sentenced, he or she is punished enough. Must the human body be degraded and humiliated as well? Who is responsible for these perverse methods? Shouldn’t intelligent Superintendents, IG of Prisons, etc. go on improving conditions? What is the purpose of every human being born in this world? Is it not to lift mankind a little higher towards perfection? No matter which walk of life a human being is born, his mission is to raise standards in human feelings and thoughts in every possible way.”
On June 9, 1976, she wrote; “At least I have achieved something here. I have stopped the horrible beatings the women prisoners used to get. The food has slightly improved for them. And though the water supply is appalling, yet there are promises for pipes to be connected and that is not bad at all. And most of all, I have made them unafraid a little. I went on a hunger strike till the food improved slightly.”
Though, in 1971, Indira Gandhi was on the crest of popularity after victory against Pakistan, by 1973, North India was rocked by movements against high inflation, economic instability, corruption and deterioration of living standards. In June 1975, the High Court of Allahabad found Mrs. Gandhi guilty of using illegal practices during the previous election and ordered her to step down. Amid nation-wide demands for her resignation, Mrs. Gandhi declared Internal Emergency on June 26, 1975.
George Fernandes proposes to start an underground movement. My mother vehemently argues for it to be non-violent while he defends selective violence. I have volunteered to join in. My mother, though afraid for my safety, grudgingly agrees. She understands I have to discharge my political obligations in keeping with my beliefs. She has taught us well. We cannot be mere bystanders when our constitutional freedoms are being denied.
These are the principles she set for herself and for us all.
She was a most caring mother, giving me courage to explore the unknown, feel grounded even when out of my depth, have the guts to do things not attempted before and to discover through experimentation and experience, secure in the knowledge that I was loved. This was her gift.
On May 1 1976, my mother wrote: “In a real dark night of the soul, it is always three o’clock in the morning day after day.” I wake up in a cold sweat. It is three o’clock in the morning. I keep my eyes closed to stay with my dream. The sound of the closing jail doors, the disappearing police van, her hand frozen in a wave. But I do not let it end there. I take her with me. Now we are sitting by the beach watching a glorious sunset, arms around each other. She is relaxed and at peace. I am safe. I have repaid my debt.
But now we are faced with a repeat performance — a dark shadow that is lengthening and threatening to engulf us, our Constitutional freedoms and fundamental rights. This time it is more subtle and savvy, but blatantly authoritarian all the same. My pact with my parents will not allow me to stand by and watch. I will fight it with all I have.
The writer is a human rights, social and political activist.
(nandanareddy54@gmail.com)
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Magazine / by Nandana Reddy / June 27th, 2015
The sesquicentennial celebration of Bishop Cotton Boys’ School hosts a special play entirely done by the Old Cottonians. Allan Moses Rodricks draws open the curtains on the project ahead of the grand reunion.
For Cottonians, by Cottonians, of Cottonians: Chris, Kartik and Abhijit
‘Nec Dextrorsum! Nec Sinistrorsum! For those of us who don’t know Latin or are someone who has not passed out of Bishop Cottons, these words may seem meaningless. But for those who have studied in this prestigious institution nestled in the heart of Bengaluru city, the quote brings a tonne of nostalgia. Meaning ‘Neither to the right nor to the Left’ from the Bible, the school motto rings louder than before this year as the educational establishment comes to the end of its sesquicentennial celebration (read 150th year). And the Old Cottonians’ Association of Bishop Cotton Boys’ School find no better fitting tribute to give to the school than to present a play directed and performed entirely by Old Cottonians to herald in the festivities ahead of the grand reunion at Old Cottonians’ Day on June 30.
So, for the first time ever, the talented Preetam Koilpillai (Class of 1990) will spearhead the performance of Yasmina Reza’s Art, translated by Christopher Hampton, featuring Kartik Ganapathy (Class of 1991) as Marc, Abhijit Madhwaraj (Class of 2001) as Serge and Chris Avinash (Class of 1992) as Yvan on June 27 and 28 at Jagriti Theatre.
For Cottonians, by Cottonians, of Cottonians: Preetam Koilpillai
Art is a classic Yasmina Reza powerhouse that brings into sharp focus the chinks in the friendship of three friends – Marc, Serge and Yvan over a piece of art. Set in Paris, it mixes levity with drama over an obscenely expensive painting bought by Serge, which he sees as exquisite and tries to get his friends to see that way too, with bewildering results for all.
Chris says he’s incredibly, madly excited about the whole event. “For someone like me who has been typecast in a musical role usually, this is out of the blue. I’m famous for having people throw things at me,” he laughs and adds: “It’s great to do something where I’m not holding a guitar on stage. PerformingArt is a dream come true. Over the last couple of years, nothing has demanded so much from me as this play. The impact is a learning curve for me.”
Karthik points that they updated the play a bit. “We’ve added some modern elements in it which were not there in previous versions. It’s also our school’s moment of pride and it’s a lot of excitement. I also share a deep-rooted connection with the school since my grandfather, my uncle and I studied there and perhaps, someday my kids will go there as well. Cottons is like an adopted family with a legacy of its own. We all respect what we got in school and who it made us. At the end of the day – the school anthem, the motto and the battle cry – it all gave us so much. This is our way of giving back.”
Preetam adds his two bits. “Art is a great script. But for me the experience goes beyond the technicalities of putting a play together. I’ve made friends. The great thing is that over the last few months, we’ve become close and supportive of each other. To me the process of going through the play with these guys is really cool and I’ve enjoyed it immensely.”
The connection with Cottons is absolutely phenomenal, he shares. “The reason why I’m into music and theatre is because of Cottons. It seemed right to do a play as part of the sesquicentennial year. And something like this has never been done before. It’s an interesting thing to be part of.”
What’s the take away from the play? Chris says people are going to find it funny. “Everyone will find a different kind of play. The set doesn’t change even though its three different houses – only one painting changes. It will remind them of themselves with a familiarity of the situations and humour on how silly life can be.”
Karthik says: “Art is also about how friendship transcends everything – characters, words, deeds and who we are. I hope people appreciate the beauty of friendship from the play that also reflects on the friendship we share despite leaving school long ago.”
From the perspective of the 150th year celebrations, what better time to act, one-lines Chris. Preetham echoes the same thought. “I hope this paves the way for other initiatives hopefully. People who have not really known each other before have gotten to know each other now. So it’s brought us together in a much more comprehensive way than online portals. Opportunities like this don’t come around every day.”
The play will be held at Jagriti Theatre, Whitefield, on Saturday, June 27 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, June 28 at 3 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. Entry is for 18 years and above. Tickets at Jagriti box office and bookmyshow.com
(The author is also a Cottonian)
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Allan Moses Rodricks /June 26th, 2015
The story of ‘Excelsior Bakery’ is a long one, one that dates back to many decades. Sagadevan, an enthusiastic baker, learnt the art of baking from the British and started his own venture in Shivajinagar. The small but popular confectionery store has withstood the test of time and has passed down four generations.
Saipreeth Muralidharan, the youngest to join the modest venture, says, “My great grandfather worked with the British at a bakery called ‘Bangalore Bakery’, in Cantonment, for a few years before it was dissolved. In 1930, he started his own bakery on Seppings Road and with the help of a British woman named Emery, learnt the tricks of the trade. She was the one who named it ‘Excelsior’ because she thought the number nine is lucky. The door number of the bakery was also nine at the time (now it has changed to number 36, a multiple of nine).”
A variety of cakes, buns and breads can be found here. But unlike the famous Iyengar Bakeries that spot the City, ‘Excelsior’ has a niche clientele. “We start preparing for Christmas a month and a half before; our plum cakes are famous and have special spices and essences that have been passed down from father to son. Our items, unlike other bakeries, have influences from the British, so it’s a niche crowd who come to buy our goods,” says co-owner Anuradha. Every year, for St Mary’s Feast, they prepare a 70 kg cake.
After Sagadevan, his only son Angannan took over. He passed it down to his two sons, Dharmalingam and Muralidharan, who are the current caretakers, along with Saipreeth (who is the latter’s son). Many of their customers are third or fourth generation loyalists. They come to feast on treats like the Japanese cake, ‘barfi’, mint bread, ribbon cake, honey cake, sponge cake, puffs and spiced breads. One aged customer says that his grandfather used to bring him here when he was 20. “Another customer recently came to the bakery from Chennai. His relatives, who live in Bengaluru, would take our products to him when they visited. He wanted to see the shop for himself and went back with nine loaves of sweet bread!” relates Saipreeth.
Along with scrumptious sweets and savouries, they also customise cakes. “We’ve always done it,” says Saipreeth, as he showcases some of the cakes that are shaped like a ship, Rajnikanth, Michael Jackson, Ben 10, Disney characters and more. “If a person gets a picture of a cake, we make it,” he adds.
What makes the bakery different is that they aren’t afraid of change. In February, they renovated the entire place and added a few things. “Before, most of the goods were of second sale, but now almost everything is ours. Also, we introduced a new menu that caters to the youth. Now it has a non-vegetarian component to it, with chicken rolls, pizzas, burgers and puffs. We only use chicken, but for ‘Ramadan’ we are planning to make mutton ‘samosas’,” says Saipreeth. They had to get a halal certificate, and now they are making delicious savouries. “We also introduced tea and coffee because people were tired of aerated drinks. And we installed a bench for the older generation,” he adds.
They strive to keep preservatives out of their goods. “We try to not use gels and chemicals but these days it can’t be helped. But most of our products don’t have much of it. In cakes, if gel is used, it becomes softer but doesn’t last long,” says Muralidharan.
Saipreeth, an engineering student, says that he initially didn’t have plans to enter the baking business but it was inevitable. “It was my boss’ birthday and I took some goodies from the bakery to work. There, my colleagues ate everything up real quick and asked where I bought them. I hadn’t told them I owned a bakery, but when I did I got many suggestions on how to improve it. Cashing in on these, I thought to myself that I could help the bakery instead of working on someone else’s dreams.”
With plans to expand and attract the youth, they are going to introduce more products. “All our new products are items that Saipreeth and his friends like; it all depends on his liking and understanding,” jokes his mother, Anuradha.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Supplements> MetroLife / by Ananya Revanna / DHNS – June 20th, 2015
It was all about music. / Photo: Elvin Lonan / The Hindu
As CounterCulture shuts down, founders Guru Somayaji and Vishwaraj Mohan recap their favourite shows in no particular rank
Whitefield venue CounterCulture underwent a management change last month, hosting its last show as a major music venue on May 30. While it would have been difficult for any live venue to survive while meeting the city’s demand for local and out-of-town bands, CounterCulture had the biggest space to offer bands and gig organisers – perfect for festivals like Bangalore Open Air and album launch concerts by bands ranging from Swarathma to Skyharbor since 2011.
We spoke to CounterCulture founders Guru Somayaji and Vishwaraj Mohan, who are now moving on to managing music programming and events at other venues, to recap their favourite shows in no particular rank.
Somayaji says, “At CounterCulture, pretty much every gig I have put on has been a favourite. As a programme director, there are pressures of choosing the right artiste for a night, but in the last few years, given the feedback and response, I guess, I have done some gigs right!”
The Bicycle Days and Tempo Tantrick(February 2011): This was CounterCulture’s first gig. None of us had a clue when we set up this gig that we would go on to host and produce some crazy gigs!
Peter Cat Recording Co. and Gowri (April 2011): This is the first time I got a call from this band saying they were driving down to Bangalore from New Delhi and were looking for a gig. It was also the first time we were hosting an artiste away from Bangalore. The magic of this gig and the music still remains fresh to a lot of people.
Pinknoise – Indie March Festival (March 2013): I think this was the first proper gig the band played after (bassist) Gyan Singh’s passing away. As a tribute to Gyan, we placed a Bass Amplifier right at the front of the stage and his recorded tracks were playing through it.
The intensity of the music and the love for him was felt through the gig. This to me was musically the most powerful gig!
Vedanth and Bindu – Indie March Festival (March 2013): For a brief while, we experimented with hosting classical music gigs. I still don’t know how this gig went on for two hours and 58 minutes non-stop, and the crowds refused to move. I never thought a combination of Kabir, Hindustani and Carnatic can have someone gripped for as long as this.
Parvaaz – Behosh Album Launch (July 2012): I first saw Parvaaz at The Big Mushroom Cloud Festival and didn’t like them at all. So when they landed up at CounterCulture to meet me to discuss their album launch, I approached it with some amount of cynicism. At around their album launch, I went on a motor-biking trip across South India. On the morning of the gig, I decided to brave incessant rains and walked into the venue soaking wet, and my, what a transformation the band had gone through since I first saw them in 2009.
Parvaaz – Baran Album Launch (September 2014): After the Behosh album launch, we kind of became friends with the band and when the time for their second album launch happened, I decided to make this an album launch to remember. I sat through their rehearsals, plenty of meetings, designing lighting spots, and a fully setup dress rehearsal. We never even expected to see that many people in one place singing out all their songs. It was possibly one of the best album launches.
The Bicycle Days – Calamitunes Album Launch – (July 2013): This was conceptually one of the craziest gigs I designed. For the first time, there was a band agreeing to my method of madness. I covered the entire stage with a screen made of “dizzy lizzy” cloth, the fabric that is used to stitch blouse and petticoat lining.
The band was lit up from behind and all the audience could see were silhouettes of musicians and that’s it. The focus was on forcing people to listen through the music as opposed to watching a band. As a lighting designer, this was quite a gig!
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Anurag Tagat / June 24th, 2015
Paramjith Singh, IGU official, is seen presenting the Category ‘C’ girls winner’s trophy to Pranavi S. Urs of JWGC, Mysuru, in the IGU Telangana Ladies & Girls Golf Tournment which concluded at Hyderabad on Friday
Hyderabad :
Mysuru girl Pranavi S Urs of JWGC, taking part in the IGU Telangana Ladies & Girls Amateur Golf Tournament 2015, won the Category ‘C’ Girls title with a three-day aggregate card of 239 ( 80+83+76) on Friday.
Hitashee Bakshi secured the second place with a three-day aggregate score of 249 (83+85+81). Anika Varma finished third with a three-day aggregate score of 250 (85+82+83). Mysuru girl Disha Kauvery finished 12th with a three-day card of 285 (101+92+92).
In the Ladies section, Sehar Atwal triumphed with a three-day card of 229 (77+76+76). Ridhima Dilawari finished second with a score of 236 (81+76+79). Tresa Malik secured the third place with a card of 236 ( 82+82+72). Mysuru girl, Dhyuti K. Urs finished 39th in the rankings with a card of 299. She also finished 12th in Category B.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports News / Saturday – June 20th, 2015
