बाकी कविता शब्दों से नहीं लिखी जाती, पूरे अस्तित्व को खींचकर एक विराम की तरह कहीं भी छोड़ दी जाती है… - कुँवर नारायण Here’s another man, Kunwar Narayan, who read English literature and wrote in Hindi. Why don’t I ever meet such people when they are alive? Always to communion with ghosts, of those living … Continue reading Hindi Poetry’s New Age Poet
Category: Art
Discovering Batalvi
Maina made him the poet that he became, I’d like to imagine. This PRO at State Bank of India sure had a lot more on his desk. Maina’s memories kept up with him, always looking, from over the shoulders. Sitting thrilled reading his poetry this morning. For once, glad that Sahitya Akademi recognized this distant … Continue reading Discovering Batalvi
Amal Kiran & poetry
Amal Kiran ! This guy is one of those tiny flowers with an intense colour, tucked way off the meadow on a mountain trail where not many venture and so not many would know of. Moreover, such flowers grow a little closer to the precipice for folks to know of their existence. How do I … Continue reading Amal Kiran & poetry
Why Interpret Art?
A short course in Categories in Art (posted earlier here, here & here) early this year has left me with a slightly accentuated sense of “works” of art, “artists” and “forms”. It also made me think about what art is and examine why some claim an exclusive “understanding” of art whereas each one of us … Continue reading Why Interpret Art?
Not sexy enough! Cultural encounters on the cricket field
As long as IPL was about a new format of cricket, entertainment and advertising, it was predictable and of minor interest to me. But I was hooked yesterday when I saw this fascinating encounter of the regular pompom wielding cheer girls of Chennai Super Kings with the elegantly attired (and beautiful) girls performing bharatanatyam-lavani blend ! That is a new battle field opening up … Continue reading Not sexy enough! Cultural encounters on the cricket field
Music and perception
An effect of pursuing liberal arts is that one's mind is no more disengaged with the heart. (yes, that typical problem with modern education). Pursuit of any form of art or art itself as an experience, as a conscious consumption works as a bridge between the left and the right brained orientations that psychology talks … Continue reading Music and perception
Saints & Poets – Kannada Poetry
Translated works are often special because of a completely new world that they open up for a reader who wouldn't have otherwise known and understood some of the finest poetry of a different region composed in an alien language. When such a world opens up, it is like a travel to a distant unknown land … Continue reading Saints & Poets – Kannada Poetry
On Art, Art Criticism & Art History
How often are we conscious of using words like art, craft, art criticism, art history, artisan and artist ? These words are used interchangeably in common language or at times in conjunction, like 'art and craft'. How does one distinguish one from the other? Is there a difference? These are simpler questions emerging from a … Continue reading On Art, Art Criticism & Art History
Seeing the old through new lenses – Digital Humanities
A few weeks back I attended a talk on Digital Humanities organized by Center for Public History at Srishti . I figured that what appeared new was something which we (my startup partner & I) were already doing without quite knowing that a new set of technology tools applied to sociology is now going by a new name called … Continue reading Seeing the old through new lenses – Digital Humanities
Dawn Upon Delhi – Photo exhibition at NGMA
There's an interesting exhibition of photographs going on at NGMA, Bangalore titled "Dawn Upon Delhi" this month. It is a rich collection of photographs from the 19th and 20th century Delhi, especially of the time when Delhi went on to become "New" Delhi and the three grand 'assemblages' called Durbars. The exhibition is curated by … Continue reading Dawn Upon Delhi – Photo exhibition at NGMA
Contested Realities 