Lifestyle

14

Aug

By The Press Editor

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Lifestyle

How Kochi celebrated Independence Day on August 15, 1947, a day marked by heavy rain

It rained very heavily in Kochi on August 15, 1947. But that did not matter. Seventy nine years ago, to the day, bells rang all over the city, in schools and colleges, temples and churches, while the ships in the harbour, factories and mills sounded sirens to announce India’s independence. “Interestingly, the Indian flag was not hoisted at any official building in Thiruvananthapuram but the YMCA. In Kochi, the flag was hoisted at the Durbar Hall grounds, Ernakulam, by the Cochin Maharaja, Aikya Keralam Thampuran’s younger brother, the Elaya Raja Rama Varma Parikshith Thampuran,” says Balagopal Varma, city historian.  A news…

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14

Aug

By The Press Editor

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Lifestyle

How the Ramayana has been a cultural bridge between India and Southeast Asia

Dancers from Apsaras Dance Company, Singapore, presented a thematic production ‘Ramayana: Celebrating the Shared Heritage’ at Bharata Kalakshetra Auditorium. | Photo Credit: SRINATH M The appeal of the Ramayana transcends geographical boundaries and genres. So what better way to mark the occasion of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and India, than by staging ‘Ramayana: Celebrating the Shared Heritage’. Presented by the Consulate-General of the Republic of Singapore in Chennai on August 8 and 9 at Kalakshetra. ‘Ramayana: Celebrating the Shared Heritage between Singapore and India’ on August 8 and 9 at Kalakshetra in Chennai. This cross-cultural performance…

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14

Aug

By The Press Editor

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Lifestyle

Artist Kaveri Bharath’s art show connects ceramics,colours, and memories in Chennai

Some clay pieces from the exhibition. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT Artist Kaveri Bharath’s ongoing exhibition, Fifty-50, in collaboration with the Alliance Française of Madras, is an ode to her journey as an artist and a ceramicist. “Inspired by my grandfather’s sculpting, I always played in mud and clay as a kid. The last 30 years of making, teaching, and thinking through clay is represented in the ceramics on display here,” says Kaveri.Born in Chennai, Kaveri grew up in a very non-traditional family that encouraged her love for creating with her hands. “For my parents, education was very important, but…

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14

Aug

By The Press Editor

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Lifestyle

Down Under by Milan’s Formafantasma explores Nature and science through art

Illustrated by Clément Vuillier, the book is structured in two parts | Photo Credit: GREGORIO GONELLA Building on the conversations around the environment and educating children about Nature, Milan’s research-based design studio Formafantasma is out with a picture book for young readers and adults alike. Titled Down Under: The Curious Fall of a Child Who Knew Nothing and Became Everything, the book (illustrated by Clément Vuillier) is structured in two parts. It begins with the story about a child ‘who, upon falling into a hole in an open field, embarks on a journey through the hidden layers of the Earth,…

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14

Aug

By The Press Editor

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Lifestyle

Independence Day: Memorials in Thiruvananthapuram that are reminders of India’s struggle for independence

On the occasion of the 79th year of India’s independence, here is a look at how the freedom movement swept through Thiruvananthapuram, then a part of Travancore and the monuments built in memory of freedom fighters as a reminder of their sacrifice. These are living stories of courage and resilience. “The fight was spearheaded by Travancore State Congress formed in February 1938 to work towards responsible governance. The Congress was up against not just the British but also the then Dewan, CP Ramaswamy Iyer, who resorted to brutal measures to crush the agitations,” says historian Malayinkil Gopalakrishnan.Remembering the bloodshed Veeraraghava…

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14

Aug

By The Press Editor

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Artist Radhika Surana brings her versatile indigo-dyed fabrics to a New Delhi exhibition

Growing up in Jaipur, surrounded by the slow rhythms of a culturally rich city, artist Radhika Surana did not realise how deeply its textures and traditions were imprinting themselves on her. “The indigo blue which was all over the city, the culture of embroidery which I had at home, the relaxed slow life of a small city; this background shaped my technical vocabulary,” she says. Transformations VII: Watercolour on 300 GSM paper and hand embroidery on cloth | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Over time, Radhika understood that this influence was not just about skills or motifs, but about seeing making…

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14

Aug

By The Press Editor

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Lifestyle

Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 4MATIC+ Coupé Launched in India: Price, performance and features

Adaptive Dynamics: 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive, AMG RIDE CONTROL suspension and rear-axle steering for precision handling. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement The latest arrival from Affalterbach has just touched down on Indian shores, aiming squarely at the sweet spot between style and speed. The Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 4MATIC+ Coupé is the newest star in the brand’s top-end performance portfolio — a low-slung, two-door machine that looks just as comfortable parked outside a five-star hotel as it does carving through a series of switchbacks. It’s a car for those who live for the driving experience, yet refuse to compromise on luxury. Luxury…

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14

Aug

By The Press Editor

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Lifestyle

Namaste Gang, an online initiative for children’s books in Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada

Niranjan Narasipuram, Vishwa Kumar Narasipuram, Veda Madhurya Kowturu and Medha Vaishnavi Kowturu, aged between seven and 12, walk into the Saptaparni Cultural Centre in Hyderabad with a sense of familiarity, drawn to shelves filled with books, activity kits, and board games. “This is the team that approves the books we shortlist for Namaste Gang,” say their mothers, Visali Kopparthy and Shilpa Kowturu. Namaste Gang (thenamastegang.com) curates books for children in the age group of 0 to 10, predominantly in Telugu, with a few titles in English, Kannada, and Tamil.Visali teaches copyright and civil law at Siddhartha Law College, Vijayawada, and divides…

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14

Aug

By The Press Editor

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Lifestyle

Karu art exhibition in Thiruvananthapuram creates a platform for marginalised voices

Bamboo chairs and wooden tables filled with art supplies and scribbles occupy the corridors of the Neighbour Gallery at Kesavadasapuram in Thiruvananthapuram, where Karu, a multidisciplinary art exhibition, is currently on. From outside, a faint sound of metal clinking from one of the exhibits syncs with the blaring horns on the road. Peaceful discussions, pleasant introductions, and artistic introspections between creators and visitors in the hallway precede a stillness inside the gallery, featuring works from artists across the country, spanning different media, from acrylic on canvas to audio-visual. The exhibition organised by Untitled Kitchen, an experimental moving collective kitchen, features…

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