Art & Culture

From the Horse’s Mouth

Madhavankutty Pillai

The Kala Ghoda fest is supposedly about nine days of ‘cultural’ activity. But it’s really more a street fair.

How the Waste Was Shunned

Sajeda Momin

An ambitious project by artist Michael Landy in the UK invites artists to dump their ‘failures’ in a giant waste bin.

Balasaheb, You Are a Lucky Man

Manju Sara Rajan

Sir, you will not be watching MNIK. But because of your hue and cry, I saw it. So I think it’s only fair that you share my suffering.

Magical Reality

Avantika Bhuyan

Spiti’s bare landscape pulls you in as much does the warmth of the people from the valley, believes photographer Idris Ahmed.

Street of Art

Rahul Jayaram

Every year, for one day, a kilometre-long artery of central Bangalore becomes a platform for artists from all over India to display their works without engaging mediators like galleries.

State of the Art

Venkata Vemuri

Legendary collector Charles Saatchi has his eye on Indian art and the result is a mega show featuring 26 Indian artists in London.

Kabhi Here, Kabhi There

Hartosh Singh Bal

Not even the most fickle politician has changed affiliations as many times as Amitabh Bachchan. Why does the greatest superstar in Indian cinema history hanker so much for political patronage?

Outside the iPod

Pramila N. Phatarphekar

From Carnatic and Hindustani classical performances to religio-folk songs and fusion bands, it’s three days and nights dedicated to discovering the richness of Indian music.

The Wizard of Jazz

Arindam Mukherjee

Self-taught Indian American musician Vijay Iyer is wowing the world today. But he started playing the piano only to annoy his sister.

Disrobing Draupadi

Anil Budur Lulla

A Telugu novel, honoured by the Sahitya Akademi, has both the literary community and Hindu rightwing worked up over its ‘pornographic’ depiction of Draupadi.