An exhibition of heirloom sarees from private collections that pays homage to the magnificent woven traditions of India. Many of the heirloom sarees are no longer being woven today as present day sensibilities, raw material unavailability and diminishing weaving skills have played a part in the gradual decline of production of these special weaves. The exhibition highlights and exemplifies the wide variety of weaving skills, different types of yarns and the astonishingly beautiful aesthetics which were prevalent and popular a few decades ago. The collection also highlights sarees woven in the important weaving clusters of the time including Kanchipuram, Benares and Paithan among others

Inauguration on Saturday, 31 August 2024 at 18:30 with

Bharatanatyam performance composed for the occasion

By Justin McCarthy

Guided Walkthrough on 1 September 2024 at 16:00 hrs respectively

Kindly please register in advance on 9910666457

On 7 September 2024 at 17:00 hrs

A Conversation

With Ms Malvika Singh, Publisher, author, revivalist of traditional textiles skills  

(Collaboration: Delhi Crafts Council)

Readings

By Sharmistha Mohanty, writer and poet; and Najwan Darwish, poet from Palestine
 

Organised in collaboration with Almost Island Dialogues

Readings
By Anitha Thampi, critically acclaimed poet, essayist and translator; and David Herd, poet, critic and teacher from UK
 

Is the Legal Guarantee of MSP the Next Big Idea in Agriculture?

Panelists: Prof. Himanshu, Associate Professor, Centre for Economic Studies and Planning, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Shri Ajay Vir Jakhar, Chairman, Bharat Krishak Samaj; Shri Harish Damodaran, National Editor (Rural Affairs and Agriculture Editor), The Indian Express; and Shri Kiran Kumar Vissa, National co-convener,  Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture (ASHA) 

Chair: Shri Siraj Hussain, former Union Agriculture Secretary
Moderator: Shri Pravesh Sharma, IAS (Retd.), former MD, SFAC (Small Farmers’ Agri-Business Consortium)

Speaker: Shri Amarjeet Singh, Member, SEBI

The lecture will explore the regulatory perspective on developments in sustainability, the creation of Social Stock Exchange (SSE), and the pivotal role of SEBI in fostering transparency and accountability in the corporate sector

Chair: Ravneet Pawha, VP, Deakin University

BCF Annual Lecture

(Collaboration: Business and Community Foundation)

Discussion based on the Report by Rahul Verma, Fellow, Centre for Policy Research and Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, Ashoka University

Panelists: Aanchal Malhotra, historian and author; Hilal Ahmed, Associate Professor, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS); C. Raja Mohan, Non-Resident Distinguished Fellow, Asia Society Policy Institute;  Suhasini Haider, Diplomatic Editor, The Hindu and Pinaki Chakraborty, Visiting Distinguished Professor, National Institute of Public Finance & Policy (NIPFP)

Moderator: Rahul Verma, Fellow, Centre for Policy Research

Do people in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh still share old cultural and civilizational ties? Have they been able to bury the past and move ahead? The Report is based on the 2022, Centre for Policy Research and CVoter project to mark 75 years of Partition involving a comprehensive survey of citizens of all three countries that was carried out between May and October 2022. At the panel discussion, the distinguished speakers will discuss the Report that compares the responses of citizens in three countries on multiple components: their opinion on partition, economic development and social progress, the position of women, political processes, populist sentiments, and trust in democracy and institutions  

Speaker: Prof. R. Mahalakshmi, Professor, Centre for Historical Studies, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University

Chair: Prof. Amrit Srinivasan

Food is nourishment, necessary for life, and yet there is no single understanding of what nourishing or appropriate – across and within cultures. By bringing in some key concepts known in early Indian sources, the talk will focus on environments and cultures, histories and social dynamics, and the symbolic universe that food traditions reveal, which have left a mark on the food cultures as they have evolved in the Indian sub-continent

Devrai (Sacred Grove/India)
(108 min; 2004; Marathi with English subtitles)
Director: Sumitra Bhave & Sunil Sukthankar

Recipient of the Best Film Award for Environment Conservation/Preservation, 52nd National Film Awards 2004; Special Jury Prize, Bombay International Film Festival 2005; awards for Best Film, the Best Director, the Best Actor, and the Best Actress, Screen Awards 2004; and Award for Best Film with Social Message, 42 Maharashtra State Film Awards 2004; among others

The film will be introduced by Dr. Mohan Agashe, well-known actor and psychiatrist who will lead a discussion following the screening

The film received critical acclaim for the portrayal of schizophrenia and for the performances of its lead actors. The story of a man who has schizophrenia and is struggling to come to terms with his illness and the frustration of his helpless sister.

(Collaboration: Brotherhood)

Sarod Vividha – two  stylistic traditions of Maihar and Shahjahanpur gharana of sarod 

An Illustrated presentation by Pt. Prabhat Kumar and Dr. Chandrima Majumdar

Pt. Prabhat Kumar is a senior disciple of Vidushi Sharan Rani of Maihar gharana; and Dr. Chandrima Majumdar is a disciple of Pt. Narendra Nath Dhar of Shahjahanpur gharana 

The speakers will speak and illustrate the distinct stylistic traditions of the two gharanas.

Curator: Prof. Himanshu Prabha Ray

Tiny Terracotta Tales from North India
Illustrated lecture by Dr. Deeksha Bhardwaj, Associate Professor, Gargi College, University of Delhi

Chair: Prof. Kishor Basa, Chairperson, National Monuments Authority

Terracotta or baked clay forms the most enduring medium for the representation of the human image. Though not ubiquitous, as may sometimes appear, anthropomorphic terracotta figurines, wherever found, constitute a significant part of an archaeological corpus. In terms of technique of manufacture, decoration details, context and usage, these tiny humanoid forms offer a multiplicity of meanings, and information about the past that can be teased out of them. How can we reimagine the past using the terracotta figurines as tools? With this objective, this presentation will examine the archaeological evidence from historical sites in North India