BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

 

An Intimate Portrait of a Great Mughal

By Parvati Sharma (New Delhi: Juggernaut, 2018)

 

Discussants: Dr. Anubhuti Maurya, Assistant Professor, History, Bharati College, University of Delhi; Dr. Swpna Liddle, historian and author; Dr. Vijay Tankha, former Professor of Philosophy, St. Stephen’s College

 

Chair: Amb. K.P. Fabian, former Diplomat & Foreign Policy Analyst

 

Understanding Personality Disorders

Speakers: Dr. Kushal Jain, Psychiatrist; Dr. Rajesh Sagar, Consultant Psychiatrist, AIIMS; and Shri Muzammil Karim, Clinical Psychologist

 

Moderator: Shubha Menon

 

(Collaboration: You, Me and Mental Health)

 

Insider Outsider – Belonging and Unbelonging in North-East India

 

Edited by Preeti Gill and Samrat Choudhury (Amaryliss: 2019)

 

 

 

Release of the book followed by a discussion

 

Speakers: Mahua Sen, visual artist, musician and writer; Paramjit Bakhshi, entrepreneur and columnist; Sanjoy Hazarika, human rights activist, scholar, author, journalist and filmmaker, presently International Director, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, New Delhi; and Suhas Chakma, human rights activist,  in a discussion with Preeti Gill, independent editor and literary agent with over two decades of publishing experience; Samrat Choudhury, also known as Samrat X, co-editor of this anthology, author and journalist; and others

 

 

 

Writers for this anthology include Sanjoy Hazarika, Mitra Phukan, Anjum Hasan, Ankush Saikia, Mona Zote, Jahnavi Barua, Shalim Hussain, Prof. Binayak Dutta, Prof. Anindita Dasgupta and others. The book tries to delve into the differing narratives and experiences on the contentious topic of insiders and outsiders in the region, with the hope that viewing matters from different sides of divides will improve mutual understanding. The anthology is aimed at promoting understanding and amity between communities in Northeast India

 

 

 

FILMS OF THE SPIRIT

Curated by Rajiv Mehrotra

 

Kanchana Sita (Malayalam; 90 min; 1977; dvd; English subtitles)

Directed by G. Aravindan

 

With Ramdas, Venkateswarlu, Chinna Pulliah, Kesava Panicker

 

Recipient of the National Film Award for Best Direction 

 

Aravindan’s film is a retelling of an episode from the Ramayana. Derived from Sreekantan Nair's play and Valmiki's epic, the film alludes to the golden image of Seeta which Rama sets by his side for the Ashwamedha Yagya, the ritual sacrifice of a horse to Agni, the god of fire. The film has been widely appreciated for the uncompromising exploration of the ancient epic through a new cinematic language, moving its focus from the central characters to Nature. Ram and Seeta represented here only as aspects of nature such as the rustling of the wind in the trees or as rain bringing harmony where discord threatens 

 

(Collaboration: Foundation for Universal Responsibility of H.H. The Dalai Lama)

 

 

 

(Collaboration: Embassy of Israel)

 

 

Hindustani Vocal Recital

By Indira Naik from Mumbai, disciple of Pandit Dayal Thakur and Pandit Vithal Rao

 

The artist will present a concert inspired by the spring season rendered in sufi, thumri and other songs