A Walnut Tree (Pakistan; 92 min; 2015)
Directed by Ammar Aziz who will introduce the film
 
 An old man reminisces about a distant homeland. He wants to return. Internally displaced from Swat as a result of the ongoing conflict between the Pakistan army and the Taliban and forced to live in a camp, the family is caught between memories of what life was, an insecure present and a bleak future

Silence in the Courts (Sri Lanka; 57 min; 2015)
Directed by Prasanna Vithanage who will introduce the film
 
Two women from rural Sri Lanka, raped by a Judge nearly two decades ago, try in vain to seek justice. As their plea is turned down and subverted by the country’s highest authorities, noted journalist Victor Ivan begins to write investigative stories highlighting their plight. The film is an investigation into the familiar state of impunity that marks almost the entire region of South Asia

 
Under the Justice Project, more than a dozen researchers and five filmmakers from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lank have worked over the past two and a half years to research the theme of justice and conflict. The project aims at building a series of dialogues across the five project countries through films and research papers that map a range of contests on the idea and practices of justice as they shape in different sites of South Asia. The project has been co-ordinated by Aakar, a Delhi based trust and with the support of IDRC
Screenings will be held on 25 and 27 May 2015 at 18:30; and 29 and 30 May 2015 at 18:00. Directors of each of the films will be present to introduce their films and lead a discussion after
 Films produced by Rahul Roy who will introduce the project
Castaway Man (Nepal; 82 min; 2015)
Directed by Kesang Tseten who will introduce the film
 
Dor Bahadur Bista, Nepal’s most controversial intellectual of modern times, disappeared without a trace in 1996. The documentary investigates his disappearance and in doing so unravels the caste based injustices in Nepal

Speaker: Ven. Geshe Yeshe Thabkhe, one of the foremost Buddhist Logicians and Meditation Masters 

The Forgotten Tigers (52 min; 2014; dvd; English)
Director: Krishnendu Bose
 
The film is an exploration into the lives of tigers and the forest spaces they live in, which are outside the tiger reserved. These spaces are less protected, have human presence and some are working forests. The film re-examines tiger conservation strategies that India has adopted for over four decades

Addressing women's advancement in the workplace with programme sessions for educators, banks, industry and governance

An exhibition of black and white photographs
By Jagdev Singh from Delhi
 
Inauguration by Shri Sundeep Misra, author, sports writer and filmmaker on Thursday, 21 May 2015 at 18:30
 
Exhibition on view: 22^nd to 28^th May 2015, 11 am to 7 pm at the Art Gallery
IIC Annexe, Lodi Estate, New Delhi 110003
 
About the exhibition
 
Hola Mohalla celebrates the unconditional love and faith of people in their guru.
 
Hola Mohalla is a three day event, celebrated at the shrine of Keshgarh Sahib in the Sikh holy town of Anandpur Sahib in Punjab, every year in the month of March. Hola is the masculine form of the feminine sounding Holi. The word "Mohalla" implies an organized procession in the form of an army column. It was here in 1699 that the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, baptized five men and founded the Khalsa Panth, which is the modern day Sikh faith. Hola Mohalla originated in the time of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji, who held the first such event and celebrations at Anandpur Sahib in February 1701.
 
Thereafter, people come in millions from all over the world to participate in the celebrations. On the way, several kilometres well before the main shrine of Keshgarh Sahib, you see road side tent shelters offering free food to visitors, loudly playing holy hymns and praises of the Supreme One. Day and night, hymns are read and sung from Guru Granth Sahib at scores of places. Free food (Langar) is served 24 hours day and night. The main attraction of the celebrations is the procession by Nihangs (a distinctive order among the Sikhs), tent pegging and bareback horse-riding and performance of 'Gatka' (Sikh martial art). One gets to see several Nihangs sporting massive turbans with Sikh symbols.
 
Hola Mohalla rejuvenates the centuries old tradition and zeal of sheer faith and belief that the tenth Guru plays amongst all the people present, much to the joy of millions. Undoubtedly, the undaunted spirit and fervor of the three day celebrations, captured in these frames is sure to leave you spellbound!
 
 
Jagdev Singh is a freelance photographer living in New Delhi, India. To him photography is a medium of creative expression. He loves to capture the moments and moods from people's daily life and especially concentrates on street and travel photography. His work untangles the complex appearance of life, revealing a fine sense for a moment to pause. His photos carry a refined essence of people and life at large. Several of his pictures feature on international fine art portal seenby.de and photocircle.net

Taal and Percussion in the Sattriya Tradition
The Sattras of Assam reveal a rich taal and percussion performance tradition, built around the Khol and the Cymbals. This illustrated lecture by Dr. Arshiya Sethi and Dr. Bhabanand Borbayan reveals the origins, and some of the patterns, and intricacies of Rhythm in the Sattriya culture
 
Dr. Arshiya Sethi, a well known writer on cultural issues, has studied Sattriya Culture for her doctoral dissertation. Bhabhanand Borbayan, a practicing monk from the Uttar Kamalabari Sattra,  Majuli, competed his Doctoral dissertation on “Tala Patterns of Sattriya Dance”, from Rabindra Bharati University

Dance re-lived, stories re-told inspired by Pran Nevile's "Nautch Girls of India". Introduction by Pran Nevile followed by a concert featuring Manjari Chaturvedi performing Darbari Kathak - the dance of the Courtesan
 
Accompanied by Neesha Singh, who will narrate stories from the lives of well known courtesans
 

Readings and discussion around Sagari Chhabra’s new book on  India's unknown and unacknowledged freedom fighters and the concept of freedom
 
Launch of book by Smt Momota Mehta, freedom fighter and Shri Kuldip Nayar, democratic rights’ activist and eminent journalist
 
Dr. Vibha Chauhan will be in conversation with the author followed by readings