Revisiting the Philosophy of Verrier Elwin: Tribal Animation Festival

Dr. Verrier Elwin documented a vast number of folktales across Central and North East India. His collections have provided source material for the Tales of the Tribes, most notably for the story of Abotani from Arunachal Pradesh, in the Myths of the North-east Frontier of India, Volume I (1958). The Tribal Animation Film Festival showcases selected animated adaptations of tribal folk stories.

 

The Story of the Peacock

From the Pardhan Gonds of Madhya Pradesh 

 

When Bara Dev created the peacock he first made all the parts – the head, feathers, tail, legs and crown separately. The Lapwing decided that she would take the legs for herself

 

The film was developed by Gond artists and students of the National Institute of Design

 

Man Tiger Spirit

From the Angami tribe of Nagaland

 

Spirit, Tiger and Man are three brothers born from a union between sky and earth. The three were unable to live together in harmony, and Man used his cunning to outwit Tiger, forcing him to live in the jungle. Man is separated from Spirit but becomes an important chief who remembers his dependence on nature

 

Abotani

From the Tani tribes of Arunachal Pradesh

 

Abotani is a story about the mythical hero Abotani and his relationship with is brother, a spirit or Yapom

 

Raven Tales (24 min)

An episode from the animated series made in Canada. Raven Tales introduces Aboriginal folklore in a humourous and entertaining way. Each episode features an original interpretation of a popular tale of one of the many adventures of Raven, the most powerful deity of the mythology of Canada’s First Peoples

 

Hum Chitra Banate Hain (We Make Images; 8 min)

An animated interpretation of an origin myth from the Bhil community in Madhya Pradesh. For the Bhil community, painting is like offering a prayer and the film reveals why. The film is a collaboration between indigenous artist Sher Singh from the community and the filmmaker Nina Sabnani that explores ways of telling together

 

Screening will be followed by a discussion with the filmmakers

Coordinated by Tara Douglas

 

(Collaboration: The Adivasi Arts Trust; and Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research, Jamia Millia Islamia)

 

48th Sabrang Utsav 2016

 

Vocal Recital

 by Abdul Aziz, Kasur Patiala Gharana

 Accompanists: Nawab Ali (tabla); Kamaal Ahmad (sarangi); and Zeeshan Ahmad (harmonium)                                                         

 

Followed by

Vocal Recital 

by Ustad Mazhar and Jawad Ali khan, Kasur Patiala Gharana

Accompanists: Akram Khan (tabla); Liaquat Ali Khan (sarangi); and Zameer Ahmed (harmonium)

 

(Collaboration: Bade Ghulam Ali Yadgaar Sabha)

 

 

48th Sabrang Utsav 2016 – 24 and 25 September 2016

 

Inauguration and launch of the book “Select Stalwarts Of Hindustani Classical Music” by Uma Vasudev

 

Followed by

 

Vocal Recital 

by Ustad Raza Ali Khan, Kasur Patiala Gharana

Accompanists: Rafiuddin Sabri (tabla); and Ghulam Ali (sarangi)

 

 

MUSIC APPRECIATION PROMOTION

 

Sufi Raah: The Classical Tradition of Tappa

Famous for her renditions of the classical tradition of tappas, Shanno Khurana explains why this most arduous of Hindustani musical forms attracted her, what is the nature of their variety of rendition and she analyses their poetic lyrics to reveal the unique cultural synthesis that lies behind them. Their words express Sufi ideas, and their language is the Multani dialect of Punjabi in which much of our classical music is composed. The form really became popular in eighteenth century Lucknow and Banaras where it was given the most rigorous classical grammar even as the importance of the poetry diminished there. By the end of the twentieth century however, there were few practitioners left of the form

 

Dr. Shanno Khurana, musician and musicologist, padmabhushan and Fellow of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, has commanded the Indian performing stage for seventy years ever since her first broadcast from Lahore Radio station in 1945. She is known not just for her deep knowledge of Indian classical raagdaari but also her formidable repertoire garnered from the stalwarts to the Gwalior, Agra and Rampur gharanas. 

 

This evening she will be in conversation with his grandson, Prof Naman Ahuja and revisit her album with the same title: Sufi Raah, the Classical Tradition of Tappa, and compare it with renditions by her mentors

 

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP 

 

She Walks, She Leads: Women Who Inspire India 

By Gunjan Lal (Gurgaon: Penguin Random House, 2016)

 

Discussants: Ms Rami Chhabra, media person and social-activist; Ms Ratna M. Sudarshan, National Fellow, NUEPA; and and Ms Ritu Menon, WomenUnlimited

 

 

 

Damming Crisis in Tibet: Threat to Water Security in Asia
 

 

(Collaboration: Students for a Free Tibet-India)

 

 

 

Qand-e-Farsi wa Tootiyaan-e-Hind – Of Persian Candy & Indian Parrots

An exhibition on the history of Indo-Persian literature with photographs and facsimiles of folios from the original manuscripts sourced from various libraries and collections across the country

Presented by Jasan-e-Bahar Trust

 

Curated by Ms Kamna Prasad

 

Preview on Thursday, 22 September 2016 at 18:30

 

AS PART OF THIS EXHIBITION THERE WILL BE A PROGRAMME ON 28 SEPTEMBER 2016 AT 18:30 IN THE MULTIPURPOSE HALL

An Evening of Indo-Persian Poetry in Dastan – Goi Style

A selection from Indo-Persian poetry through the centuries will be read by performers with a narrator providing facts and background details of the works being read. The passages selected will represent a historical chronology of the influence of Persian in Indian literary writing 

Presented by Jasan-e-Bahar Trust

 

 

 

Jana Natya Manch: Shaping a Pocket (of Resistance)

Speakers: Moloyoshree Hashmi and Sudhanva Deshpande

 

(Collaboration: Lila Foundation for Translocal Initiatives)

 

 

 

Recent Violence on Africans in India: Preventive Mechanisms

Panelists: Dr. Kavita A. Sharma, President, South Asian University; Amb. Shashank; Amb. Virendra Gupta; Prof. Aparajita Biswas, Mumbai University; Prof. S. N. Malakar, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Dr. B.K. Prathihari, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi; Prof. Suresh Kumar, University of Delhi; Ms Ruchita Beri, Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis; Dr. Nivedita Ray, Indian Council of World Affairs; Shri Mahesh; and Shri Kallol Bhattacharya

 

Moderator: Prof. Ajay Dubey, Centre for African Studies

 

(Collaboration: Centre for African Studies, School of International Studies, JNU; and African Studies Association of India)

 

 

Shiva Kshetra: Thanjavur & Varanasi

The evening will present Shiva as Brihadeshwara and Shiva as Vishwanath in two styles – Bharatanatyam and Kathak

 

Bharatanatyam by Sathyanarayana Raju from Bangalore, disciple of the late Guru Narmada

Kathak by Abhimanyu Lal from Delhi, son and disciple of Guru Smt Geetanjali Lal

 

Conceptualised and executed by Dr. Usha R.K., Arts Consultant