By Santanu Chakraborty from Delhi, disciple of Sonal Mansingh, Geeta Chandran and Guru V. Krishnamoorthy

Discussion around this book by Dr. Kavita A. Sharma and Shri W.D. Mathur (New Delhi: Niyogi Books, 2014)
Panelists: Prof. Dinesh Singh; Dr. Aparna Basu; Justice Manmohan; Shri Srinivasan Jain; Dr. Lalit Bhasin and Shri K.C. Mehra
Chair: Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan

(56 min; dvd; English subtitles)
Director: Sonia Deotto who will introduce the film
 
Screening will be followed by a discussion
 
Mahatma Gandhi’s Constructive Programme, along with Satyagraha and the Eleven Vows is one of the three important contributions made by him to the world. Based on Nonviolence, Gandhiji proposed the Constructive Programme as a permanent guide for implementation and enrichment, beyond the political Independence of his nation. It was a model of universal impact, regardless of religion, origin or skin colour. A Gandhian delegation to Mexico led by Narayan Desai and Radha Bhatt found in many corners of the country similar programmes, initiated and developed by Mexican people. The film looks at eight stories of social transformation: eight constructive works created and developed by people of different sensitive areas of Mexico

An exhibition of illustrations
By Atanu Roy
 
Opening/preview on Friday, 16 May 2014 at 18:30

Illustrated lecture by Dr. Lauren Minsky, New York University Abu Dhabi
 
The talk specifically focuses on the spaces of long-standing commercial production and trade in the wider Indian Ocean world to illuminate the presence of an expansive healing cult dedicated to Khizr, an enigmatic water saint and patron of the Sufis. The talk considers how Khizr’s cult suggests possible ways to rethink the global rise of scientific medicine by foregrounding a vast trans-regional network of institutions that promoted empirically-grounded knowledge about the body and the environment, and that aimed to set the ritual conditions necessary for ensuring the health of those engaged in commercial activities of production and exchange
 

Dancing Music
By Sudha Raghuraman
Accompanists: Shri G. Raghuraman on flute and Shri P Padmanabhan on mridangam
 
Her lec-dem will look into how music for dance is an art by itself and how musicians accompanying dance form are trained especially for this purpose
 
Sudha Raghuraman hails from a family of distinguished musicians. She is a sought after singer of Delhi and is recipient of the noted Ustad Bismillah Khan Puraskar by the Sangeet Natak Akademi

Discussion around the new book by Dr. Rakhshanda Jalil

Chief Guest: Shri Javed Akhtar

Discussants: Shri Mahmood Farooqui; and Dr. Rakhshanda Jalil

Followed by Songs by Parcham: The People’s Songs Squad carrying forward the legacy of IPTA

 
Sama – Muslim Mystic Music of India (52 min; dvd; English subtitles)
Director: Shazia Khan
 
The film explores Islamic music traditions in India and portrays how they have borrowed and taken inspiration from the culture of India, in both form and content, to become a truly magnificent sound. It discovers that connection which allows the artist to become one with the creator and experience peace, calm,, serenity and joy
 
One Day With Rinpoche (30 min; dvd; English)
Directors: Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam
 
The story of 20-year-old Phara Khentrul Rinpoche – an insight into what it means to be a young incarnate Lama living in exile at the dawn of the 21^st century

An exhibition of photographs and text
By Sharni Jayawardena and Malathi de Alwis
 
Inauguration on Tuesday, 13 May 2014 at 18:30
 
Devotion to Kannaki-Pattini is an inspiring example of Hindu-Buddhist syncretism in Sri Lanka. Tamil Hindus know her as Kannaki and Sinhala Buddhists as Pattini. However, a large number of Sri Lankans, even devotees, are unaware that she is a shared deity. While some beliefs and rituals of veneration are shared, there are also significant variations between and across the two religions, and regionally. This photographic exhibition attempts to capture that diversity and complexity
 
As part of this exhibition, there will be a talk on Monday, 19 May 2014 at 18:30 in the Art Gallery on
Devotion and Syncretism: Pattini-Kannaki Worship in Sri Lanka
Illustrated lecture by Dr. Malathi de Alwis, Consultant Socio-Cultural Anthropologist

Speaker: Prof. Dr. Partha S. Ghosh, Senior Fellow, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library
 
Chair: Prof. Mushirul Hasan
 
The 1947 Partition of India resulted in huge mass massacre resulting in massive human exodus in search of security. They left their marks on almost all spheres of life including cultural as expressed in creative efforts in the fields of literature, music, cinema, drama, painting, architecture and food. This lecture will discuss some of these creative expressions