Indu (36 min; 2024; Hindi with English translations)

With the poetry of Indu Jain (Indu Jain ki Kavita ke saath)
A film by Sameera Jain who will introduce the film

Screening will be followed by a discussion with the filmmaker

The film is a homage to the beauty, depth and spirit of Indu Jain’s poetry. Her work seamlessly navigates the personal and political, words moving to keep pace with her energy, permeated with an innate sense of freedom. Indu Jain’s poetry is immersive, mesmerizing, sensuous. The film reflects this essence in an experiential, experimental way.

Indu Jain (1935-2008) was a strong presence on the Hindi literary scene, and wrote for close to fifty years. She had to her credit more than ten volumes of poetry and seven of prose, Her work has been widely anthologized and translated in Japan, Czechoslovakia and Pakistan 

Presented by Mooralala Marwada, celebrated folk singer from Gujarat, who belongs to a lineage of Meghwal singers who migrated from Rajasthan to Khadir island in Kutch four centuries ago. With a rich repertoire of Nirguni bhajans, sufi kalaam and other traditional folk songs, Mooralala also plays the ‘santaar’, a traditional stringed instrument.
 
Accompanists: Kanji Rana (algoza); Naran Haja (ghado ghamelo – percussion); and Sukhdev Lakha (zanz-percussion)

The programme will be in the format of lecture-demonstration. Alongside the songs performed by Mooralala ji and his troupe, Kartikay Khetarpal from Nayi Dhara, will offer a commentary on the songs, which will illuminate their literary and cultural significance especially in relation to the evolution of Hindi. Through bhajans of Kabir, Mirabai, and Ravidas, the programme will look at the role of the Bhakti movement in Hindi’s development, and also explore Hindi’s relationship with languages like Gujarati and Sindhi.  

(Collaboration: Nayi Dhara)

Heartstrings: A Tapestry of Prose and Poetry

Edited by Sanjula Sharma (Authorspress: 2023)

Discussants: Prof. Saugata Bhaduri, Centre for English Studies, School of Language, Literature and Cultural Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University; Ms Amrita Bhalla, Associate Professor, Jesus & Mary College, University of Delhi; and Ms Sanjula Sharma, poet, journalist and author of the book

Chair: Shri K. Jayakumar, President, The Poetry Society (India) and former Chief Secretary, Govt. of Kerala

The Nepal Cookbook: 108 Regional Recipes

Discussion based on the new book by Rohini Rana (Viking: 2024)

Speakers: Rohini Rana, author of the Book; Suvir Saran, culinary maestro and Michelin-starred chef; and Alka Pande, art consultant and writer.

Chair: Shri Shyam Saran, President, IIC

Embark on a culinary journey through Nepal with Rohini Rana, discovering 108 regional recipes that capture the unique culinary legacy of each community.

My Favourite Urdu Poems

With Leeladhar Mandloi; Om Nischal; Giridhar Rathi; and Asad Zaidi

(Collaboration: The Raza Foundation)
 

“Because it’s There”
Centenary of the historic 1924 British Everest Expedition and the intriguing mystery of the disappearance of George Mallory and Andrew Irvine

Illustrated lecture by Brig. Ashok Abbey (retd.), passionate skier-mountaineer who has climbed extensively, for over 43 years in the Karakoram, Great Himalaya, and adjoining mountain ranges, including overseas

Guest of Honour: Shri N.N. Vohra, former President, Indian Mountaineering Foundation and Life Trustee, IIC

Chair: Shri Shyam Saran, President, IIC

Moderator and Host: Shri Sudhir Sahi, former Editor of “Indian Mountaineer”, former Honorary Secretary, Indian Mountaineering Foundation, and former Delhi Secretary of the Himalayan Club

A fascinating historical perspective of the pioneering attempts of 1921, 1922, and the 1924 British Everest Expeditions, the mystery of the disappearance of George Mallory and Andrew Irvine, and the tantalizing question as to whether they were the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
 

A group show – the artists in this show present a variety of different works and media in their diverse practices. From journalistic reportage, to analogue experiments in the darkroom, to investigating archival material, to pedagogic presentations of form, to re-looking at image practices within the lens of contemporary art.

Artists: Aditya Pande, Avani Tanya, Dhruv Malhotra, Hemant Sareen, Hylozoic/Desires (Himali Singh Soin & David Tappeser), Ishan Tankha, Kana Kitaoka, Kapil Das, Kaushik Ramaswamy, Pallavi Arora, Rahul Noble Singh, Sarnath Banerjee, Shirley Bhatnagar, Shoili Kanungo, Shyamant Behal, Srinivas Kuruganti, Sudeep Chaudhuri, Sukanya Ghosh, Uzma Mohsin

Inauguration on Thursday, 25 July 2024 at 18:30 with a Guitar recital by Shyamant Behal and the release of a set of photo zines by Ishan Tankha

 Latika Gupta will conduct a walkthrough of the exhibition and a conversation with the participating artists on Saturday, 27 July 2024 at 16:30 hrs in the Art Gallery

With Songmi Han, co-author with Casey Lartigue of Greenlight to Freedom: A North Korean Daughter’s Search for Her Mother & Herself; Casey Lartigue Jr., advocate and activist based in South Korea where he is co-founder and Chairman, Freedom Speakers International; Eunkoo Lee, expert and advocate for North Korean Human Rights and co-founder and Chairperson, Freedom Speakers International; and Chanyang Ju, Freedom Speakers International

The two speakers, Songmi Han and Chanyang Ju will discuss living in North Korea and their lives there. The story of survival, resilience, and the pursuit of freedom against all odds. The evening will also include a special musical performance by Ju on the traditional Korean flute

(Collaboration: Korean Cultural Centre India)
 

Hindustani Vocal Recital
By Dr Kaustuv Kanti Ganguli from UAE, disciple of Pt. Ajoy Chakrabarty