Asian Lite News Archive

Category: Arts & Culture

  • National Theatre to showcase Dara

    —

    in , , ,

    ‘Dara at the National Theatre, London to run from 20 January until 4 April.  Tanya Ronder’s adaptation of Shahid Nadeem’s Dara spans the princes’ lives from cradle to grave. An intense domestic drama of global consequence – for India then and for our world now. The scene set in 1659 – Mughal India. The imperial court, a…

  • PJ: Greek gods, demigods and the quests

    —

    in , , , ,

    Vikas Datta in his weekly column  Bookends profiles The Percy Jackson series – Greek gods, demigods and quests in modern America Be it the exploits of Hercules, Perseus or Odysseus or their ilk, the warrior kings of the Indian mytho-religious ethos, the knights of King Arthur, Persian princes, Arabian chieftains (Hatim Tai) and merchants (Sindbad), Russian bogatyrs Dobrynya…

  • Britain’s iconic arts to tour India

    —

    in , ,

    The rich diversity of British art and creativity, beyond what audiences may be familiar with, is represented in an ongoing exhibition in Mumbai that showcases vibrant accounts of contemporary culture across various media – mostly by those who are not professional artists. Folk Archive, a significant piece of contemporary artworks by international artists – Jeremy Deller…

  • Vienna to hold world religious meet

    —

    in , , , , ,

    World Meet of of Religious Leaders in Vienna to discuss ways to stem violence in the name of religion The King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID) is organising a world meet on Nov 18 & 19  in Vienna of religious leaders and policy-makers to fuse a united front against violence…

  • Bonhams Dominates Asian Art in London

    —

    in , ,

             A NEW WORLD RECORD PRICE FOR A WORK BY JAPANESE ARTIST ZESHIN Bonhams six Asian Art sales in London this week produced a number of stunning results for Japanese and Chinese art, confirming the strength of this art market sector. The company’s sales total of £11.2m was well ahead of other auction…

  • Stage Set for Asian Wedding Awards

    —

    in , , , , ,

    The long Awaited Nominations List For the Asian Wedding Awards 2014   AWE ASIAN WEDDING AWARDS unveiled the finalists for the 2nd Annual Asian Wedding Awards 2014, to take place on the 8th December 2014 at Manchester Marriott Victoria & Albert Hotel.  The Awards celebrate the tireless devotion, creativity and inspiration of 1000’s of the Asian wedding…

  • Victoria Memorial to showcase Sikh paintings

    —

    in , ,

      In celebration of Guru Nanak Jayanti , the iconic Victoria Memorial Hall here has put on display a relatively modern miniature painting of the first Sikh guru and plans to hold an exhibition of old paintings centred on the community next year. The miniature by W. Kapoor Singh, a non-celebrity artist, shows Nanak flanked…

  • Banksy mural to be sold in US

    —

    in , ,

      A mural by the British graffiti artist Banksy will be sold at an art fair in the US. The mural was removed from the wall of an amusement arcade in the town of Folkestone in Kent. Art dealer Robin Barton said that the mural entitled “Art Buff”, which depicts an older woman staring at…

  • Algorithms to hit UK screens

    —

    in , , , ,

    ‘Poetic … stirring … visually arresting.’ – The Hollywood Reporter, US This Indian, Grierson-nominated documentary, which follows the moving, fascinating and soulful story of three visually impaired chess players over a three-year period, is currently only available to watch in the UK through ourscreen at Picturehouse Cinemas. British filmmaker Ian McDonald’s feature-length debut follows in the footsteps of…

  • CHINA FASHION WEEK- PICS

    —

    in ,

    Models Wang Min (L), Chen Juanhong (R) and designer Qi Gang express gratitude to audience during China Fashion Week in Beijing, capital of China

  • Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt  in Oxford

    —

    in , , , ,

    The Oxford India Society will play host to one of the finest musician in the world – Grammy Award winner, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt on  Wednesday 5th November, 2014 The concert will be held at the Holywell music Room in Oxford – a purpose built concert hall in the heart of Oxford and among the oldest in Europe.…

  • London Intl. Arts Fest Gathers Momentum

    —

    in , , , ,

    The London International Arts Festival (LIAF) had a successful start on 26th October. The second week of the festival features an interesting band, Sunday Driver at the Brunel Museum on 29th October at 7.30pm, dont miss them! Curated by the South indian violinist Jyotsna Srikanth, 2014’s five day line up spotlights the capital’s best up…

  • The relevance of Dylan Thomas

    —

    in , , ,

    Dylan Thomas: Still a monumental figure 100 years after birth…a special report A century after his birth and six decades after his death, legends still haunt the tragic life of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, whose prolific writing helped knock down the walls between popular literature and that of the elites. Dylan Marlais Thomas (27 October…

  • INTERVIEW: Ira Singh

    —

    in , , ,

    Ira Singh’s creations are riddled with nostalgia, metaphors In her debut novel, Ira Singh has deliberately picked up metaphors as motifs to narrate a coming-of-age story, set against the backdrop of partition and independence, and refrained from getting into details that led to these developments to narrate a story of a family. “It would have…

  • SPECIAL REPORT: Owl Festival of Varanasi

    —

    in , , ,

    Owl Festival: A time to crack jokes in Varanasi…writes Mohit Dubey Hundreds of thousands of people in this Hindu holy city – and now Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency – in Uttar Pradesh are eagerly looking forward to Sunday, to a time for cracking jokes on anything under the sun and merry making, when the…

  • Indian Encounters in Scotland

    —

    in , , , , ,

    National Museum of Scotland to showcase the works of the Singh Twins – Amrit & Rabindra Kaur Singh A new exhibition Indian Encounters will open at the National Museum of Scotland showcasing a newly commissioned painting Casualty of War, by renowned contemporary British artists The Singh Twins. Alongside the commission, beautifully crafted 19th century jewellery and…

  • Desi Girl Goes Opera Way

    —

    in , , , , , , ,

    The Rajah’s Son & Princess Labam, written and directed by Nishi Rajan,will open November 7th at the Medicine Show Theatre in New York City. The musical will run for 6-nights only Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm from November 7th through November 22nd The Off-Broadway Indian Musical ‘The Rajah’s Son & Princess Labam’ held a special preview…

  • Desi Help for ‘Year of the Bus

    —

    in , , ,

    Deven Bhurke, a freelance graphic designer and artist based in Hampshire, has contributed to a major street art project in London to celebrate “Year of the Bus.” The event is to mark 60 years since the first appearance of the iconic Route Master besides the 75 years since the launch of the RT-type bus and 100 years since…

  • Now a musical tribute to Malala

    —

    in , , , ,

    World premiere of choral work inspired by Malala in London on 28th October Malala: A Child of Our Time – Tuesday 28 October 2014, 7.30pm | Barbican, London              Now a musical tribute to Malala   A new choral work inspired by Malala Yousafzai, the 15-year-old Pakistani girl shot in the…

  • Lottery fund to build Indo-British art connections

    —

    in , , ,

    Arts Council England and British Council announced a new £1.5 million lottery fund to build creative connections between the people of England and India. The fund is part of the programme “Re-Imagine India” that aims to provide English artists and arts organisations with opportunities to develop collaborations and cultural exchanges with their Indian counterparts. “The…

  • SPECIAL REPORT: Pratchett’s Discworld novels

    —

    in , , ,

    Vikas Datta looks into Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels  No tyranny – be it a repressive regime or of outmoded customs and entrenched attitudes – can withstand the subversive sound of laughter. From the earliest times, perceptive observers of the human condition have used the devastating literary weapon of satire to ridicule the vices, follies, and abuses of…

  • Kalasangam Presents Salaam

    —

    in , , ,

    Kalasangam, Bradford, presents, a beautifully crafted intricate dialogue of Kathak dance and live music inspired by the works of 13th Century Sufi Saint and musicologist Hazrat Amir Khusro.Saturday 18th October 2014 @ 7pm, Ganges Hall, Kala Sangam Kathak is an exhilarating dance experience: an astounding display of precise footwork, eloquent gesture, rapid turns and intricate, heart-pounding rhythms.…

  • London International Arts Festival

    —

    in , , , ,

    London’s Winter Rhapsody – Dhruv Art’s LIAF festival is back with an eclectic buzz The London International Arts Festival celebrates the rich diversity of world music, through the lens of complex Indian classical forms. From South Indian Classical dance, in form of ballet, created with London based dancers, to the top saxaphonist of India who…

  • Glimpse of Vibrant Rajasthan in London

    —

    in , , , ,

    Acclaimed artist Namita Jain’s new exhibition entitled “Glimpse of Vibrant Rajasthan” will open on  27th October at Bhavan Centre at West Kensington in London. This is Namita’s third solo exhibition of painting with Rajasthan as the theme subject. The earlier exhibitions were held in 2005 and 2009. The exhibition, which is part of Asian Art Week London 2014,  will…

  • Rashtrapati Bhavan to have hi-tech museum

    —

    in , , ,

    A high-tech story-telling destination of modern times, with a glass dome in the centre and pristine white imperial design conforming to the existing architectural grandeur is how Rashtrapati Bhavan’s new museum will look like. President Pranab Mukherjee  laid the foundation stone of “Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum Phase II” at the President’s Estate where he talked about…

  • Christie’s Indian auction in December

    —

    in , , ,

    After a successful Indian debut last year, international auction house Christie’s will bring works of modern Indian masters like Jehangir Sabavala and Tyeb Mehta for its second auction here Dec 11, the organisers said Tuesday. The sale will comprise 80 lots from the best of modern and contemporary art that will include Sabavala’s 1974 masterpiece…

  • SPECIAL REPORT: Jodhpur Fest

    —

    in , , , ,

    Over the years, rustic folk music has often found space within Bollywood space, but the organisers of Jodhpur’s Rajasthan International Folk Festival(RIFF) aim to go a step beyond by nurturing a platform that creates a demand for bucolic music by retaining traditional ethos and flavours. “There is no demand for folk music in the cities…

  • London pays tribute to Gandhiji

    —

    in , , ,

    High Commissioner of India Mr Ranjan Mathai led a cross-section of people from the Indian diaspora to pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi to mark Gandhi Jayanti in London. The event held near the Gandhi statue at Tavistock Square was attended by mayors, senior politicians, diplomats besides members of Indian Journalists Association, London. Chairman of India League…

  • INTERVIEW: Neel Mukherjee

    —

    in , , , ,

    Shilpa Raina talks to Neel Mukherjee  who says his novel The Lives of Others”  is not a family saga. The book was short-listed for Man Booker Prize Author Neel Mukherjee is absolutely “thrilled” that “The Lives of Others” has been shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize for Fiction 2104. Though he was a bit wary how…

  • Century old Durga Puja songs to be digitised

    —

    in , , ,

    By Sahana Ghosh   Breaking away from the trend of Bollywood numbers and rock hits playing during the festive season, enthusiasts here are trying to preserve age-old devotional songs reminiscent of occasions like Durga Puja by digitising century-old recordings, a process spanning next three to four months. Sharadiya songs (songs of autumn), a tradition in West…

  • Jaspal Bhatti continues to inspire in death

    —

    in , ,

    His tragic and untimely death in a car crash nearly two years ago made millions sad but even in his death, satirist-actor Jaspal Bhatti continues to inspire others. This is perhaps the only case in the world that a celebrity has became brand ambassador for a cause after his death. Bhatti, who tickled the funny…

  • DiCaprio at UN Summit

    —

    in , ,

    Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio addresses the UN Climate Summit in New York. He said: “I play fictitious characters often solving fictitious problems. I believe that mankind has looked at climate change in that same way. As if pretending that climate change wasn’t real would somehow make it go away, but I think we all know better than…

  • Indika! – A Musical Dance Spectacular

    —

    in , , , , ,

    Kala Sangam, in association with Siri Productions, presenting another Musical Dance Spectacular – Indika! Indika is a breath-taking odyssey that brings to life, the story of one land. Featuring vibrant classical choreography to a hauntingly beautiful score, this joyous production brings together on stage, a whirlpool of colors and a abundance of energy. An international…

  • Asian Achievers Awards, London

    —

    in , , , , ,

    London-based ABPL Group, which publishes weeklies such as Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice, honours several prominent people from the British-Asian Community for their excellence in respective fields. CB Patel, veteran journalist and the editor of the group, welcomed the august gathering which includes cabinet ministers, politicians and key members from the business community. The lifetime…

  • SPECIAL: Vikas Datta on James Michener

    —

    in , , , ,

    History made readable: James Michener’s epic novels Can there be a better source of inspiration for novelists than the expansive and colourful pageant of history, though man’s magnificent achievements, raw heroism,inspiring progress and human resilience may frequently be offset by events more inglorious and tragic? One writer who utilised the past for engrossing but insightful…

  • UN Plea for Global Peace

    —

    in , ,

    The UN International Day of Peace celebrations heard an appeal from the International Mahavira Jain Mission for nonviolence towards all living beings as a way of promoting world peace. Neil Parikh, a 21-year-old student from New Jersey, representing the organization, said, “When people think about world peace it is all about humans. But we have…

  • Ghulam Ali in Delhi

    —

    in , , ,

    Legendary ghazal singer Ghulam Ali left music aficianados mesmerised with his rendition of his classic numbers at a concert held here for a cause. He has urged the public to banish female foeticide from the society. The ‘Ek Ehsaas’ concert was held at the Siri Fort Auditorium  in aid of Arise’s social awareness program Sangam’s…

  • SPECIAL REPORT: world’s tallest Krishna temple

    —

    in , ,

    Heritage status demanded for Vrindavan…writes Brij Khandelwal The world’s tallest Krishna temple under construction, numerous religious shrines, forests and historical holy ponds, a living cultural entity with a distinct identity, visited by millions of people round the year: Vrindavan – the abode of the much-loved and playful Hindu god Krishna – is crying for heritage town…

  • OBIT: Mandolin Srinivas

    —

    in ,

     Uppalappu Srinivas, who was known for playing rare ragas on mandolin at his concerts, never played a false note in his illustrious career. His death Friday morning at the young age of 45 came as a jarring note and shocked the Carnatic music world, music lovers, his fans and others.Popularly known as Mandolin Srinivas, he…

  • Dabbawallas for Nawabs

    —

    in

    Mohit Dubey says Mumbai Dabbawallas’ success story is going to land of nawabs Come Saturday and management students, industry captains and representatives of other institutions will be taking tips and lessons here from the success story of Mumbai’s dabbawallas, who have gained fame globally for efficiently delivering lunch boxes, colloquially known as dabbas, to thousands…

  • Chai is back in London

    —

    in , ,

    As part of the Darbar Festival – Southbank Centre’s annual celebration of Indian Classical music –  Roti Chai’s ‘Chaat Shack & Chai Bar’ returns as restaurant-in-residence, from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 September. The pop-up shack will take over Festival Village, a great space hidden away underneath the Queen Elizabeth Hall and built by volunteers…

  • GALLERY: Phantom of the Opera

    —

    in , , , ,

    Actors perform at a rehearsal of the musical “Phantom of the Opera” in Taipei, southeast China’s Taiwan, Sept. 11, 2014. The musical will be on stage in Taipei till Sept. 28.

  • ‘India beyond mythology’

    —

    in , , ,

    Well-known writer turned politician Shashi Tharoor says Indian publishers have grown beyond mythology Indian publishers have grown beyond retelling mythological and historical tales, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said at an event here, adding that children nowadays have access to good and quality literature. The former HRD minister was speaking Monday at the launch of Room…

  • In Colombia, Bollywood rocks

    —

    in , , ,

    Colombia, a South American nation of 46 million, is known for its love of football. A lesser-known secret is its passion for Bollywood – one of India’s dominant cultural forces – which has triggered a sort of cultural invasion in a country thousands of kilometres away. With romantic and dramatic themes, foot-tapping songs and emphasis…

  • ‘Event cinema’ in India

    —

    in , , ,

    Here’s a chance to experience global entertainment format, live performances and special acts at a cinema hall. Indian multiplex chain PVR Cinemas has launched PVR Live, an international concept of event cinema in the country. As part of its efforts to give a new cinematic experience, select PVR theatres across 17 cities will showcase live…

  • Jaguar word cloud sculpture

    —

    in , ,

    Jaguar and London Design Museum revealed a unique aluminium word cloud sculpture in the shape of the new Jaguar XE sports saloon. Installed in the Design Museum’s ‘Tank’, the design piece marks the start of the global launch of the new Jaguar XE due to be unveiled in London early next week. Jaguar design collaborated…

  • Special Report: Street theatre in Kashmir

    —

    in , , , ,

    Sheikh Qayoom explorig the chances of the survival of street theatre  in Kashmir Traditional Kashmiri street theatre, which once occupied centre stage as the most powerful medium of mass communication in Kashmiri society, seems to be dying a silent death. In ‘Bandh Pather’ artistes dressed in colourful attire move from village to village highlighting social, economic and…

  • Asian Lite Bookshelf

    —

    in , , ,

    Let’s rewrite the history of our universe, look at terrorism financing, read a modern classic and find your true calling. These varied themes make it to Asian Lite ‘s  bookshelf this week. Take a look. 1. Book: One Hundred Days: Her Quest, My Cure; Author: Shweta Modgil; Publisher: Tara; Pages: 150 Can one afford to just…

  • ‘the sarod project’

    —

    in , , ,

    Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his sons, Ayaan and Amaan, will undertake a concert tour of the US through October. The concert and Khan’s teaching stint at Stanford is part of what he calls ‘the sarod project’, an attempt to make more Americans aware of the sarod, a musical instrument, which has so…

  • London to host Eco Film Fest

    —

    in , , , ,

    The first ever Environmental Film Festival to be hosted in London For the first time in Britain, an environmental film festival is being organised on 12th and 13th September screening films connected to the Environment and impact of Climate Change on communities, biodiversity and culture. The Films include The Last Dance, Turtles in a Soup, The Silenced Witness,…