This was a term coined in the 1980s and much in vogue. It was meant to describe those who had interest in cultural activities, viz. organisers, sponsors, patrons or performers. I even had a column going by the same title, in a popular Delhi city magazine called First City, run by a debonair Bharat Kapoor. […]Read More
Ashish Khokar loves and serves Indian arts and culture selflessly, by writing, documenting, filming, archiving, celebrating and awarding. 45+books, over 5000 articles, work with 10 inter/national organisations make his work the gold standard of the field. More details on www.attendance-india.com
A very healthy new year! Happy now means healthy; Post Covid has taught us that. A for…. a year ahead with hope. A for… a new way to think A for … Not my name or me but just be! The year started with A book, A film and A conversation @BIC. That’s Bangalore International […]Read More
The year-end always becomes a time for stocktaking. This year let us examine where arts and culture is headed as a nation. Are we a nation? Or an assembly of different states, all knit together with one thread of being Indian. What is even Indian in India of today? Food, fashion or faltu things. Faltu […]Read More
Shirdi Maharaj of Dwarka Mai (that’s the first SM of DM) or Sai Baba as he is universally called. In 50 years, his popularity has increased manifold, making Shirdi the second most important and frequented pilgrimage place of India, the first being Tirumala-Tirupati. A small hamlet, in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, Shirdi was hardly known […]Read More
Tijara is just under 100km from Delhi on way to Alwar but it is like 2,000 years away in time. Well, a crime novel, Tijara’s Mystery Codes, written by one of the most unusual storytellers, Hemma Myers Sood, has traced it imaginatively to 5,000 years ago, when the Pandavas no less, stayed here in Matsya […]Read More
Wet days in September Raindrops fallin’ tender As I stare outside my window And I see the clouds are passin’ by.… Sang the famous Pussycats in 1978. It was one my favourite songs during those youthful days at college. I now recall this as suddenly rains cooled Delhi and the change in season ushered in […]Read More
Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, everywhere. Feeling of a national spirit not notional as many past August 15 have been. This year, the air was surcharged with Har Ghar Tiranga, songs and dance and post-Covid19 joy, almost. Azadi. What does freedom mean today? To those who fought for it, if some still around, it is reminiscing […]Read More
Let’s face books. Not time pass facebook or data, meta, peta. What’s a book? Paper, cover, print and photos? Or, between two covers there are ideas that can change world, inspire individuals or help motivate society? Even move governments or make them fall. But, books today are like the radio of a bygone era. A […]Read More
India being larger than Schengen countries (they have 26 countries, we 28 states plus 8 union territories), how does one even plan or think of one policy for the entire country? Well, we have one on agriculture then why not culture, aver many? Or we have on economic, social, financial and even maybe one on coal and mines! […]Read More
Happiness Class or Curriculum. What an idea, Sir ji. Whose? HH the Dalai Lama, no less. Where? Delhi govt. schools, as models. And thanks to the most sauve Delhi culture-scene broadcaster Rajiv Mehrotra – he of the PBS fame – a documentary got made on the subject, recently screened at the IIC, Delhi. Dr Binay […]Read More