The Avenues – Bahrain Ramadan Bazaar Transforms to Eid Bazaar Until April 5th to Welcome Eid Visitors
The Avenues – Bahrain invites everyone to visit the Eid Bazaar and explore its rich offerings until April 5th. The event continues to bring a vibrant blend of creativity, community, and tradition in a festive setting for all to enjoy.
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Gulf Weekly
6 days ago
- Gulf Weekly
Sip on a sonnet
Bahrain-based author and wordsmith Nivedita Roy has released her latest book of poems, exploring diverse themes inspired by injustice, war, women's issues and more, writes Melissa Nazareth. Bringing alive the Indian expatriate's 'scribbles', Recipe for a Poet's Broth, is a collection of 65 poems across seven sections, spanning introspections, fond memories and more. 'I made a short trip to the Swiss Alps in April this year and as I sat admiring the joys of nature, myriad thoughts came to mind. Pouring them on paper was a cathartic experience,' the 54-year-old told GulfWeekly, explaining the creative process behind her 'labour of love'. 'Once the compilation was sorted, I shared the manuscript with my editor, Ritu Bhatnagar, who is based in Bengaluru; this is our sixth project together. 'I requested Avantika Vijay Singh to write the Afterword. She is a poet and editor and has authored three books. 'Canada-based writer Kavita Ezekiel Mendonca, daughter of the famous poet Nissim Ezekiel, wrote a note for me in the book as well, and I am overwhelmed with gratitude to all,' the Al Raja School teacher added. Speaking of the book's name, the Adliya resident explained that it was sparked by a NaPoWriMo 2025 prompt – a month-long undertaking by poets around the world to pen down 30 creations in 30 days, based on a daily prompt. Many of the poems featured in the book were written during NaPoWriMo last year and some others are older. Nivedita, who has called Bahrain home for more than two decades, draws inspiration for a lot of her work from the kingdom. 'I am so proud to be part of this beautiful island. One of the poems in the section Poetic Forms was written during the creative writing session of the Bahrain Writers' Circle; Sunset was inspired by the mesmerising sunset at Karbabad beach; A cache of lessons, a multitude of teachers encapsulates my experiences as a teacher in Bahrain and A bustling nest to an empty nest has references to my life here after my children left,' she said. Dreams of Gaza has been translated into Arabic for an international anthology entitled Heaven's Paradise. An excerpt from the poem reads: 'Dreams of a warm hearth with kin breathing A posse to play marbles or just a cheerful race… The childish blabber was drowned in chaos.'
Gulf Weekly
10-07-2025
- Gulf Weekly
Art in a new dimension
Artists in the kingdom are exploring a new creative outlet that is not just offering them a platform to diversify their mediums and styles but also transforming them into 'storytellers', waxing eloquent about Bahrain's rich urban landscape. Urban Sketchers (USk) Bahrain, which aims at making art more accessible to the public, comprises a community of people as young as 11 and as old as 80, from diverse professions, including doctors, engineers, businessmen and architects, as well as homemakers and retired individuals. They meet every Friday to bring alive the kingdom's diverse landscapes. Retired Bahraini IT specialist, Abdul Baset Khonji, who worked in the field for more than 45 years, saw the group as an avenue to pursue his childhood hobby – art. 'I hung up my boots two years ago and was looking for something to keep me productive and busy and USk Bahrain was the right platform,' the 62-year-old from Manama told GulfWeekly. 'I've enjoyed my time drawing with people from various walks of life. The group has also boosted my confidence to sketch in public,' added the artist, who is also passionate about creating designs using recyclable materials. Indian expatriate and homemaker Praseetha Ullas, who has been living in Bahrain for 22 years, learned about the group from her peers – a testament to the close-knit art community in Bahrain. 'What began as an art activity has become an enriching ritual,' she said. 'The beauty lies not just in the lines we draw but in the stories we exchange and the friendships we build. 'USk Bahrain has rekindled my love for spontaneous sketching and taught me to see beauty in the ordinary and preserve the moments through ink and watercolour,' the 45-year-old from Salihiya added. Architect and visual artist Sudeep Deshpande, who has been living in the kingdom for the last 15 years, believes that USk Bahrain has provided him a chance to 'marry' both of his passions. 'Urban Sketchers Bahrain has added yet another dimension to my journey as a creative,' the 44-year-old Indian expatriate said. 'It gave me an eye to look at my own work with a different perspective – blending art with architecture. Every line that I draw speaks of not only the proportions and scale, but also embodies the essence of the story behind it,' the Adliya resident noted. While joining USk Bahrain has given the poet's creativity a different avenue, sketching as a style is not new to him. 'The first thing I do when I wake up is sketch for 15 to 20 minutes. To some, it may sound off the grid, but this has been my daily routine since childhood. 'My father used to say 'Sudeep, one sketch everyday' and I now realise the value of that advice,' he noted.
Gulf Weekly
10-07-2025
- Gulf Weekly
Sketching stories
Artist group Urban Sketchers Bahrain is set to meet up tomorrow as they continue to bring alive Bahrain's diverse landscape, in keeping with their goal to strengthen the kingdom's art movement and put it on the global map. The local non-profit platform, which is part of the worldwide Urban Sketchers (USk) movement, was set up last year and has since brought together enthusiasts of all skill levels to sketch every Friday. What started with just three or four people has grown into a close-knit 'family' of around 50. 'Most artists in Bahrain are used to drawing from imagination or bringing alive photographs of what they might have captured previously. We hope to bring them out into the open and introduce a new format of drawing based on observation,' co-founder Sadeq Al Shehabi, who manages the group's operations, told GulfWeekly. An urban sketch is a drawing created on location – indoors or outdoors – capturing what the sketcher sees from direct observation. The essence of the style lies in its on-the-spot, agile nature. Some of the iconic locations covered include Bab Al Bahrain, Suq Al Baraha in Muharraq, Bahrain-and Arad forts, Grand Mosque on Al Fateh Highway, as well as indoor spots like The Avenues mall and the nostalgia-inducing Adliya branch of Hole'n One – Bahrain's first homegrown donut chain. 'We announce the location in advance and all are welcome. We just get together with our own art supplies and sketch,' founder and self-taught artist Ahmed Ali Alshakhoori, who has been into art and sketching for more than 45 years, said. 'You have to tell a story. For instance, if you draw a person, it is a portrait, but if you draw the person sitting at a table with flowers on the table… it weaves a story,' the airline industry professional, who manages the artistic side of things for the group, added. The Bahrain Contemporary Art Association member from Malkiya chanced upon a video about urban sketching in 2012. Last year, he discussed it with his long-time friend Sadeq, who, upon research, realised there was no Bahrain chapter to the global platform and suggested they start one. The global Urban Sketchers was formed in 2007 by Seattle-based journalist and illustrator Gabriel Campanario, with a mission to raise the artistic, storytelling and educational value of on-location drawing, connecting people worldwide. 'What we are trying to do here is shine a spotlight on Bahraini heritage. The world should know about Bahrain and our culture and urban treasures,' said Sadeq, a photographer and entrepreneur from Diraz. 'We are thrilled to share that we have officially signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bahrain Society of Engineers, and will be organising joint activities with them in the future. 'There's a lot of planning that goes into each session, with due permissions to be taken, especially if it's an indoor location. We will have more indoor locations now that the weather is getting warmer,' Sadeq added. Zahra Ateya Ali, who volunteers as an administrator with USk Bahrain, noted that they select locations to inspire artists' creativity. 'I enjoy highlighting the variety of styles produced by each artist, and make sure that our community is welcoming to all ages,' the 29-year-old public relations specialist added. According to Ahmed, two weeks ago, there were fans who drove from Saudi Arabia to attend the session. While each meeting runs for a couple of hours, Ahmed encourages attendees to complete their sketches in a maximum of 15 minutes, in keeping with the 'spontaneous' nature of the art form, and to document their work. After that, everyone is free to continue drawing or socialising. The upcoming session will be staged at Baku Cafe in Hamala Hills mall.
