Latest news with #Ayyanar
Hans India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Aaquib Wani on Designing Ritu Kumar's Couture Set: A Sacred World Between Memory and Imagination
Celebrating five decades of Ritu Kumar's legacy, Day 5 of Hyundai India Couture Week saw a showcase like no other. The designer's 'Threads of Time: Reimagined' collection came alive against an evocative and immersive backdrop envisioned by art director Aaquib Wani. Known for designing the Indian Cricket Team's jerseys, Wani collaborated closely with Amrish Kumar, Ritu Kumar's son and Managing Director of the brand, to create a space that was both deeply rooted and surreal. The result was a world that felt 'suspended between history and imagination,' Wani told. With towering Ayyanar terracotta horses and an enigmatic red neon script dubbed the RKumara Script, the set was a poetic contrast of cultural legacy and futuristic design. 'The vision was to create a space that felt like walking into a forgotten memory, part mythology and part invention,' said Wani. He described the concept as intentionally abstract, designed not to tell a literal story but to evoke timeless emotion. 'We weren't interested in a literal narrative. The idea was to evoke something timeless, something that felt sacred but also surreal.' Two main elements dominated the minimalist set—sculpted terracotta horses and a glowing red neon script that framed the stage. 'The horses were large, sculpted pieces inspired by Ayyanar traditions... made in a way that felt true to the craft but scaled up for the space,' Wani explained. Meanwhile, the R Kumara Script—built entirely in-house—served as an ethereal bridge between language and feeling. 'It doesn't ask to be read, it asks to be felt.' The fictional script, designed to be a fully functional digital typeface, added a speculative dimension to the stage. Wani emphasized, 'We weren't trying to communicate information, we were creating a feeling.' Creating this dreamlike visual world took nearly a month. The typeface required full character design and spatial adaptability, while the horses demanded the skills of seasoned artisans to retain a handmade authenticity despite their grand scale. Speaking on set decor's role in fashion showcases, Wani noted, 'It should support the story being told... a good set is one that expands the world the designer is creating. It's not background, it's context.' The partnership with Amrish Kumar made the process seamless and focused. 'There was a lot of clarity in what we were trying to say,' Wani said, highlighting the simplicity and strength behind the concept. The audience response was telling—visitors eagerly captured photos with the sculptural horses and script wall. 'When people want to hold on to a piece of the set, you know it is connected,' he added. With just two well-thought-out elements, Aaquib Wani succeeded in building a space that visually and emotionally echoed Ritu Kumar's quiet yet powerful couture narrative.
News18
2 days ago
- Automotive
- News18
Aaquib Wani: A Good Set Is One That Expands The World The Designer Is Creating
Terracotta Horses, Red Neon Script: Aaquib Wani Tells The Story Behind Ritu Kumar's Set Design at Hyundai India Couture Week Ritu Kumar closed Day 5 of Hyundai India Couture Week, honouring five decades of the brand's legacy. Joining in the celebrations was art director Aaquib Wani, who worked closely with Ritu Kumar's son Amrish Kumar, to create a world surrounded by culture and imagination. The larger-than-life set design for the showcase played the perfect canvas for Ritu Kumar's Threads of Time: Reimagined collection. Aaquib Wani, the artist behind the iconic Indian Cricket Team jerseys, shares with News18 the vision for Ritu Kumar's set design, the story behind the Ayyanar terracotta horses and the fictional neon script on the backdrop and the importance of a good set that helps expand the world the fashion designer is creating. What was the vision for the set design for Ritu Kumar's showcase? The vision was to create a space that felt like walking into a forgotten memory, part mythology and part invention. We weren't interested in a literal narrative. The idea was to evoke something timeless, something that felt sacred but also surreal. The Ayyanar terracotta horses gave us that rooted cultural energy. To balance that, we created a fictional neon script that felt like a language from another time. We built the entire typeface in-house and called it the RKumara Script. We even turned it into a functional font that could be typed with, built to work like any other digital typeface once installed. Together, these elements helped us build a world that felt suspended between history and imagination. We used just two elements for the entire setup, the terracotta horses and the red neon script. The horses were large, sculpted pieces inspired by Ayyanar traditions, placed across the runway to create presence without blocking movement. They were made in a way that felt true to the craft but scaled up for the space. The backdrop was a long stretch of glowing red script we designed in-house. It ran clean across the background and framed the show without distracting from the clothes. The idea was to keep the setup minimal but strong enough to hold the energy of the collection. How long did it take to create the backdrop and the horses? Close to a month. Designing the typeface took time because it wasn't just calligraphy, it had to function as a full character set. The layout and scale had to work across the space while still feeling immersive and poetic. The horses took their own time. Sculpting at that size while still keeping the handmade quality intact meant we had to get the right artisans involved. What's the story behind the script and what do the words mean? The RKumara script didn't mean anything in a conventional sense. That was the point. We weren't trying to communicate information, we were creating a feeling. The script was designed to sit somewhere between memory and myth. It hints at language, at history, but it stays open-ended. It doesn't ask to be read, it asks to be felt. It became this silent thread connecting the past to a speculative future. Should the set decor stand out or blend in at a fashion showcase? It should support the story being told. Sometimes that means being bold, sometimes that means disappearing. But either way, it has to feel intentional. For me, a good set is one that expands the world the designer is creating. It's not background, it's context. In this case, the clothes had a quiet strength, and the set needed to hold that without overpowering it. So we created something that could exist in parallel, visually strong, but in sync. How was the experience working with Ritu Kumar for this showcase? We worked with Amrish Kumar, who is Ritu Kumar's son and now the Managing Director of the brand Ritu Kumar on this, and the collaboration was sharp and focused. He had the initial concept, and we built the visual world around it. There was a lot of clarity in what we were trying to say, no over-explaining, no dressing things up. The response was instant. After the show, people were taking photos with the horses and the glowing script wall. That kind of post-show engagement is rare and says a lot. When people want to hold on to a piece of the set, you know it is connected. About the Author Akshata Shetty Completing almost two decades in journalism, Akshata Shetty's journey from print to online journalism is a celebration of fashion, art and music. Akshata's fashion stories are about the people who celebrate More The News18 Lifestyle section brings you the latest on health, fashion, travel, food, and culture — with wellness tips, celebrity style, travel inspiration, and recipes. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Can't deny entry into temple on basis of caste, says HC
Chennai: Asserting that caste-based discrimination cannot be permitted in a country governed by the rule of law, Madras high court has ordered legal action against anyone who prevents others' entry into a temple based on caste. Justice N Anand Venkatesh, passing orders on a plea that flagged prevention of people from Scheduled Castes into Ayyanar temple in Pudukudi village, Udayarpalayam taluk, Ariyalur, said: "Caste and community are the creations of human beings and god is always considered to be neutral. That apart, preventing persons from offering prayers on the basis that they belong to scheduled caste communities, is an affront to the dignity of persons who are discriminated against based on their caste. " "If a temple is permitted to be visited by the public, it assumes the character of a public temple. In such an event, irrespective of the caste or community of the devotees, they must be permitted to offer their prayers to god," said the judge. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai This can never be permitted in a country, which is governed by the rule of law. That apart, Section 3 of the Tamil Nadu Temple Entry Authorisation Act, 1947, makes it abundantly clear that notwithstanding any law, custom or usage to the contrary, every Hindu irrespective of the caste or sect to which he belongs to, shall be entitled to enter any Hindu temple and offer worship therein, Justice Anand Venkatesh said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo If they are restricted entry, it will amount to an actionable wrong and the person concerned can be sued or prosecuted there for. This act came into force after a long struggle by many leaders, who wanted to ensure that persons are not prevented from entering the temples based on their caste, he said. The judge added that the Act was brought into force as a policy taken by the Tamil Nadu govt to remove the disabilities imposed on certain classes of Hindus against entry into Hindu temples in the state. The issue pertains to a plea moved by Venkatesan. He submitted that recently idols installed by people belonging to the scheduled caste at Ayyanar temple located in Pudukudi village, Udayarpalayam taluk, Ariyalur were vandalised by a certain group of dominant caste members. He further alleged that members of the scheduled castes were only being allowed to view the deity from behind a large iron gate installed in the temple. Therefore, he wanted the court to direct the authorities to allow members belonging to scheduled castes to enter the temple and worship the deity and to permit them to participate in the temple car festival scheduled from July 16 to 31. Recording the submissions, Justice Anand Venkatesh said, "…there shall be a direction to the district SP and RDO to ensure that all classes of Hindus are permitted to enter the temple and participate in the festival." If anyone prevents them from participating, action shall be taken in accordance with law. It shall be ensured that no law and order problem is created, the court concluded.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Punish those preventing temple entry over caste: HC
Representative photo CHENNAI: Take legal action against those preventing a person from entering a temple because of his or her caste, Madras high court has directed authorities, stressing that caste-based discrimination cannot be permitted in a country governed by the rule of law. Petitioner Venkatesan moved the court after idols installed by people belonging to scheduled caste (SC) at Ayyanar temple in Pudukudi village in Ariyalur's Udayarpalayam taluk were vandalised by dominant caste members. He alleged that members of SC were being forced to have a darshan of the deity from behind a large iron gate. 'If a temple is permitted to be visited by the public, it assumes the character of a public temple. In such an event, irrespective of the caste or community of the devotees, they must be permitted to offer their prayers to god,' justice N Anand Venkatesh ruled. Recording the submissions, Justice Venkatesh said, 'There shall be a direction to district SP and RDO to ensure that all classes of Hindus are permitted to enter the temple and participate in the festival.'
The Hindu
17-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Temple entry cannot be denied based on caste in a country governed by rule of law: Madras High Court
Observing that caste-based discrimination cannot be permitted in a country governed by the rule of law, the Madras High Court on Thursday (July 17, 2025) directed the Ariyalur Superintendent of Police to ensure that Scheduled Caste (SC) persons are not prevented from entering the Puthukudi Ayyanar Temple in Udayarpalayam taluk. Justice N. Anand Venkatesh directed the Superintendent of Police and the Udayarpalayam Revenue Divisional Officer to ensure that all classes of people, irrespective of their caste, are permitted to enter the temple and worship the deity at all times, including the annual festival being held at present. Further, directing the two officials to initiate appropriate action in accordance with the law if anyone prevents a section of people from entering the temple, the judge ordered that the Police and the Revenue departments must also ensure that no disturbance is caused to law and order. Disposing of a writ petition filed by a local resident A. Venkatesan, complaining of caste-based discrimination, the judge said, the Tamil Nadu Temple Entry Authorization Act of 1947 was enacted after a long struggle by many leaders who wanted to ensure that no one was denied temple entry based on their caste. Section 3 of the Act makes it abundantly clear that notwithstanding any law, custom or usage to the contrary, every Hindu, irrespective of their caste or sect to which they belong, shall be entitled to enter any Hindu temple and offer prayers in the same manner and same extent to which another was entitled to do. 'If anyone is restricted from entering a temple based on caste of sect, it will clearly amount to an actionable wrong/offence and the person concerned (the one who restricts) could be sued or prosecuted therefor,' the judge wrote and said, the public officials were duty-bound to implement the law in letter and spirit. What the petitioner said In his affidavit, the petitioner stated the Ayyanar temple in Puthukudi village had been in existence for several decades and worshipped by villagers of all castes and sects for long. However, in 2019, a group of people tried to hijack the temple administration by deciding to construct a new temple on the premises. Though the Scheduled Caste residents too had made monetary contributions toward the construction, they were prevented from entering the temple, leading to multiple complaints made to the police as well as revenue officials. However, these complaints could not be pursued for quite some time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the meantime, the offending group demolished all statues and stone structures that had been put up by the Scheduled Caste residents on the temple premises. Even a big statue of Ayyanar that had been installed, with the name of the Scheduled Caste donor, was removed and dumped into the temple well, the petitioner alleged. He also said an iron gate was installed at the Puthukudi Ayyanar Temple and the Scheduled Caste devotees were made to worship the deity only from outside the gate. Despite such discrimination, the government officials had not made any effective intervention in the matter fearing law and order problems, he added. Further, stating that the offending group identifies itself as the 'Ezhu Vaigaiyara,' the petitioner sought a direction to permit the Scheduled Caste devotees too to enter the Puthukudi Ayyanar Temple, besides letting them participate in the temple car festival scheduled from July 16 to 31, 2025.
