Latest news with #Saraswati
Time of India
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Oldest materials and beauty of the environment
Critic and Curator Uma Nair has been writing for the past 35 years on art and culture She has written as critic for Times of India and Economic Times. She believes that art is a progressive sojourn. She learnt by looking at the best shows in Washington D.C. and New York. As author her most important books are Reverie with Raza and Meditations on Trees by Ompal Sansanwal. LESS ... MORE At the Bespoke Art Gallery at Ahmedabad, it is the English Methodist hymn that hums in our senses as we glimpse the world's oldest materials, pen and paper and clay that extol the beauty of the earth as trees, as ceramics and a steel wired sculpture to harness World Environment Day that falls on June 5th ,2025. Tribal artist Bhajji Shyam India's tribal artist Bhajju Shyam creates a tall Vriksha that melds miniature tradition as well as textural nuances in his work that at once serenades the tireless striving of familial groups that tirelessly venerate the ecological the lens of his life in Madhya Pradesh Bhajju's painting and drawing as a testimony to trees all over the universe as sentinels of time. Leena Batra celadon Senior ceramic artist Leena Batra's celadon pot is a humane ledger of the genesis of ceramic studies in form and fervour. Leena takes us back to the term 'celadon ware', also known as green ware, which refers to a type of ceramic with a soft grey-green-coloured glaze. The effect is achieved through applying an iron-rich liquefied clay 'slip' to the ceramic before it is fired in a kiln. During the heating process, the iron oxidises to leave a delicate and lustrous green its later European name, the celadon glaze technique originated in China during the Shang (1600-1046 BC) and Zhou (1046-256 BC) dynasties, when potters began experimenting with glaze recipes. Saraswati's towers of tea ceremony Anagama fired stoneware stand like sentinels in silence as Saraswati's towers of tea ceremony bring in different elements that extol virtues of everyday living. Density, depth and texture all become her leitmotif in a series that tell stories of time and tide in glazes and gravitas. Saraswati who lives in Auroville says that her towers tell stories of life and humans and households. Within the details and dynamics we move from the mechanics of the craft of clay and firing to portray compelling characters in form, develop effective narrative structures, and edit ourselves into focus to the more profound questions of artistic resources and reflections that will remain as cherished memories and experiences. Keshari Nandan's Picasso platters Of verve and vivacity in stoneware are Keshari Nandan's stoneware platters sculpted as a tribute to Pablo Picasso who created his ceramic ware and painted owls and bulls over them. Keshari creates a sculptural identity by creating an owl and a bull on a pair of platters. Keshari and award winning ceramic artist reminds us that Picasso used his playful approach to the medium, and embraced the motif of the owl, its presence recurring prominently through many of his ceramic works. The allure of the subject was stimulated in Vallauris, alongside his growing appreciation of ceramics, as the owl was an ancient symbol of the neighbouring town, Antibes. The connection with the figure of the owl was deepened when the artist discovered an owl with an injured claw during his time in Antibes. Picasso's partner Françoise Gilot documented this experience in her autobiography, Life With Picasso, stating 'one of his claws had been injured. We bandaged it and it gradually healed. We bought a cage for him and when we returned to Paris, we brought him back with us and put him in the kitchen with the canaries, the pigeons and the turtledoves.' A great lover of animals, Picasso gained a great affection for the bird, incorporating the muse into the many whimsical ceramics he went on to create. Vineet Kacker's quartet of Buddhist iconography Vineet Kacker's quartet of iconographic symbolism in his single square study as well as three chorten like Buddhist compositions all have an aura of quietude and meditative stillness. Three works belong to his In You I Am series in high fired stoneware while we are drawn toward the beauty of glazes and square plate Transmigrations reminds us of archaeological excavations that bring back the past and regale our senses as we visit the pages of glazes in the other three works have their own aura of enchantment and the transience of life. His quartet of works draw from the landscaped iconography of the Himalayas, while his built forms reference the sacred, and personal engagement with sombre spiritual disciplines. His sampling of sequences from familiar imagery to living traditions create a corollary of conversations of multiple ceramic techniques within a single piece, recreating both landscapes and iconographies. His rough textures and the use of layered dry glazes create surfaces that reference the ancient and time-worn. The contrasting shiny embellishments allude to that which is luminous and timeless. Dhananjay Singh's Tree The centrepiece at Bespoke Art Gallery's Purusha Prakriti show is Dhananjay Singh's Tree created out of steel wires. This work becomes the contemplative ethos of the show that heralds the environment as an emblematic symbol of civilisational cultures. As a lifelong admirer of flowers and plants, Dhananjay is particularly fond of trees and has never stopped depicting them from his youth to his later years. The present work belonging to the Devin Gawarvala collection was part of Saffronart's exhibition Alchemies of Form, a show of sculptural masterpieces at Bikaner House this year for the India Art Fair. The sculptor uses simple yet expressive leaves in steel as well as wired steel to portray the trunk reminding us of minerals as well as the botanical beauty of trees as exemplary spirits in the infinite pages of nature's bounty. In the saturated material suggestions and the power of trees that fill the earth this sculpture brings alive the Swiss author Herman Hesse who said: ' Trees are sanctuaries.' For founder and collector Devin Gawarvala of Bespoke Art Gallery, commerce, culture and collecting all come together to create a synergy that points at the need for being guardians of cultural preservation in the odyssey of preserving contemporary art practices and all that is therein. Images : Bespoke Art Gallery Ahmedabad Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- The Hindu
Saraswati Pushkaralu in Kaleshwaram: when rivers meet and faith overflows
Before dawn breaks, they come wrapped in devotion, barefoot and breathless, guided not by GPS but by something far older: faith. Men with ash-smeared foreheads, women balancing brass vessels and children yawning as the air thickens with summer haze. Some arrive in SUVs, others in bullock carts, tracing old forest paths. At the heart of it lies Kaleshwaram, a temple town not merely mapped on earth, but etched in spiritual memory. Here, in this corner of Telangana where the State kisses the borders of Maharashtra, the invisible Saraswati meets the mighty Godavari and the Pranahita in a sacred embrace called Triveni Sangamam. And once in 12 years, that embrace becomes a cosmic event called Saraswati Pushkaralu, drawing pilgrims in throngs who come with an age-old belief that bathing here will cleanse their past sins and lead them closer to spiritual liberation. Nonagenarian Susheelamma, born and raised in Kaleshwaram of Jayashankar-Bhupalpally district, has witnessed this moment more times than she can count. Quoting ancient texts from memory, she speaks of the region as a Shaiva Kshetram, a sacred space of Shiva, blessed by the unseen Saraswati flowing underground. 'It is the divine will of Lord Shiva. To be born here and be able to take holy baths at Triveni again and again is my greatest blessing,' she says, eyes closed in reverence. Saraswati is no ordinary river. Unlike the mighty Godavari that thunders visibly or the expansive Pranahita that cuts through plains, Saraswati flows unseen, beneath the surface — an Antarvahini, or subterranean stream. And yet, to the devotees, her power is palpable. Just 268 km from State capital Hyderabad, Kaleshwaram may feel remote, but during Pushkaralu, it becomes the beating heart of a much larger spiritual geography. In Kaleshwaram, located about 268 km from State capital Hyderabad, ritual meets river, and myth seeps into every stone. This is the only place in South India where three rivers converge, and thus, three Pushkaralu — Godavari, Pranahita and Saraswati — are observed here in their respective cycles. For the faithful, a dip in the Triveni Sangamam is not symbolic; it is transformational. As pilgrims gather in droves for the 12-day Saraswati Pushkaralu, which began on May 15, the banks of the Sangamam have been transformed. From the air, courtesy of helicopter joyrides, the confluence looks like a sacred mandala — rings of water, rings of people, and in the centre, a yearning for moksha (salvation). The last Godavari Pushkaralu took place in 2015 and the Pranahita Pushkaralu in 2022. Twin lingas of liberation Kaleshwaram's temple complex, crowned by the Sri Kaleshwara Mukteshwara Swamy shrine, is a marvel in itself. Here, two Shivalingas — Lord Kaleshwara (Yama) and Lord Mukteshwara (Shiva) — sit on a single pedestal, a pairing rare in the annals of Hindu temple architecture. According to legend, Lord Yama performed severe penance here at the Yama Kona (a mini arch-like structure on the temple premises) to earn the grace of Shiva, and in turn, was granted a place beside him. Locals believe that those who worship the Kaleshwara lingam are freed from the torments of Yamaloka, while those who worship Mukteshwara are granted spiritual liberation. At the Kaleshwaram temple, two powerful rituals — Kalasarpadosha Nivarajana Puja and Navagraha Puja — draw the devout in hordes. For many, these are not just ceremonies, but spiritual interventions to untangle karmic knots and appease planetary forces believed to influence human destiny. The Mukteshwara Swamy lingam has a striking feature — two nostrils. No matter how much water is poured during abhishekam, not a single drop overflows. Instead, it disappears underground, believed to be the emergence point of the Saraswati river, which later merges with the other two at the Triveni Sangamam. There are also shrines dedicated to Goddess Saraswati Devi and Shubhananda Devi (Goddess Parvati), Sangameshwara, and Dattatreya within the temple complex. The temple's origins are attributed to Gangadhar, a minister of Kakatiya king Rudradeva, according to a 1171 CE inscription found at Nagunur. Until the late 1970s, bullock carts were the only way to reach Kaleshwaram. The dense forests of Mahadevpur mandal, once a hotspot of Naxalite activity, kept it secluded and sacred. The arrival of bus services in 1976 and road projects in the 1980s, spearheaded by former Karimnagar MP J. Chokka Rao, opened the gates of this Shaiva kshetram to the larger world. Former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao served on the temple renovation committee during his tenure as an MLA from Manthani. Along with him, leaders like late Speaker and three-time MLA from Manthani constituency D. Sripada Rao played key roles in shaping the town's growth without stripping away its soul. Today, National Highway 353C cuts through the region, bringing pilgrims from across Telangana, Maharashtra's Gadchiroli and Chandrapur, and Bijapur and Jagdalpur in neighbouring Chhattisgarh. Yet, even amid the trucks and tour buses, one can still find farmers from nearby villages arriving in bullock carts, honouring tradition. Faith, infrastructure and aspirations As the Pushkaralu enters its final stretch, the temple town is seeing a surge in pilgrim numbers. The district administration had ramped up efforts — doubling personnel, improving signage and deploying traffic monitors along the 17-kilometre stretch between Mahadevpur and Kaleshwaram. The aim is clear: a smooth, hassle-free passage to the sacred Triveni Sangamam, where every minute counts before the cosmic clock resets. IT and Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu, who represents Manthani assembly constituency, earned praise from Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for his efforts in organising the mega event. The State has allocated ₹40 crore for the festival and promised an additional ₹200 crore to develop Kaleshwaram into a major spiritual tourism hub ahead of the 2027 Godavari Pushkaralu. A 17-foot statue of Saraswati, carved from a single stone by Tamil Nadu artisans, now stands at the newly developed Saraswati ghat, lending grandeur to the bathing ghats where pilgrims take their ritual dips. A 100-room choultry was also inaugurated ahead of the festival to host pilgrims. With over 3,500 police personnel deployed for the once-in-12 years fete and nearly 200 CCTV cameras and drones in place, security is tight, particularly because the region lies close to what were once Maoist-affected zones across the Telangana-Maharashtra border. The National Disaster Response Force and Singareni Collieries' rescue teams are also on standby, says a police official on bandobust duty. A helicopter joyride over Kaleshwaram is fast becoming a crowd-puller, offering a bird's eye view of the temple complex, the lush landscape and the riverine confluence that holds generations of faith. Religion, ritual and beyond The spiritual fervour is matched by cultural celebration. Every evening, Saraswati ghat comes alive with music, dance and devotional performances, showcasing Telangana's rich heritage. Pilgrims line up for the Maha Harathi, reminiscent of Varanasi's famed Ganga aarti. 'I would like to visit Kaleshwaram again with my family members on May 26, the final day of the festival, just to witness the Maha Harathi and also attend the Sri Chandi Homam at Kaleshwaram temple,' says a pilgrim from Karimnagar. But beyond the ritual and crowd control lies something deeply transformative. As pilgrims swirl around the ghats, Raj Kamal Reddy, a geologist from Karimnagar, urges a different kind of reflection. 'This is not just about a holy bath or religion. Our rivers are dying. Festivals like these must also serve to remind us of our duty — to protect the rivers that sustain us, to honour their self-purifying power, and to let them flow freely for generations to come.' Tourism enthusiasts like Radhakrishna from Mancherial echo the sentiment, suggesting eco-tourism circuits linking Wadadham Fossil Park in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district about 27 km from Kaleshwaram with Ramappa Temple and Laknavaram Island in neighbouring Mulugu district, turning Kaleshwaram into both a spiritual and ecological beacon. 'There is still a long way to go in terms of basic pilgrim facilities,' says Sampath, a devotee from Bhupalpally. 'But what Kaleshwaram lacks in infrastructure, it makes up for in spirit.' In Kaleshwaram, time bends. Ancient chants echo into modern megaphones. And between river and ritual, the faithful find something timeless. Here, where the visible and the invisible flow as one, belief isn't just practiced, it is lived. Perhaps, that is why devotees like Susheelamma return again and again, to bathe in the holy waters, to seek moksha and to touch, however briefly, something divine.
The Hindu
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Danseuse Radhika Shetty on her piece Manushi
Radhika Shetty pauses to think and then lets out a quiet laugh. 'My first performance was for a school dance drama on Krishna, and I had a small part. I was so happy, with the makeup and ornaments, and just being on stage,' recalls the dancer whose foray into Bharatnatyam began as a 'playful child who enjoyed to dance'. The native of Bijai, Mangalore, Radhika is now a well-known dancer, with several awards to her name. She is also the founder of 'Nrityaangan', a registered charitable trust which organises workshops and dance festivals to nurture young talent. Her work, primarily focusing on abhinaya (the use of facial expressions and gestures to communicate a story), often relies on literature and poems as its foundation. First steps and a growing dream A student of Sri Ramakrishna High School, Mangalore, Radhika began her journey in Bharatnatyam when she was nine, under the tutelage of Sharadamani Shekhar of Sanatana Natyalaya. 'Though it began as a hobby, it grew within me. After class 12, I pursued engineering, but I never stopped dancing,' she says. As a software professional in Bengaluru, Radhika says she found herself constantly juggling between her profession and passion, which were equally demanding. 'But it all changed when I performed my rangapravesha in Bengaluru in 2006; that is the impact Guru Padmini Ramachandran had on me. She was someone who was so passionate about the art form, I believe she unknowingly transferred it to her student. Only then did I seriously consider pursuing it professionally.' The IT professional-turned-artiste spent the next three years in the United States with her family, simultaneously finding her space in the Bharatnatyam world. Her transition into a full-time dancer brought with it a concern for the young artistes of Mangalore, leading to the foundation of 'Nrityaangan' in 2011. 'When we moved back to Mangalore, I realised the dancers here were like frogs in a well — restricted to temple performances or local events. They had the knowledge and talent, but no platform to showcase it or explore its magnitude beyond the city,' she says, adding that the realisation helped her structure Nrityaangan in a way that gave students a first-hand learning experience through workshops and dance festivals. Birth of Manushi – on a Quest Over the years, Radhika has carved her space in Bharatnatyam through an intimate use of abhinaya as a means to communicate with her audience. Each composition begins with an inspiration from a mundane activity that she builds further through research and practice. 'I was reading The Lost River, it is about the River Saraswati,' she recounts, when asked about the origin of her latest composition Manushi – on a Quest, 'when I felt there was something I wanted to express about the river and its journey. It unfolded in my imagination, and I wanted to communicate it through dance. After I read the book, I prepared a script for Saraswati (the river) with the help of Arjun Bharadwaj. He wrote the lyrics, and we got the music done, but then it was just a standalone piece.' The piece on Saraswati was followed by a composition that explored the character of Devaki, Krishna's birth mother, which emerged during a workshop with Guru Chitra Viswesaran. After recognising a link between the two compositions, Radhika decided to produce a full-length piece. The piece which has been presented at international venues, premiered in Mangalore in February 2020, and has been well received due to Radhika's emphasis on abhinaya. 'People relate to these emotions as they are going through their own journey internally. I believe it makes them pause and think.' She recounts how a woman came up to her after a performance in Zurich to share how she identified with Devaki as a mother whose child grew up away from her. Radhika says performing in different countries has helped her enhance certain aspects of the performance, based on the responses she received. 'I want people to look within,' she says. New chapters The artiste says she faced several challenges with Manushi, particularly while switching between characters, although they are all joined by the thread of their journeys. She also notes that she tends to portray shringara, her favourite rasa, quite often, so she trains rigorously to keep herself in character. Radhika says though she intends to tour with Manushi, some of her other projects are being conceptualised. 'Don't be in a hurry, put 200% of your efforts into practice, and art will lead you,' is what she tells aspiring dancers, a mantra she follows as well. Radhika Shetty will perform Manushi – on a Quest at Bangalore International Centre on May 20, from 7pm. Entry free, but register on BIC site to confirm registration.
India Gazette
17-05-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
"We are Made in India, proudly made for the world, students-first company": BYJU'S co-founder Divya Gokulnath
Dubai [UAE], May 17 (ANI): With BYJU'S facing financial problems, regulatory issues, and legal battles, the edtech company's co-founder Divya Gokulnath has said that the 'tarnishing' of the company has been 'unfair' and that they will continue to be passionate about teaching. In an interview with ANI, Divya Gokulnath, wife of BYJU'S founder Byju Raveendran, acknowledged the troubles facing the company and said they sought to build a strong educational platform to serve the world. 'I don't care about the money. It comes, it goes. And Lakshmi can come and go. Saraswati is with us. Goddess Saraswati is always with us. For me, it's about the tarnishing which has happened, which I feel is so unfair. I feel a bit let down because for us, it was all about what can we do for our country? And not what the country can do for us. So we are a Made in India, made by Indians, proudly made for the world, product, service, company, people, students-first company,' Divya Gokulnath said. She said there were much more lucrative offers from abroad during the company's peak. 'At the time when people were going abroad and setting up their companies because that was much more lucrative, we resisted it. We said, no, this has to be a make in India story. We will make our products in India. We will give our services from India and we will be an example for the world in education. Because education belongs to India. To the parents of these children,' Gokulnath said 'This is the way my children also learn. From us, from BYJU'S, from me, from our teachers and this is the best way that they can learn and they can be assured that this is how we teach our children at home. They don't learn from us personally, they learn from our methodologies, our teachings, our apps, our products only. Not like gaming entrepreneurs who create products which they don't give their children at home and get the rest of the world addicted to it. We believe from the bottom of our heart in the products that we create,' she added. Calling her family the 'biggest asset in her life,' Divya Gokulnath said it also helps cope with pressure. 'Biggest asset is our family. That is the glue. what other glue do we need and we are machine obviously I get mad at him at times. It's so much pressure. It's borderline and it can get borderline hostile. It takes a lot to make, to make it happen. It's not easy. Like you said in Western culture they would say that's enough I'm going for therapy. Both of us have not been for any therapy. Our therapies are children and our parents and sometimes each other. Okay. But I mean, sometimes that's all you need, right? When at home, they come, they run and they give you a hug. I'm telling you, I'm not saying this. That's all that matters. It lowers your blood pressure. It reduces your heart rate. And it does,' she said. Founded in 2011, BYJU'S became a household name during the Covid-19. However the leading Ed-tech platform's fall was as rapid as its rise. (ANI)
Time of India
17-05-2025
- Time of India
A journey through India's top 5 ghat towns
You have been to hill stations and beaches, but ever wondered what next can be the highlight of your travel bucket list? Enter the world of ghat towns—India's riverside destinations, where steps lead to stories, rituals meet reflections, and every dip in the water feels like a soul reset. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now These towns aren't just spiritual hubs; they're living cities where the charm lies in watching the sadhus chanting mantras, diyas float, and where history lingers in the mist. Whether you're in it for moksha or just for a stellar selfie at sunrise, these ghat towns will offer you a mix of chaos, calm, and cosmic charm. So pack your bags, and get ready for ghat, set, go on a journey like no other! Find out more about these places. Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh—Dashashwamedh & Assi Ghat Varanasi, India's oldest city in the world, is characterized by ghats along the Ganges. Dashashwamedh Ghat is renowned for its elaborate evening Ganga Aarti, where priests recite hymns and light lamps facing the river. Nearby, within walking distance, stands the more understated but equally holy Assi Ghat, which calls to yogis, students, and visitors alike. Here, the sunrise dawns with cultural festivals, morning meditation classes, and soul-stirring sunrise moments. These ghats are pilgrimage sites as much as entrances to daily life, spirituality, and ancient traditions. Seeing the ghats of Varanasi is a spiritual and cultural experience that haunts you long after you've bid adieu to the city. Haridwar, Uttarakhand—Har Ki Pauri Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar is among the holiest ghats of Hinduism. Lord Vishnu, according to legend, imprinted his footprint here, and pilgrims throng to be cleansed by the divine Ganga. Thousands of pilgrims come here each evening to witness the beautiful Ganga Aarti. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Lamps are floated on the river, bells toll, and hymns resound—simply a magical sight. The ghat is abuzz with activity, yet there is a godly silence to it. Whatever you come for—ritual, serenity, or sheer drama—Har Ki Pauri leaves an impression of spiritual majesty and timeless devotion that is characteristic of the city of Haridwar. Rishikesh, Uttarakhand—Triveni Ghat With its tranquil beauty and serene atmosphere, Triveni Ghat in Rishikesh is a haven for both spiritual travelers and tourists. It is where three rivers—Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati—are believed to converge. Pilgrims bathe and offer their prayers early in the morning, and evenings are filled with the soulful Triveni Aarti. Against the Himalayan backdrop and the nearby ashrams, it's where reflection greets the river. While pomp fills Haridwar, Triveni is serene and contemplative. You can recline on the steps, listen to bhajans, or just watch the river flow tirelessly, infusing an element of earthiness and tranquility for which Rishikesh is world-famous. Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh—Ram Ghat Ram Ghat is situated on the banks of the Shipra River and is one of the holiest places in Ujjain. It is kept alive during Simhastha Kumbh Mela times when millions bathe in the river to wash away their sin. Even during non-celebrations, the ghat is caressed daily by rituals, chanting, and temple bells ringing through the air. Surrounded by temples and history, Ram Ghat reflects the religious ambiance of this historic city, where poet Kalidasa and astrologers had lived. The peaceful waters and ancient stone steps are a religious haven from contemporary life, reminding tourists of India's rich mythological and astrological heritage. Kollam, Kerala—Ashtamudi Ghat While the northern ghats are a peaceful hill experience derived from the backwater culture of Kerala, Ashtamudi Ghat in Kollam provides a peaceful, seashore experience. At the waters of the Ashtamudi Lake, the ghat witnesses religious rituals as well as the monotony of daily life. People come with flowers, coconuts, and prayers, and houseboats move slowly. Coconut trees rustle at the periphery as temple songs provide a soothing background. It's a different beat—less frenetic, more contemplative. The ghat is particularly enchanting in the evening, when the lake glows golden. There, spirituality ebbs as stealthily as the water, and it is a secret treasure for those looking for a southern ghat experience.
