The Open Cultural Center
November 04, 2018 10:30am to 01:30pm Sunday.
Alternative Futures: India Unshackled.
October 27, 2018 7:00 pm Saturday
Book Release-cum-Discussion
‘Alternative Futures: India Unshackled’ Editors – Ashish Kothari and K. J. Joy Publisher – AuthorsUpFront
A remarkable, first-ever collection of 35 essays on India’s future, by a diverse set of authors – activists, researchers, media practitioners, those who have influenced policies and those working at the grassroots. This book brings together scenarios of an India that is politically and socially egalitarian, radically democratic, economically sustainable and equitable, and socio-culturally diverse and harmonious.
Alternative Futures: India Unshackled covers a wide range of issues, organized under four sections. It explores ecological futures including environmental governance, biodiversity conservation, water and energy. Next, it envisions political futures including those of democracy and power, law, ideology, and India’s role in the globe. A number of essays then look at economic futures, including agriculture, pastoralism, industry, crafts, villages and cities, localization, markets, transportation and technology. Finally, it explores socio-cultural futures, encompassing languages, learning and education, knowledge, health, sexuality and gender, and marginalized sections like dalits, adivasis, and religious minorities.
Introductory and concluding essays tie these diverse visions together. Most essays include both futuristic scenarios and present initiatives that demonstrate the possibility of such futures. t a time when India faces increasing polarization along parochial, physical and mental boundaries, these essays provide a breath of fresh air and hope in the grounded possibilities for an alternative, decentralized, eco-culturally centred future. The essays range from the dreamy-eyed to the hard-headed, from the provocative to the gently persuasive.
EDITORS: ASHISH KOTHARI coordinates the Alternatives programme of Kalpavriksh, has taught at Indian Institute of Public Administration, and chairs the Board of Greenpeace India.
K. J. JOY is Senior Fellow with Society for Promoting Participative Ecosystem Management (SOPPECOM), Pune and has been an activist-researcher for more than 30 years.
Anjuman-e-Qalamkaran-e-Deccan,Hyderabad Present… “YAAD-E-RAFTAGAAN… ALLAMA HYRATH BUDAUNI”a memoir of Ustaad-ul-Asatiza Hazrath Allama Hyrath Budauni… on 26th October Friday, 7pm at LAMAKAAN,cultural center,Rd.no 1, Banjara Hills,Hyderabad…after Adabi Ijlas Mushaira will follow in which 10 renowned poets will participate…..
October 25, 2018 7:30 pm Thursday.
In the past few weeks, we have seen an increasing conversation around sexual harassment, owing to the huge number of women who have come forward with their own stories of exploitation. The viral hash tag #metoo has thrust the issue of sexual violence onto a global stage and Indian women are also joining in. While survivors from all walks of lives are speaking about their experiences and demanding justice, organizations have responded by removing people, against whom these allegations have been made, from their positions, pending investigation. However, the movement has also faced criticism from a number of people for its back falls. The movement has helped de-stigmatize the act of surviving sexual assault, primarily by bringing out the breadth and impact of it. It is still imperative to expand the conversation to speak to the needs of a broader spectrum of survivors. It is also essential to hold the perpetrators accountable and have a long term, sustainable strategy in place to disrupt the system that allows for sexual violence.
While the movement did make the issue of sexual violence an important topic, it is important to discuss the issues being brought out and the future of the movement itself. We invite the victims, allies and all those who care about the movement, to join a conversation on what the movement in India is doing and what is the possible future for it.
AgricultureCrisis &FarmersIssues
October 23, 2018 7:30 pm Tuesday
Lamakaan invites Nirmala, a social activist, currently working with farmers to give us an insight into policies that are less inclusive of small and marginal land holding farmers. On October 23, Lamakaan wants to throw light on the key issues plaguing agriculture, crippling the farmers and the shameful politics around it.
She says, ‘Each of us (the non-farming folks) have our plates full of food at the cost of farmers. It is time to raise our voice in solidarity, march in solidarity. Agricultural crisis is no longer the crisis of the farmer alone, it is a national crisis.’
Recently the central government declared the MSP for 22 mandated crops. Firstly, the declared MSP is not in line with recommendations of the Swaminathan committee of weighted average cost of production + 50%. Farmers had a short-lived smile on their face with the announcement. What is the point of declaring an MSP, when the government has expressed no intention of opening up procurement centres.
In August and September this year, farmers sold green gram (moong dal) anywhere from ₹3,900 to ₹5,300 per quintal in the open market. The MSP for moong was declared ₹6,975 per quintal, but no procurement centre was opened. Unable to hold on to their produce, many small and marginal farmers dumped moong in market yards bearing losses. Some medium and large farmers believed that the centres would open and held on to their produce. As more and more moong reached markets, the price stumbled further, procurement centres were not opened and farmers finally realized that it was not worth the wait.
Declaring MSP turned out to be an election stunt, with no results, or even genuine productive intentions behind it.
Even in cases where procurement centres were opened, like in the case of Karnataka, the government declared that it will only procure a small amount which meant that many farmers were left out and resorted to selling in open markets at low prices, paying exploitative commissions to traders, getting cheated in weighing etc.
To quote another instance, black gram which we buy at ₹80 to ₹90 per kilo in Hyderabad is sold by farmers at ₹25 per kilo in Narayanpet.
The event will discuss these issues in the context of the futility of only enhancing and increasing loan waivers. The aim of this discussion is to spread awareness of the angst of small and marginal land holding farmers, and the need to participate in the march for justice.
ALL ARE WELCOME!!!
Storytelling Certificate course.
16th, 17th, 18th and 20th October 2018, 10:30 PM to 5:00 PM.
Workshop for parents, grandparents, Storytellers, corporate professionals, educators.
Organizer
We are a few Storytellers from hyd, hosting geetanjali shetty of Mumbai to train us Storytellers, also open to other teachers, grandparents and parents in hyderabad.
Urban Parallax, a slim, accessible book brings together over a dozen reflections on India’s urbanization from some of the most committed and passionate urbanists in contemporary India. Dr. Amita Bhide and Dr. Himanshu Burte (both from the Centre for Urban Policy and Governance, TISS, Mumbai) editors of the book will introduce the thinking behind the book. The meeting will be chaired by Dr. Sheela Prasad, University of Hyderabad.
Bring Kommune to your city: Through the years, we’ve had festivals, story slams, made memories and experiences throughout the country. But we’ve faltered—see, the Kommune team is based primarily in Mumbai, and we sometimes forget that the Kommuneity is nationwide. So we’ve decided to launch a city plan that has Kommune visiting different parts of the country, looking for stories and talent throughout. We’re also looking to start city chapters, tiny pockets of the Kommuneity who love the performing arts as much as we do and would like to volunteer with us. And Hyderabad, with your food, stories, and history, we couldn’t help but keep you on our list. So join us as we discuss bringing storytelling to a city seeped in them, the performing arts to a city that was defined the word ‘art’ for so many of us. Hyderabad, help us turn the Kommuneity into a beautiful revolution.
Kommuneity Weekend: Kommuneity – we’ve had workshops, and we’ve had story slams. Our workshops have you walking in with words and walking out with stories – stories you never knew existed, stories you never thought were worth sharing. Our story slams are what unique Sundays are made of, complete with tellers breaking down their walls and finding support in strangers who look a lot less strange by the end of the evening. Both events however, define the Kommuneity for us. So we decided to combine the two to give you a weekend with all things Kommune, a weekend you’ll want to repeat again and again. Welcome to the Hyderabad edition of the Kommuneity weekend, where we marry the beauty of learning with the promise of growing.
So Hyderabad, we come to you with a Saturday of learning in the workshop, followed by a Sunday of using everything you’ve learned in the story slam. The theme for this story slam is ‘Taste’ – from food to memories, tell us about your favourite taste. Tell us if sadness tastes like your mother’s food gone cold or if happiness tastes like a the rain after months of waiting. In a city that loves food, tell us a bit about your swaad.
Participants will receive complimentary writing material. After all, what’s a writer without a book? So join Kommune as they create, captivate, and collaborate at this Kommuneity weekend!
Artists for both: Anuj Gurwara & Roshan Abbas
Lamakaan invites you to Addebaazi on the burning topic of the country ‘Falling Rupee & Rising Fuel Price. This is going to be an informal discussion where participants can freely participate and talk about the recent phenomena at the macroeconomic level of the country.
The plummeting rupee and the soaring price of fuel due to global factors are worrisome for the people.
How do we look at this burning of oil on one hand and melting of Indian rupee on the other side? What are the global factors that affect the balance of payments and also impact the lives of people living in this country?
Come, listen and share your thoughts with us on this Thursday at Lamakaan.
Dastangoi [made up of two Persian words: ‘Dastan’ meaning long tale and ‘goi’ meaning to tell it], is the lost art form of Urdu storytelling, revived in recent years. The original Dastans were epic tales of adventure and magic, among which Dastans of Amir Hamza were most prominent. In recent years new Dastans have expanded to include folk and other tales as well and the language has widened from chaste Urdu to include Hindustani and Hindi. The beauty of Dastangoi lies in the fact that it is the purest form of storytelling, which relies heavily on just two factors: the beauty of the language and the skill of the narrator.
Dastan Miyan Azad ki
This Dastan is a carefully curated selection of 3 nuggets of different moods, from ‘Fasana-e-Azad’. Authored by Pandit Ratan Naath Sarshaar, this gem of Urdu literature was hugely popular in the late 19th and early 20th century. It is a compilation of anecdotes and encounters of its central character- Miyan Azad and brings alive, in its word pictures, the Lucknow of the post-1857 era. The Dastan is embellished with the element of music, in carefully chosen songs based on classical ragas, highlighting the different moods.
The ageless appeal of this Urdu classic lies in its rich tapestry of colloquial language, ornamental expressions and lyrical writing peppered with occasional couplets, to describe festivals, rituals, festivities, mourning, feasts etc. It’s like a brilliant multi faceted diamond, flashing various moods and flavours. Published in book form first in 1880, ‘Fasana-e-Azad’ was serialised from December 1878 to December 1879 in ‘Avadh Akhbar’, an Urdu weekly published from Lucknow by Munshi Nawal Kishore.
The Dastangos
VALENTINA TRIVEDI is an educationist and performance artist. She has performed at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh, Bookraroo Childrens’ Literature Festival, Malaysia, apart from performances pan India. As a Dastango, apart from performing in Urdu and Hindustani, she has also adapted Satyajit Ray’s popular film ‘Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne’ into a Dastan embellishing it with translations of its original songs.
ASKARI NAQVI is Lucknow based performing artist. Soz Khwani and Dastangoi are two different Art forms he performs. He is also a student of music and getting trained under Pandit Amit Mukerjee. He has performed Soz Khwani and Dastangoi to national and international acclaim. Open Donation. All are welcome.
October 06, 2018 7:30 pm Saturday & October 07, 8:00 pm Sunday.
“Soz-khwani”, is a poetic & musical expression of a battle against tyranny in Karbala 1400 years ago by a group of seventy two people. This poetic and musical form is a beautiful expression of human emotions weaved in Indian symbols, narration of life and culture. This Art form is performed traditionally during the month of Muharram. Muharram is month of mourning for Shia Muslims. The form is performed during the close gatherings in an event called the “Majalis” where people gather for mourning for the sacrifices made in Karbala. The Art form has really been an important tradition of Awadh in India in terms of classical Awadhi, Urdu and some Persian poetic forms. Soz-khwani is also very much part of the folk music traditions of Awadh though not widely appreciated as they have been only closely associated to personal religious beliefs and traditions. The compositions for Soz-Khwani are based on the Indian Ragas. The Art form was part of many Shia family traditions in Awadh but now there are very few families who are still holding this tradition. The family Askari comes from belongs to a ‘Qasba’ (town) situated in the heart of Awadh called Mustafabad in Raebareli district of Uttar Pradesh in India. The family has been practicing and has preserved the Art form in a similar way like any other oral cultural traditions. But now there are very few in our generation who are practicing these classical forms.
ASKARI NAQVI is Lucknow based performing artist. Soz Khwani and Dastangoi are two different Art forms he performs. He is also a student of music and getting trained under Pandit Amit Mukerjee. He has performed Soz Khwani and Dastangoi to national and international acclaim.
Open Donation All are Welcome.
1) No. of Aircrafts suddenly reduced from 126 to 36 numbers
2) Abnormal increase of price per aircraft from 715 crores to 1650 crore
3) No make in India, HAL threw out and Ambani included with a huge order worth 21000 crores served on his platter.
In order to discuss this all-time biggest scam by the present Modi government in detail, you all are invited to ADDABAZI discussion at Lamakaan The topic will be discussed in depth by all the participants. The discussion will be led by Parag. ALL ARE WELCOME!!!
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Relevance of Bhagat Singh today – understanding a revolutionary on his 110th anniversary
