Vol.21 No. 2 February - 2020 INFOSYS FOUNDATION PULIGERE UTSAV, 2020 Shri. T.K. Anil Kumar I.A.S., Secretary to Govt, Tourism Dept, Govt of Karnataka standing along with him (from right) Shri Manandi N. Suresh, Hon. Secretary, BVB, and Smt. Shrimati Suresh after inaugurating the festival by offering flowers to the deity while members of the temple trust on the left side join. Dance, music, art… the instruments like the sitar, tabla, audience couldn’t ask for more. flute, violin and santoor as well as For three whole days, the sounds the tinkle of ghunghrus filled the air of resonant voices singing in at the Someshwara temple at perfection and those of musical Lakshmeshwara in Gadag Dist. 1 [email protected] Dr. Pallakki Utsava with folk : ‘Dollu Kunita’ It was a feast for the eyes the morning at 6.30, even and ears as the rapt audience as day broke; and evening drank it all in on January 3, 4 programmes. and 5, 2020, with the 5th edition The Utsav was inaugurated of the PuligereUtsav- 2020 early in the day, at 6.15am, with being held by the Infosys Shri. T.K. Anil Kumar, IAS, Foundation. The tagline, Secretary, Tourism department, Sangeetha – Nruthya – Chitra Government of Karnataka, doing Sambrama was apt, as there the honours – by showering was an Artists’ Camp, too, flowers on the deity Someshwara, called “Landscapes of placed in a palanquin.In his Lakshmeshwara,” in which speech, Shri. Anil Kumar said artists recommended by the that Karnataka had a richness in Lalit Kala Academy participated. heritage sites, tourist spots and The Utsav included two ancient temples. In fact, many sessions every day: Sur Prabhat, people were not even aware or Udaya Raga, starting early in that they existed. 2 At the inauguration, the through the programmes held notes of the shehnai started at at the Utsav: A sitar recital by dawn, played by Shri. Manjunath Shri. Hafiz Khan; a Bharatanatya Bhajantri. This was followed performance by the artist’s of by a Hindustani vocal concert Shrishti Nritya Kala Kuteera, by Ms. Rajeshwari V. Patil. Udupi, directed by Dr. Manjari Chandra Pushparaj; another by The highlight of the evening was the artist’s of Anjana Nritya Pallakki Utsav with Dollu Kala Kendra, from Chitradurga, Kunita. For the Pallakki Utsav, directed by Smt. Nandini Shiva the deity, placed in a palanquin, Prakash; a Hindustani vocal was taken in a procession recital by Shri Vishal Hegde around the town. Mundaragi and Shri Harish Hegde; another Ningappa and group performed Hindustani vocal concert by the Dollu Kunita. Gujanoor Smt. Sujatha Gurav; a sitar Kala Thanda showcased the and santoor jugalbandi by Nandikolu performance. Krishna Shri. Sanjiv Korti and Shri Bhajantri played the shehnai for Ashwin Walwalkar; the Pallakki utsav. a Bharatanatya and Kathak recital called Vividha, by Many young artistes got an Rhythmotion Ensemble opportunity to display their talent from Bengaluru, Kum. Anu Jain., artist, lighting the lamp to mark the inauguration of artists camp during the three day Infosys Foundation Puligere Utsav. 3 Illuminated temple complex with Smt. Chitra Aravind The artist camp was choreographing the dance; inaugurated by Shri Shivanna a Kathak dance recital by Smt. Nelavigi, President, Sri Asmita Thakur and troupe from Someshwara Bhaktara Seva Pune; a flute recital by Shri Trust .Anu Jain, an artist from Harish Kulkarni; a Jaltarang Bengaluru, who was physically recital by Smt. Shashikala disabled, an inspiration with her Arundani; a jugalbandi between never-say-die spirit and Kiran Carnatic and Hindustani Sherkhane another physically disabled artist were part of the vocalists, Vidwan Maruthi artists team. Prasad and Vidwan Abhijit Shenoy; a Bharatanatya dance The other artists who had performance called Shivarpana come from different districts, by Smt. Anuradha Vikranth and visited various sight seeing the Drishti Dance Ensemble, spots like temples, masjids, directed by Anuradha Vikrant Jain Basadis, etc. in and around was presented during the three Lakshmeshwara and put up days utsav. an exhibition at the end of the three days camp. 4 INFOSYS FOUNDATION - PULIGERE UTSAV - 2020. Shehnai recital by Shri Manjunath D. Bhajantri and Team Tabla : Shri Mallemallesh Hugar Desai Kallur. Hindustani Vocal Concert: Ms. Rajeshwari V. Patil, Tabla : Shri. Allamaprabhu Kadakol, Esraj : Dr. Aranya Kumar Munenni Artists who participated in the camp display their works along with Shri. C.N. Ashok Kumar, O.S.D. BVB 5 INFOSYS FOUNDATION - PULIGERE UTSAV - 2020. Sitar Recital : Shri. Hafiz Khan and team Tabla : Shri. Shailesh Shenoy Bharatanatya Dance Recital : ‘Shivarpanam’ Artists of Srishti Nritya Kala Kuteera, Udupi. Direction : Dr. Manjari Chandra Pushparaj Bharatanatya Dance Recital : Artists of Sri Anjana Nritya Kala Kendra, Chitradurga. Direction : Smt. Nandini Shivaprakash 6 INFOSYS FOUNDATION - PULIGERE UTSAV - 2020. Hindustani Duet Vocal Recital : Shri. Vishal Hegde and Shri. Harish Hegde Harmonium : Shri. Basavaraj Hiremath, Tabla : Shri Sridhar Mandre Hindustani Vocal Recital: Smt. Sujatha Gurav Tabla : Shri. Nandikeshwar Gurav, Harmonium : Shri. Ashwin Walawalkar Sitar and Santoor Jugalbandi : Sitar : Shri. Sanjiv Korti Santoor : Shri. Ashwin Walawalkar, Tabla : Shri. Kartik Krishna Bharatanatya and Kathak Recital : ‘Vividha’ by the artists of Rhythmotion Ensemble, Bengaluru. Choreography : Smt. Chitra Aravind, Artistic Director. 7 INFOSYS FOUNDATION - PULIGERE UTSAV - 2020. Kathak Dance Recital : Smt. Asmita Thakur and Troupe, Pune. Flute Recital: Shri Harish Kulkarni and Shri Praveen Hallikeri Tabla : Shri. Srihari Diggavi Jaltarang Recital : Smt. Shashikala Arundani Tabla : Shri Sridhar Mandre 8 INFOSYS FOUNDATION - PULIGERE UTSAV - 2020. Carnatic and Hindustani Vocal Jugalbandi : Carnatic Vocal : Vid. Maruthi Prasad, Mridanga : Shri. A.S.N. Swamy, Violin : Shri Achyutha Rao. Hindustani Vocal : Vid. Abhijit Shenoy, Tabla : Shri. Adarsh Shenoy, Harmonium : Shri Srikanth Kulkarni Bharatanatya Dance Recital : ‘Shivarpana’ by the artists of Drishti Dance Ensemble, Bengaluru. Under the direction of Smt. Anuradha Vikranth A section of the audience at the Utsav 9 CHITRAKALA SANMAN CONFERRED TO H. N. SURESH Shri. H.N. Suresh, Director, BVB, receiving ‘Chitrakala Sanman’ from Dr. C.N. Ashwath Narayan, Dy. Chief Minister Govt of Karnataka The Director of Bharatiya Kala Parishath, Department of Vidya Bhavan, Bengaluru Higher Education, Government Kendra, Shri. H. N. Suresh, of Karnataka, and Department who is also a well-known artist, of Tourism, Government of was given the Chitrakala Sanman Karnataka. The Deputy (H. K. Kejriwal award) on Chief Minister of Karnataka, Saturday the 4th of January Shri. Dr. Ashwath Narayan was by the Karnataka Chitrakala the Chief Guest, and conferred Parishath (CKP) for his the award on Shri. H. N. Suresh. contribution in the field of art. Every year, CKP holds Chitra Santhe, a festival of art that brings The award ceremony was art to the streets and the lay held in association with Chitra person. 10 Shri H. K. Kejriwal, in Netherlands Mobile Art Gallery whose name the award was in 2008. Suresh’s later work instituted and which was depicted the Nine planets, each conferred this year on Shri. represented by an array of H. N. Suresh, was an industrialist symbols.His series of paintings and art aficionado. Dedicated on zodiacal science (Rashis) to art, he played an important travelled around the country: role in establishing of CKP. being exhibited at India International Center (New Delhi), Shri. H.N. Suresh has Alliance Française’ Le Corbusier’ been the recipient of the State de Chandigarh, Indian Council Sangeeth Nritya Academy’s for Cultural Relations (Kolkata). Karnataka Kalashree Award. His later works were a series He is also been awarded State on ‘Astadikpalakas’ (Dieties of Lalita Kala Akademi award in eight directions of the Universe). 2007. Many other prestigious Also, his paintings have been awards also have been conferred exhibited in the USA and UK. on Shri. H.N. Suresh. He was an art critic for the Indian His work titled ‘Mathangi’ Express and Kannada Prabha in was voted the best work by the Bangalore over several years. 11 GRADUATION CEREMONY OF PG DIPLOMA COURSES IN COUNSELLING Shri. K.A. Dayananda, Director, Dept of Women and Child development lighting the lamp. On his right Shri. H.N. Suresh, Director, BVB and on his left Dr. Ali Khwaja, Chairman Banjara Academy, Bengaluru It was an event that offered mental health, said that he had much food for thought. The event been committed to it at a time was the 3rd convocation of the when it was considered to be a Graduation ceremony of the PG stigma, and when people refused Diploma Courses in Counselling to talk about it. The Manasa offered by Manasa Educational Trust was founded to dispel Foundation for Mental Health, such an attitude to mental health. Shivamogga, and Bharatiya The objective of the trust was Vidya Bhavan’s H. B. College promoting positive mental health of Communication and education and driving away the Management, Bengaluru. It was stigma associated with mental ill held on December 28, 2019. health. There was a huge chasm Today, there is an ever between the number of people increasing need for counsellors in who were trained in offering hospitals, schools, NGOs, and counselling help and those family counselling centres. As per suffering from mental health WHO estimates, one in four problems, said Dr. Preethi V. persons is likely to be affected by Shanbhag, Academic Director, a mental illness at least once in Manasa Trust, who spoke at the their lifetime. Graduation ceremony. Guest of Honour, Dr. Ali Recalling her father, Khwaja, Chairman of Banjara Dr.K.A. Ashok Pai, whom she Academy, Bangalore, said mental called a crusader in the cause of health problems like loneliness 12 Certificate holders along with the dignitaries could reach epidemic responsible for people’s mental proportions in today’s world. health. He said many people He lauded the fact that the U.K. suffered from stress in the current government had thought it fit to times.