þÿ<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd" > <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en" > <html> <head> <meta name="generator" content= "HTML Tidy, see www.w3.org" /> <title>The Nehru centre, About Us</title> <meta http="" equiv="content - type" content= "text/html;charset=utf - 8" /> <link rel="stylesheet" href="2.css" type="text/css" /> </head> <body> <div id="container"> <div id="banner"> <img src="imgs/banner2b.gif" alt= "nehrucentre banner" /> <h1>The Nehru Centre is administered by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations</h1> </div> <div id="outer"> <div id="inner"> <div id="left"> <a href="/index.html">Home</a> <a href= "/About.html">About Us</a> <a href= "/Programmes.html">Programmes</a> <a href= "/Facilities.html">Facilities</a> <a href= "/Contacts.html">Contacts</a> <a href= "/directions.html">Directions</a> <a href= "/History.html">History</a> <a href= "/Links.html">Cultural Gateways</a> <a href="/Archives.html">Archives</a> <a href= "../Events.html">Other Events</a> <a href= "../photo.html">Photo Gallery</a> <a href= "../india60.html">India 60</a> </div> </div> <div id="list"> <p><img src="imgs/may02.png" alt="photos" /> <span class="date"><b>Mon 02 May 6.30 pm </b></span><br /> <b>Talk : Yoga and the Indian Vedic Sciences <br /> Yogi Ashwini</b></p> <p>The Vedic Science of Yoga has been known across continents since time immemorial across all ages, marveling its efficacy and un-ageing relevance; but the knowledge of the subject has been limited resulting in a lopsided projection of Yoga, as a form of exercise. Yoga indicates experiencing all aspects of creation in the self, as was found by the ancient sages, who gave us Vedas, Upanishads, and the knowledge of infinite cosmos, not by conducting experiments in laboratories but by sitting in silence and experiencing 'the Self . Perhaps this is what led British mathematician Alfred North Whitehead to say, The vastest knowledge of today cannot transcend the buddhi of the sages in ancient India, and science, in its most advanced stage now, is closer to Vedanta than ever before. It s one s own experience of the subtler dimensions and layers which is the foundation of Yoga, reading about somebody else's experiences is knowledge, one's own is Gyan and there is no Yoga without Gyan. And there is no change in the self without Yoga. Yogi Ashwini will be sharing his knowledge of the Vedic sciences. </p> <p>A living master, a modern day yogi, teacher and philosopher with a worldwide following, Yogi Ashwini is an expert on Yog, Tantra, Vaastu, Gemmology, Ayurveda, Spiritual Sciences and Healing.</p> <p>In association with The Dhyan Foundation in New Delhi (www.Dhyanfoundation.com))</p> </div> <div id="list"> <p><img src="imgs/may03.png" alt="photos" /> <p><img src="imgs/may03a.jpg" alt="photos" /> <p><img src="imgs/may03b.jpg" alt="photos" /> <p><img src="imgs/may03c.jpg" alt="photos" /> <p><img src="imgs/may03d.jpg" alt="photos" /> <p><img src="imgs/may03e.jpg" alt="photos" /> <span class="date"><b>Tue 03 May 6.15 pm </b></span><br /> <b>Exhibition of Paintings (Homage to Rabindranath): Borisho Dhorar Majhe Shantir O Bari<br /> Eleena Banik </b> </p> <p>A young painter based in Kolkata, Eleena Banik is a postgraduate of Shantiniketan, Visva Bharati University. She later studied at the Glasgow School of Art, on a Charles Wallace India Trust scholarship as a visiting M.F.A student. She also received the National Scholarship and Junior Fellowship from the Ministry of Human Resource Development. Her awards include the President of India s Silver Plaque from the All India Fine Arts & Crafts Society, New Delhi, and Governor s Gold Medal from the Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata. She has had 27 solo exhibitions in India and abroad. </p> <p>Educated at Patha Bhavan School, Kolkata, a school which follows education philosophy and idealism of Tagore, Eleena had the opportunity to study under the self-motivated guidance of Tagore s philosophy being close to nature and has always enjoyed the freedom of expression assimilating one s own intellect and surroundings. (www.eleenabanik.com) </p> <p>Open until 13 May during office hours except on the weekend </p> </div> <div id="list"> <p><img src="imgs/may03f.jpg" alt="photos" /> <p><img src="imgs/may03g.jpg" alt="photos" /> <p><img src="imgs/may03h.jpg" alt="photos" /> <span class="date"><b>Tue 03 May 7.00 pm </b></span><br /> <b>Film : In the Land of Chhinnopatro (120 min)<br /> Saibal Mitra </b> </p> <p> This film is based on Rabindranath Tagore s collection of letters (1889-1900) he wrote as a twenty-nine year old handsome landlord in eastern part of undivided Bengal, full of creative passion and dreams. He used to move around in a boat named Padma through various rivers. This part of Bengal acted as a catalyst in shaping Tagore's literature. He has narrated these experiences in a series of his letters to one of his nieces, Indira Devi, describing the life and beauty of rural Bengal, sometimes narrating his profound feelings of agony and ecstasy, thus unfolding the process of the making of a great mind. Later Tagore compiled these letters in a book, Chinnopatro (Tattered Letters). </p> <p> <p><img src="imgs/may03i.jpg" alt="photos" /> <p><img src="imgs/may03j.jpg" alt="photos" /> Produced by the Ministry of External Affairs, the film is a journey through these letters to a zone that can be called as 'Tagore Zone' of Bengal. After a careful study of the clues available in these writings more than a century later the film enters the zone to discover the land, the rivers and the moments that created Rabindranath. </p> <p>Working in Bengal Film Industry since 1977, Saibal Mitra started career as Assistant Director and worked his way up with major film directors including Goutam Ghosh and Ronald Joffe (Hollywood), assisting others in more than 5 feature films before starting independent productions. He has made several television series, documentaries, ad films and corporate films since 1986. He won the BFJA Award for Best Director in 2000 in Short Film Section. He has participated in the reputed film festivals all over the world. </p> </div> <div id="list"> <p><img src="imgs/may03k.jpg" alt="photos" /> <span class="date"><b>Wed 04 May 6.30 pm </b></span><br /> <b>Rabindranath Tagore s Play : The Post Office <br /> Translated by William Radice </b> </p> <p> Directed by Valerie Doulton, Artistic Director, The Live Literature Company, this is the public dress rehearsal performance of Tagore s most celebrated play, The Post Office. Originally written in 1912, The Post Office is rich in symbolism and allegory, and is a play about man s passionate cry for faraway and spiritual freedom. At the heart of the play is a young boy, through whose imaginative mind life is celebrated, even though this child is facing death. Mixing simplicity with sophistication, the play s universal appeal has made it a world classic </p> <p>Gandhi was spellbound by the play in Calcutta in 1917. Anita Desai called it, as modest as a dewdrop, as profound as the ocean . (Further performances will be held at The British Library on 13 and 14 May). Stage designer : <b>Amy Jackson</b>. </p> <p><i>In association with the Live Literature Company (www.theliveliteraturecompany.co.uk) </i> </p> </div> <div id="list"> <p><img src="imgs/may05.jpg" alt="photos" /> <p><img src="imgs/may05a.jpg" alt="photos" /> <span class="date"><b> Thu 05 May 6.30 pm </b></span><br /> <b>The 4th Shruti Foundation International Lecture: The Magic of Dance in India<br /> Lec-Dem by Dr Sonal Mansingh followed by a conversation with Lady Rana </b> </p> <p> Dance is a total expression of human experiences and aspirations. In India body is considered the temple in which resides the soul; a divinity which is manifested in the myriad forms of nature. Dance is the means by which the Formless is given form, the Nameless is given million names and attributes. From top to toe, the body of Indian dancer is animated to create artistic illusions by which an audience can participate in the process of creativity, described and illuminated by numerous sacred and secular texts and compendiums through the millennia.</p> <p>The celebrated Doyenne of Indian Dance, Dr Sonal Mansingh symbolizes two of the oldest Indian dance forms, Bharatanatyam and Odissi. Her knowledge of Indian philosophy, mythology, iconography and their cumulative inter-linkages with dance is unparalleled. Her vibrant creativity has yielded new dimensions to the set repertories, latest being the Naatya-Katha, the ancient form of story-telling which she has embellished with her own singing, narrative skills combined with abhinaya. Dr Mansingh has been honoured with Padma Vibhushan from the President of India and Kameshwari from Shri Kamakhya Adi Shakti Pith temple in Assam.</p> <p>Renowned educationist and musician, scholar and human rights activist, a wellness consultant, Lady Shruti Rana is currently involved in revamping education. Founder and Managing Trustee of Shruti Foundation, she is the International Chairperson of GOPIO International Women s Council. Editor of Sutra, the thread, she is Hon. Research Fellow to the School of History & Anthropology, Queens University, Belfast and on the Board of the South Asia Initiative of the University of Dublin (Trinity College). She was awarded the Delhi Ratna Govternment of India Award in 2002.</p> </div> <div id="list"> <p><img src="imgs/may09.png" alt="photos" /> <p><img src="imgs/may09a.jpg" alt="photos" /> <span class="date"><b> Mon 09 May 6.30 pm </b></span><br /> <b>Book Launch/Discussion : Talking Politics <br /> Prof Lord Parekh </b> </p> <p> Published by Oxford University Press, Talking Politics, is based on a series of probing interviews conducted by the Iranian Canadian philosopher Ramin Jahanbegloo with Lord Bhikhu Parekh. The interviews cover Prof Parekh s life and background as well as his views on a number of subjects including multiculturalism, political philosophy, the current state of India and the relevance of Gandhi. </p> <p>Prof Parekh is Emeritus Professor at the Universities of Westminster and Hull and the author of several widely acclaimed books in political philosophy. He has received BBC's Special Lifetime Achievement Award, Sir Isaiah Berlin Prize for Lifetime Contribution to Political Philosophy, and Padma Bhushan from the President of India. </p> <p>Discussants : Prof Lord <b>Tony Giddens</b>, Ex Director of London School of Economics, Prof <b>Zia Uddin Sardar</b>, distinguished writer and commentator and <b>James Manor</b>, Director, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, London. </p> <p>Launch : <b>Shri Nalin Surie</b>, High Commissioner of India.</p> </div> <div id="list"> <p><img src="imgs/may10.jpg" alt="photos" /> <span class="date"><b> Tue 10 May 6.30 pm </b></span><br /> <b><i>Seminar : Rabindranath Tagore s Multifaceted Creativity</i> </b> </p> <p> The focus of the two-day seminar will be on Tagore's multifaceted creativity including modern interpretations of Tagore in the performing arts and his continuing significance as one of the greatest internationalists for today.</p> <p>Discussants : Dr <b>William Radice</b>, poet, translator and scholar, will speak on Tagore s music; an international perspective. Dr <b>Ana Jelnikar</b>, scholar, translator from Slovenia, will talk on her specialist subject, Tagore in Slovenia, and <b>Valerie Doulton</b>, producer, artistic director and writer, will put her thoughts across on How Popular and Relevant Tagore is to contemporary audiences for both East and West.</p> <p>Chair : Professor <b>Tapan Ray Chaudhury</b>, Emeritus Fellow of Oxford University, who received Padma Bhushan in 2007 for his distinguished contribution in literature and education.</p> </div> <div id="list"> <p><img src="imgs/may11.jpg" alt="photos" /> <img src="imgs/may11a.jpg" alt="photos" /> <img src="imgs/may11b.jpg" alt="photos" /> <span class="date"><b> Wed 11 May 6.30 pm </b></span><br /> <b> llustrated Talk: Tagore Plays in London : Lalit Mohan Joshi </b> </p> <p> Tagore was one of the first Indian playwrights whose plays were staged in mainstream London theatres in the early 1900s. A selection of his plays were adapted and staged in London. The only other Indian playwright to have had this unique distinction was the great Sanskrit dramatist Kalidas. Lalit Mohan Joshi will focus on the factors that created the background for this development, on who the people were that became involved in these ventures and how British connoisseurs of art and English audiences responded to these presentations. </p> <p> <p><img src="imgs/may11c.png" alt="photos" /> Lalit Mohan Joshi is a film historian, documentary filmmaker and director of South Asian Cinema Foundation (SACF). Besides editing South Asian Cinema journal, his documentaries Beyond Partition (2006) and Jai Ho! Gulzar (2010) have received critical acclaim. Lalit s books include Bollywood  Popular Indian Cinema (2002), A Door to Adoor (2006) and India My India and other films by Yavar Abbas (2010). He is working on a new book and documentary on Niranjan Pal due to come out later this year (2011). </p> <p>In collaboration with the Tagoreans and South Asian Cinema Foundation (www.tagoreans.org.uk, www.southasiancinema.com)</p> </div> <div id="list"> <p><img src="imgs/may12.png" alt="photos" /> <span class="date"><b> Thu 12 May 6.30 pm </b></span><br /> <b> <i>Satyajit Ray s Film : Rabindranath Tagore</i> </b> </p> <p>A rare documentary, Rabindranath Tagore, written and directed by Satyajit Ray, produced by the Films Division, comprises dramatized episodes from the poet s life and archived images and documents. It won President s Gold Medal (1961), the Golden Seal, Locarno (1961) and the Special Mention, Montevideo (1962).</p> <p><i>In collaboration with the Tagoreans and Satyajit Ray Foundation (www.tagoreans.org.uk, www.satyajitray.org.uk)</i></p> </div> <div id="list"> <span class="date"><b> Thu 12 May 6.30 for 7.00 pm </b></span><br /> <b> MP Birla Memorial Lecture-2011 : The Message of the Bhagavad Gita by Dr Karan Singh<br /> at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (4a Castletown Road, London W14 9HQ) followed by dinner </b> <p>Please call Bhavan for reserving a seat (020 7381 3086, info@bhavan.net)</p> </div> <div id="list"> <p><img src="imgs/may13.jpg" alt="photos" /> <img src="imgs/may13a.jpg" alt="photos" /> <img src="imgs/may13b.jpg" alt="photos" /> <img src="imgs/may13c.jpg" alt="photos" /> <img src="imgs/may13d.jpg" alt="photos" /> <span class="date"><b> Fri 13 May 6.30 pm </b></span><br /> <b>Documentary Film : I Believe - Universal Values for a Global Society (40 min)<br /> Raja Choudhury and Dr Karan Singh will be present on the occasion</b> </p> <p> In an age when the world is precariously poised at the edge of environmental, ethnic, economic, ethical, religious and spiritual chaos, this new film puts forward a compelling vision and a uniquely Indian solution to the problems facing India and humanity. Dr Karan Singh, veteran Congress Leader, Rajya Sabha MP, Champion of Inter-Faith Dialogue, President of ICCR, Indian Ambassador to UNESCO and one of India s most multi-faceted Cultural and Spiritual Ambassadors presents us with a unique set of universal ideals based upon the best of Indian wisdom traditions yet framed in modern 21st century language and thinking.</p> <p>At the launch in March 2011 in New Delhi, the Honorable Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said of Dr Karan Singh, <i>I can think of no other Indian who has come to represent the ethos of our great civilization</i>.</p> <p> Raja Choudhury is an acclaimed international producer of documentary films and websites in the US, UK and India. His projects have included major installations and campaigns for Coca-Cola, Tower Records, Sony Music and HMV, 2 Webby Award-winning Websites and a variety of documentaries on the ethnic minorities of New York, development and spirituality. Raja established Universal Quest in 2011 in order to tell stories about Human Consciousness and India's Historic and Spiritual contribution to the World. </p> </div> <div id="list"> <p><img src="imgs/may15.jpg" alt="photos" width="150" height="200"/> <span class="date"><b> Sun 15 May 3.00 pm </b></span><br /> <b> Hindi Speech Competition & Prize Distribution </b> <br /> </p> <p>Hindi Speech Competition-2011 will take place for Hindi students of London and South East England followed by prize distribution to the winners. </p> <p> UK Hindi Samiti has been organising Hindi Gyan Pratiyogita since 2001 in UK, Europe and Russia. The selected students are sponsored for a trip to India in the month of August. The foreign students get an opportunity to see India and meet several dignitaries, writers and Indian students. The trip is supported by Ministry of External Affairs and ICCR (India), High Commission of India and The Nehru Centre (London), Aksharam, Kriti-UK Midlands, Kala Niketan Hindi School-Nottingham and several other Hindi teaching organisations of the UK and Europe. </p> <p> In association with the UK Hindi Samiti. For further information, please contact Dr Padmesh Gupta at hindisamiti@hotmail.com </p> </div> <div id="list"> <p><img src="imgs/may16.jpg" alt="photos" /> <img src="imgs/may16a.jpg" alt="photos" /> <span class="date"><b> Mon 16 May 6.30 pm </b></span><br /> <b>2nd Lecture: Divinity and Humanity: Indian Insights on the Nature of God <br /> Dr Nicolas Sutton</b> </p> <p>The Indian subcontinent has been the birthplace of many different religious and spiritual insights relating to the nature of the world, the nature of humanity and the nature of God. In this talk we will consider the range of different ideas that India has offered to the world ranging from overt atheism to the most emotional forms of love of God and consider how it is that such diverse interpretations of the world have been able to coexist in a state of relative harmony.</p> <p>Director of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies Department of Continuing Education, Dr Nicolas Sutton is responsible for the development of the Hindu Studies Courses, and for their on-line classes. Aside from articles on the Hindu tradition published in academic journals, as well as chapters in edited books, he is widely known for his extensive work on epic theology entitled 'Religious Doctrines in the Mahabharata'. He is currently working on a translation and extended study of the Mahabharata's Moksha-dharma-parvan, and researching material for a book exploring the links between the Bhagavad Gita and the Mahabharata.</p> </div> <div id="list"> <p><img src="imgs/may18.png" alt="photos" /> <span class="date"><b> wed 18 May 6.30 pm </b></span><br /> <b>Film: Well Done Abba (144 min) </b> <br /> </p> <p>TA 2010 political satire Hindi film directed by Shyam Benegal, starring Boman Irani, Minissha Lamba and Sammir Dattani in pivotal roles, Well Done Abba is the remake of the 2007 Marathi film, Jau Tithe Khau. It was based on three short stories: Narsaiyyan Ki Bavdi by Jeelani Bano, Phulwa Ka Pul by Sanjeev and Still Waters by Jayant Kripalani. </p> <p>The film tells the story of Armaan Ali (Boman Irani), a Muslim driver working in Mumbai, who takes one month leave from his employer to find a groom for his daughter Muskaan (Minisha Lamba), who lives in a village, distant from Hyderabad. Armaan does not turn up for three months, and his employer makes the difficult decision to sack him, but he asks his boss to listen to why he could not come. Getting soft, his employer allows him to drive to Pune where he has a meeting. Armaan starts the story from here. </p> <p> Introduction : <b> Nasreen Munni Kabir </b>, Director, Hyphen Films. In association with MA TV (www.matv.co.uk) </p> </div> <div id="list"> <p><img src="imgs/may19.jpg" alt="photos" /> <span class="date"><b> Thu 19 May 6.30 pm </b></span><br /> <b> Vasant Kothari Memorial Event </b> </p> <p>An evening to celebrate Vasant Kothari's life with music and a short discourse on Philosophy and The Meaning of Life. At this event, his legacy will be gifted to Chetana Educational Trust, various other British charities and the Vasant Kothari Family Foundation. </p> <p>A barrister by profession, Vasant Kothari dedicated his life not only to the pursuit of fairness and justice but also to education for the underprivileged and women in India. His passion for the study of Sanskrit and Vedic literature translated into forums for teaching Vedic chanting to women in Dehradun, Sanskrit and Vedic literature to children in rural areas around Bangalore and the study of Gita in Pune. Vasant's Foundation intends to create scholarship/interest free loan opportunities for higher education to the deserving.</p> <p>In association with the Chetana Education Trust</p> </div> <div id="list"> <p><img src="imgs/may20.jpg" alt="photos" /> <img src="imgs/may20a.jpg" alt="photos" /> <span class="date"><b> Fri 20 May 6.30 pm </b></span><br /> <b>Dance, Poetry & Music : Tagore in Translation<br /> Documentary Film : A Touch of Tagore</b> </p> <p>Produced by Nrityakala the Rhythm as a part of an educational project called Legacy, the film A Touch of Tagore focuses on the history of introduction and development of Tagore dance in the UK since 1950-2000.</p> <p>The film re-introduces Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore in a different light by giving a glimpse of his multifaceted and futuristic ideas, creations and views to an audience not familiar with his work. It is hoped that this film will be the instrument to preserve the legacy of this great visionary and creator for the progeny.</p> <p>A number of interviews of Prof Tapan Roychoudhury, Lord Dholakia, Amala Shankar, Jiten Singh of Shantiniketan and other local artists bring out the diversity of his personality and the stories behind the creation and development of Tagore dance in the UK.</p> <p>In association with Nrityakala The Rhythm (www.nrityakala.org.uk)</p> </div> <div id="list"> <p> <img src="imgs/may23.jpg" alt="photos" /> <img src="imgs/may23a.jpg" alt="photos" /> <span class="date"><b> Mon 23 May 6.00 pm </b></span><br /> <b>Presentation : Energy of the New Age : Our Soul Journey to Oneness <br /> Master Kaiser Shroff </b> </p> <p>Master Kaiser Shroff will enlighten you on several interconnected topics  the transformation we are experiencing due to the Ascension of Mother Earth, the energy of the 4th dimension - our role in the New age and how to unlock our hidden potential, 2000- 2012 and beyond and human evolution (referring to the Mayan and Hindu traditions); how the current vibrations influence our daily life, how to succeed and keep pace with the energy 'change' and 'shift', energy changes and manifestations in natural phenomena; the categories and qualities of the New Generation - Crystal, Indigo and other types of children and their role in new age. This will be followed by Q and A and a short practical energy session.</p> <p>Master Kaiser Shroff practised as a lawyer in India till 1986. She was called to the Bar in London in 1988 and had practised from Chambers at Chancery Lane. She was a Law Lecturer in London. Around 1995 - 96 she answered her calling and changed her vocation devoting it to the study of Energy, Regression and Self healing. She now travels the world as a teacher, healer, speaker and presenter. Current Chairperson of The International Teaching and Training of the International Association of Regression Research Therapy Regression programmes, she is an Executive Board Member of IARRT. An Executive Board Director of World Healing Institute of California, she gives training and private healing sessions on Regression, Karmic healing and various tailor made-programmes on personality development. Her aim is to heal and enlighten the world with Self-empowered awakening energy. </p> </div> <div id="list"> <p> <img src="imgs/may24.jpg" alt="photos" /> <img src="imgs/may24a.jpg" alt="photos" /> <span class="date"><b> Tue 24 May 7.00 pm </b></span><br /> <b>Book Launch : A Tale of Two Revolts: India's Mutiny & The American Civil War <br /> Rajmohan Gandhi</b> </p> <p>Two wars - the 1857 Revolt in India and the American Civil War - seemingly fought for very different reasons, occurred at opposite ends of the globe in the middle of the 19th century. But they were both fought in a world still dominated by Great Britain and the battle cry in both conflicts was freedom. Rajmohan Gandhi brings the drama of both wars to one stage in A Tale of Two Revolts. He deftly reconstructs events from the point of view of William Howard Russell, an Irishman who was also perhaps the world s first war correspondent, and uncovers significant connections between the histories of the United States, Britain and India. Into this fascinating story Rajmohan Gandhi weaves the choices of three towering figures of world history, Karl Marx, Leo Tolstoy and Abraham Lincoln, to show the continuities between the nineteenth century and the world today.</p> <p> Rajmohan Gandhi is a research professor at the Center for South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a former parliamentarian in India, the author of the award-winning biography of Gandhi. He is the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. </p> <p> Rajmohan Gandhi will be in conversation with Charles Allen <br /> <i>In association with Haus Publishing</i> </p> </div> <div id="list"> <p> <img src="imgs/may27.jpg" alt="photos" /> <img src="imgs/may27a.jpg" alt="photos" /> <span class="date"><b> Fri 27 May 6.15 pm </b></span><br /> <b> Exclusive Preview : Exhibition of Paintings : In Search of a Narrative Idiom</b> </p> Just as narrative ceased to be a central concern for the great modernist poets, so did storytelling all but disappear from modernist painting. Today, however, a number of factors  most conspicuously the decline of the rigid modernist orthodoxy and the return to realism that has followed in its wake  have conspired to revive the whole question of narrative painting. This exhibition featuring some of the most significant modern and contemporary artists from India  Paresh Maity, Jayasri Burman, Thota Vaikuntum, Sakti Barman, Anjolie Ela Menon, and Laxma Goud to name a few  makes a strong bid to return either directly or in a roundabout fashion to the narrative tradition in painting. <p> <img src="imgs/may27b.jpg" alt="photos" /> <img src="imgs/may27c.jpg" alt="photos" /> It is the aim of this exhibition to present an alternative insight into visual narratives that employ unfamiliar or unconventional compositions and structures. While it is not its intention to conclude or formulate a precise definition as to what makes a painting a work of narrative it provides alternative ways of presenting a passage of time within a static medium and typifies the endless potential of narrative painting. Nonetheless, all the artists in this show share, to varying degrees, certain common attributes including space, setting, and may include a representation of figures in relation to the events or themes portrayed. </p> <p> <img src="imgs/may27d.jpg" alt="photos" /> <img src="imgs/may27e.jpg" alt="photos" /> <img src="imgs/may27f.jpg" alt="photos" /> <img src="imgs/may27g.jpg" alt="photos" /> In association with Gallery Sanskriti (www.gallerysanskriti.com) and Shruti Foundation (www.shrutfoundation.org) </p> <p>Open on 28 May during office hours and on Saturday from 11 am to 8 pm </p> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </div> <div id="list"> <p> <img src="imgs/may27i.jpg" alt="photos" /> <img src="imgs/may27k.jpg" alt="photos" /> <span class="date"><b> Fri 27 May 6.30 pm </b></span><br /> <b>Music : Adaptation of Tagore s Melodies in Bollywood Music <br /> Anuradha Roma Choudhury and Dia Chakravarty</b> </p> <p>Conceived and compiled by Anuradha Roma Choudhury, this presentation explores the adaptation of Tagore s melodies by musical maestros of Indian cinema over the years, with live illustrations of both the Tagore songs and their corresponding Bollywood versions.</p> <p>Anuradha Roma Choudhury trained in Classical Indian vocal music for ten years before going on to complete the Gita-Bharati degree in Rabindrasangeet from Gitabitan Sikshayatan, Kolkata with a Gold Medal. Her book in Bengali on the influence of British tunes on Tagore s songs, Bilati-gan-bhanga Rabindrasangeet, was published in 1987. Honoured in 2002 by the Tagore Research Institute, Kolkata, for her research work on Tagore s music, she released a CD, Biliti Gan O Rabindrasangeet, in 2005. Anuradha was a part-time Tutor at the Continuing Education Department of Cardiff University. She remains an Honorary Fellow of Cardiff University.</p> <p>Dia Chakravarty started her musical training with Pratick Endaw in Rabindrasangeet and other forms of Bengali music at the age of three. She has had wide experience of public performance around the world. Since moving to the UK ten years ago, she has added Hindi songs to her repertoire. A student at Oxford University, Dia was actively involved with Udayan, a Bengali cultural group and continues to perform on a regular basis even after her move to London four years ago. She trains with Anuradha Roma Choudhury. A barrister by training, Dia currently works in public affairs.</p> </div> <div id="list"> <p> <img src="imgs/may31.jpg" alt="photos" /> <img src="imgs/may31a.jpg" alt="photos" /> <span class="date"><b> Tue 31 May 6.15 pm </b></span><br /> <b>Exhibition of Paintings : Triumph of the Market <br /> Sanjeev Khandekar</b> </p> <p>This series of acrylic paintings represents a beautiful montage of distorted images of the ticker tape, which is the nucleus of the market scene. Khandekar has blended late capitalism with eastern meditation into artworks that look so wild and intriguing. The artist rings a bell and reminds us of our enslavement to the market, that we have subjected ourselves to. SK: <i>Here I want to distort the ticker to squeeze it, to attempt its abstraction, you may say but this is to understand the internalization of society s obsession with money, power and consumerism. We all are figures and numbers walking in the human form in the finance world. We are the figures in the paintings, constantly ambulating in order to arrive to the point of gratification; but we are unable to find our destination as the market has unleashed the huge volume of our unconscious, a quiescent bundle of the suppressed desires </i>.</p> <p>Marathi poet and artist, Sanjeev Khandekar lives and works in Mumbai. He has had solo shows in major galleries of India for the past 10 years.</p> <p>Open until 3 June during office hours</p> </div> <div id="list"> <p> <img src="imgs/may31b.jpg" alt="photos" /> <img src="imgs/may31c.jpg" alt="photos" /> <span class="date"><b> Tue 31 May 7.00 pm </b></span><br /> <b>Dance : Bharatanatyam<br /> Rashi Bijlani</b> </p> <p>Pursuing MA (Dance Movement Psychotherapy) at Goldsmiths College, Rashi is currently a trainee Dance Movement Psychotherapist at the ACE zone of the Crane Park Primary School, London. She has also been taking classes at Santosh Nair s Sadhya and at Danceworx. A disciple of Guru Geeta Chandran, Rashi has worked in choreography under various reputed dancers/choreographers including Gilles Chuyen, Soraya Franco, Swati Mohan, Garima Sharma and Charu Shankar. </p> <p>Initially trained under Rekha Choudhary, her wide oeuvre in jazz, contemporary folk, and classical made her an inevitable choice to be elected Dance Secretary at Lady Sriram College. She was awarded the Best Dancer in school and meritorious contribution to dance and choreography in college.</p> <p>An integral part of Geeta Chandran s Natya Vrikssha Dance Company, Rashi has travelled all over India and overseas and has been a part of lecture demonstrations with her Guru organized by Spic Macay. Working as a trainee and as then full time therapist at the Hope foundation (New Delhi), she was also a part of the Bharatnatyam UK tour-2010 of Geeta Chandran for the celebration of the 60th year of the Indian Republic organized by The Nehru Centre. </p> </div> </div> <!-- end content --> </div> <!-- end inner --> <!-- end outer --> <div id="footer"> <h1>&copy; The Nehru Centre</h1> </div> <!-- end container --> <!-- <p> <h2> WE WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE ALL THE PROGRAMME OF EVENTS FOR THIS MONTH. PLEASE KEEP CHECKING THE WEBSITE </h2> </p> <p> <h2> WE ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING SOME TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES AND NOT ALL THE OCTOBER PROGRAMMES WILL BE FULLY DISPLAYED UNTIL TUESDAY 21 SEPTEMBER 2010</h2> </p> --> </body> </html>