Crooning for peace Dhruv Vishvanath, Percussive acoustic guitarist
Crooning for peace Dhruv Vishvanath, Percussive acoustic guitarist
Mahatma Gandhi was rebellious and broke set patterns and norms during the British rule. The present generation also needs to come out of the comfort zone and fight for their rights. Music can definitely become a great medium to pursue the same. Independent musicians like me can relate to the path of Gandhi as their journey is equally aggressive, independent and beautiful. So as not to waste his birthday as just another holiday, I would be performing with a whole lot of musicians for a show called Sing Swaraj organised by Sound Tree Media. Gandhi’s idea of Swaraj was all about self-reliance and self-governance. Through this particular performance I am just contributing towards passing on the legacy of peace and independence through music.
*** Ideals and life in lens b.s. shivaraju (cop shiva) Photographer
Being a policeman, I understand the need of a Gandhi in today’s time. I see this hope materialising through Basavaraju, a simple schoolteacher who paints himself silver, wears spectacles, a dhoti and masquerades as Mahatma Gandhi to inspire children in public spaces. After knowing this man, I realised he not only stands for Gandhi’s values, but he is reviving hope for a change. He is preaching ahimsa, equality and spreading Gandhi’s message. For me, it was like rediscovering Gandhi and he is the core subject of my photographs.
*** Dance for change
Geeta Chandran, Dancer and choreographer
I believe that there is an erosion of values among the youth of today and that’s the reason that with my new dance-theatre work Gandhi: Warp and Weft, I want to stand for the same values that Mahatma Gandhi stood for. His life and work had so much to offer. I decided to explore six key concepts of Gandhian philosophy in my performance that I really believe in — religious tolerance, celibacy, Satyagraha, ahimsa, caste politics and khadi. And you’ll realise that these are still burning issues after so many years since he left our world. These are the issues that we debate and discuss even today. I am just revisiting his messages as a 21st century woman and in a way, giving out his messages to the youth to ponder upon and find out whether we are moving in the right direction.
*** Portraying non-violence in bold strokes Reha Shishodia, Painter and sculptor
Memories of Gandhi are reduced to rituals, his ideas forgotten and much of what he stood for is remembered only in parts. Through my work I try to revive his preaching and pass the message of non-violence and Satyagraha. My paintings emote my thoughts on his ideologies, which have a deep impact on my thought process and are a source of inspiration for most of my collections. In my collections inspired by Gandhiji, I have used lots of colour and given a bit of modern touch so that the younger generation can connect to it. I have used simple forms, lots of sketches, vibrant colours and played with the concept of unwrapping the installation of Gandhi to generate curiosity among the younger generation.
