For working with the Saptak Archives in Ahmedabad, which has over 20,000 recordings of exponents from various gharanas, traditions, and styles within Hindustani Music, both vocal and instrumental. This fellowship supports research towards documenting the journey of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana, one of the ‘newer’ gharanas of Hindustani Music founded by Ustad Alladiya Khan. Despite being a recently developed style of singing, there is no written record of the lyrics or notation of these musical pieces. The outcome will be a compilation of ragas including the notations, lyrics and technical details of raga-swaroop that are a specialty of this gharana, presented as a book, CD or website. And an exhibition on the emergence of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana; audio-visual presentations on the life and music of select musicians; guided listening sessions on ragas and compositions of this gharana; and a live concert by the Fellow herself displaying the gayaki of the gharana. The Fellow’s deliverables to IFA with the Final Report will be a book, CD or website, together with images of the exhibition and audio-visual sessions, audio recordings of 'listening sessions' if possible and process images if any.
For a research-based study on the collapse of the infrastructure of celluloid film distribution in India, in the wake of digital distribution. The project aims to capture the dynamic and complex histories across multiple film industries in India, in a rapidly changing environment. The outcome of the project will be an essay and a detailed set of notes on the current film distribution system. The Grantee's deliverables to IFA with the Final Report will be the audio-visual recording of interviews, photographs, the essay and notes. Grant funds will pay for costs towards an honorarium, travel and living, materials, professional fees for resource persons, and an accountant’s fee.
This Grant was amicably cancelled based on reasons mutually agreed upon by the Grantee and IFA due to unavoidable circumstances.
For working with the Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum (VITM) in Bangalore, which has a rich collection of science and technology objects.For the creation of a programme titled ‘The Mystery-Gen Gadgets’, which will constitute the history and technological development of early gadgets. Their study will focus on the design history of these gadgets and the cross-cultural perspectives connected with their design, production, use, and disposal. The outcome will include an exhibition, workshops, and talks that explore the role and future of contemporary gadgets. The Fellows’ deliverables to IFA with the final report will be images documenting the process, video recordings, texts, and a publication, if any.
For working with the Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum (VITM) in Bangalore, which has a rich collection of science and technology objects.For the creation of a short theatrical performance with young members of the Hyderabad-based theatre-family group Surabhi, that will make visible the scientific processes that are at work in their theatrical productions, especially in their stagecraft. The outcome will include a mini lecture-demonstration production in VITM, Bangalore followed by a workshop led by young members of Surabhi for an audience in Bangalore; and short YouTube videos made with the children about science in their theatre. The Fellows’ deliverables to IFA with the final report will be process images, audio/video recordings, and texts and publication, if any.
For the creation of a performance-work titled Shiva that explores queer identities. Based on personal experiences, it will trace the story of a young poet coming out to his mother, through a series of letters and poems that express fear, conviction, choice, and a deep longing for her acceptance. The performance also seeks to draw on and challenge the tenets of Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music, viewing them from a queer perspective. Imagined as an iterative, creative series of performances, this process seeks to emerge as a platform that will trigger dialogues on alternative identities, relationships, gender, sexuality, masculinity, peer pressure, and mob violence. The outcome will be a series of eight performances across Karnataka. The Grantee's deliverables to IFA with the Final Report will be photographs and video documentation of the process work and performance. Grant funds will pay for costs towards an honorarium, travel and living, professional fees, rehearsal / performance space and studio hire, production, printing and publicity, documentation, and an accountant’s fee.
For research on the Royal Carnatic Orchestra of the Mysore Court which has now evolved into the Mysore Police Band. It will trace the journey of the Orchestra from being considered as ‘exotic’ in 19th-century India to the current perception of it being an ignored ‘relic’ of the British Raj. The project will also examine the ways in which the Band, which was instated to safeguard the ‘culturally pristine form’ of Carnatic music against the backdrop of sociopolitical and cultural transformation in South India, has been excluded from mainstream discourses. The outcome will be a manuscript for a book. The Grantee’s deliverables to IFA with the Final Report will be the manuscript, audio-visual footage of recordings and performances, and notations of the music of the Band. Grant funds will pay for costs towards an honorarium, professional fees, travel and accommodation, equipment rental, fee to institutions for copying relevant documents and records, and an accountant’s fee.
For a set of workshops and a 30-day reconnaissance train journey undertaken by a group of artists, in an attempt to gather diverse perspectives around identity in India. The journey, which will touch four locations Bangalore–Dhemaji–Srinagar–Perambavoor, will involve performances, performative interactions, and interviews with fellow passengers and the crew of the train. The outcome will be a broad performance structure, based on which the project will be further developed on another train journey. The Grantee’s deliverables to IFA with the Final Report will be documentation of the process in the form of stills, videos or sketches made during the journey.
For a support towards the production of a theatre piece titled Muktidham written in Hindi, based on the history of conflict between Buddhism and Hinduism in the eighth century. The play enquires into the complex relationships between religion, power, politics, caste and patriarchy. The production will be the outcome of the grant. Grant funds will pay for honorarium, professional fees, purchase of materials, travel, equipment and space rentals, publicity and an accountant’s fee.
For a theatre practitioner and visual artist to collaborate on a project at the Government High School, Jeevan Bhima Nagar, Bangalore, where students will be engaged in the idea of repair and reuse. Through regular classes and engagements with mechanics from local repair shops, the students will learn the culture and skills to repair-reuse-recycle objects of everyday use. The outcomes of the grant will be a play created out of the learnings of the process, and an exhibition of the objects created by the students.
For an initiative that will take about 30 children’s literature publications in Kannada and English to high school students at the Government High School, Jayanagar, Bangalore. Using an integrated approach that involves visual art, music, theatre and dance, this project seeks to build reading and writing abilities in the students. A presentation and exhibition of text-inspired work created by the students will be the outcome of the project.
