Raising a stink again

Surupasree Sarmmah, Dec 29, 2015, DHNS

Persistent problem

It’s been a while since Bengaluru has been facing a problem with garbage. With strong discourses in the air, the issue has been a cause of concern but looks like they are all going waste. An important area in terms of leisure spots and hangouts, Church Street has been a topic of discussion for its unrepaired roads and pavements and the stink caused by carelessly thrown garbage. But it’s not just commuters who are facing a problem — business enterprises in the area are also bearing the brunt of this negligence.
Rajkumar, one of the shopkeepers in the area, says, “It gets really difficult for us to run our business here. We are always surrounded by a rotten stench. It’s been more than three days since the garbage  has been collected. It remains mounted in front of my shop and lies untouched with every passing day. The garbage truck makes its rounds but the collectors have been totally ignored this side of the road.”

He points out that the street used to have trash bins a while back, but were later removed. He exclaims, “Earlier, there used to be dustbins attached to each pillar and the garbage truck used to come four times a day and collect the waste from all these bins. 

But today, there are no dustbins allocated to dispose waste. Whatever be the reason, I think along with the government, even the public should act responsibly. What we generally see is people throwing wrappers, papers or any kind of waste wherever they see a heap of garbage. What they don’t realise is that this is adding to the pile that’s already there.”

With some of the most important commercial areas like Koramangala and Avenue Road (to name a few) topping the list of places facing garbage problems in the City, the condition of Church Street is not a new one. 

Facing a similar issue, Naseer, another shopkeeper on Church Street, says, “Due to the constant smell, people don’t come to my shop to buy anything. I am incurring a heavy loss. It looks like all the waste from around Church Street is brought and dumped in front of my shop!” In his opinion, the blame not only falls on the officials and the management but also on the public for not making a conscious effort to keep the City’s streets clean. 

Naseer adds, “The waste from the hotels nearby, which includes animal and vegetable waste, is dumped on the road and no one cleans this. We have complained about this several times but it doesn’t look like the management is interested in changing anything. The garbage vehicle is also irregular in collecting the waste. However, I feel the public here is equally responsible for this situation. We can’t always blame the government.” 

The rising garbage is not the only issue here. Unrepaired pavements and roads add to the plight of the people. Akriti, who is a regular visitor to Church Street due to her work, says, “First of all, there are no proper pavements for people to walk on. Most of them are broken or unrepaired. The little bit of what is left is covered with garbage. I always find waste dumped on the pavements. To avoid the garbage, people start walking on the road. Again, there is no proper road where people can drive. The entire stretch has more potholes than road itself! Since I commute by car, it becomes difficult because there is literally no way to avoid these potholes. It’s high time that the management and the public start taking strict steps and a conscious effort towards improving the situation.” 

'A bike ride is all about freedom'

Nina C George, Dec 29, 2015, DHNS

Bike expedition

This is not Arunabh Majumdar’s first biking expedition but the excitement in his voice is palpable. The Bengaluru-based IT professional, who has just left for a month’s long biking expedition from Bengaluru to Bangkok, says that every time he hits the road on his TVS Star City Plus, he feels like it’s his first time. “A bike ride is all about freedom. And you don’t excel in freedom, you celebrate it. Personally, a bike tour has always been all about letting go of my fears,” explains Arunabh.
Doesn’t letting go of one’s fears require guts? “Absolutely. When you are out on the road with your machine, you can discount all planning and those meticulous charts you have prepared for the ride. They will help you but only to an extent. The realisation that your bike tour may be nothing like the one you planned and you could be in for the ride of a lifetime is key,” he says. He concedes venturing into the unknown does require a lot of courage. “But very few things in life come close to the joys of cruising on an empty highway,” he adds.  

Arunabh recollects that it was sheer curiosity that prompted him to explore bikes. As a college-goer, he was eager to  know how far his father’s old scooter would take him. “It was such a strong and sturdy machine that it took me from Bengaluru to Mysuru. But somehow, after that I desisted from more adventures on the Bajaj. It was a beautiful machine,” he recalls. He says that he spent his college days riding borrowed bikes from generous friends. “I have been an average rider for the most part but when my mother finally bought herself a Honda Activa (which I conveniently annexed, as she puts it), all hell broke loose,” he says. 

He states that “curiosity” got the better of him and he started looking up places he could ride to. “I began with an epic ride to nearly every hill station and to a few forts in Maharashtra and absolutely loved the experience. By then I had made up my mind to explore more,” he says. Talking from experience, he adds, “Every motorcycle or scooter has been designed for a specific purpose. It is when you take it out of its comfort zone that you understand its capabilities. 

This realisation sunk in only after I rode across the blistering Rann of Kutch within 700mts of the Indo-Pak border on a Hero Splendor.” Recalling some of his memorable rides, he says, “I think a 12-day ride from Mumbai to Bengaluru, on the Honda Activa along the Konkan Coast clocking 2,466 kms in all, takes the cake. It was an exhilarating experience. People in Karwar shook their heads in disbelief when I told them that I rode down all the way from Mumbai on a scooter,” he laughs. 

It’s not only the biking experience that is thrilling but Arunabh says that he always gets to meet some interesting people en route. “I try my best not to ride at night. Staying somewhere is usually never a problem. 

People are very warm and welcoming and the sight of a biker with his bags saddled behind and asking for directions is usually a welcome change. I have stayed with locals in Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, Zanskar, Rann of Kutch and a few other places. The nomadic lifestyle is a privilege that I have been lucky to experience,” he says.

He shares that his latest bike expedition from Bengaluru to Bangkok involved a lot of paper work but what excited Arunabh were the experiences shared by people who have travelled on the route. 

He then thought that he should experience it too and before he knew it, he was on the ride. 

The preparation for any long ride is an exhausting affair and Arunabh says that in addition to carrying an elaborate road map, he makes regular visits to the mechanic to ensure that the bike is in perfect working condition and packs enough food and supplies. And above all, he says that it is important to have a great attitude.   

Unfolding a story

Ananya Revanna, Dec 29, 2015, DHNS

Round-up

The year is nearing its end and when you casually look back, you find numerous mellifluous sounds and movements that have found space in the City. Although the decor is cramped, Bengaluru has found a way to accommodate the burgeoning performance arts scene. And platforms for these performers are building up in the most creative ways possible. 

When it came to sounds, dance music won the popularity contest but it wasn’t too domineering. DJs, music producers and composers who love electronic, psychedelic and trance music were given space to express themselves, with numerous listeners flocking to various venues around the City. Progressive techno beats found the quickest possible way to clubs and effectively engaged with the audience. DJ Tiesto was one of the highlights of the year and he sent dance music fans into a tizzy. ‘Above and Beyond’ was another exciting act that drew the crowds, as was Mark Ronson. The Humming Tree hosted numerous concerts and acts but didn’t restrict themselves to one genre. Paul van Dyk, Fedde Le Grand, Showtek, Orjan Nilsen and Wolf Pack were some of the other acts. 

Even local acts like Arjun Vagale, Lost Stories + Anish Sood and Kohra were here.

Some music legends also found their way to Bengaluru — Usha Uthup, Anoushka Shankar and Slash, to name a few. And festivals like NH7 Weekender and Sunburn added to the buzz. But it wasn’t just dance music and its sub-genres that received applause — metal gigs by Garage Jam, rock (and all its branches) concerts and acoustic gigs were just as popular. 

The jazz scene in the City saw a massive boom with sets like ‘REFUGE’ and artistes like Aman Mahajan performing. From traditional jazz to contemporary sounds, the improvised act gained much appreciation. Although restricted to a niche audience, the slow beats and intertwined riffs got their space. 

Ruhaniyat, a popular annual music festival, saw Vesabhai Bhopa from Gujarat perform as ‘Voices from Kutchh’. Oral tellings seem to be coming back in vogue. There was also an Indo-African production with Mamadou Diabate N’agoni, a Balafon player/singer from West Africa and Mir Mukhtiyar Ali from Rajasthan. Bauls and qawwali had their usual place as Parvathy Baul and the Niyazi-Nizami Brothers performed. 

Choir music remained strong with ‘Glorious’ and performances for causes also took stage with the Indian Cancer Society’s ‘Beat Cancer Music Night’. Percussionist Sivamani, santoorists Rahul Sharma and Shivkumar Sharma, pianist Stephen Devassy, Girighar Udupa on ghatam and more wove their charming tunes on Bengalureans. 

There were some groups that brought together music and dance like ‘Cadence’ and ‘Toccata’. The latter combined with ‘The Kenyan Boys Choir’ to perform ‘Resonance’, an event that even took social media by storm. Musicals like ‘Ghost’ and ‘Grease’ saw youngsters take an active part in dance, music and theatre. 

When it came to dance, the highlight was definitely the Attakkalari India Biennial which took place from February 6 to 15th. Contemporary dances and performance sets from different parts of the world were up for grabs and the festival saw venues like Ranga Shankara, The Humming Tree and Alliance Francaise flooded with excited guests. 

Although not as grand as the previous year, the ‘India International Dance Congress’ hosted many salsa, bachata and cha cha dancers. A US-based dance group, ‘Baila Society’ made their first visit to the country, along with champion salsa dancers Brianna Rios and Elvis Collado. All in all, it was an eventful year that saw the creative juices flowing steadily. 

In a serene space

Habeeb Ahamed, Dec 29, 2015, DHNS

Stunning view

Recently, I had the pleasure of driving through Yelagiri Hills, enjoying the stunning views and vistas of the high-altitude, far from the madding crowd and right in the lap of serenity. A very different experience vividly unfolded in front of us as I stepped out of the car. Along with the view, I suddenly felt the cool, hilly breeze and the crisp clarity of the high-altitude air tingling my face. I could hear the wind whistling through the silver fir trees and a raven calling from across the silent valley. I felt the frosty crunchiness of the ground under my feet, not yet warmed by the morning sun. I opened to the rich tapestry of what it means to be outside and intimate with the elements. Instead of viewing nature as a passing scene in a movie, I felt fully alive and connected with it.
Being outdoors, we can taste how we are held and nourished exquisitely by the intricate web of life. It helps us discover our place in the larger scheme of things and, perhaps, to realise that we are already whole. I have been leading wilderness meditation retreats for many years and have observed what a deep sense of peace people feel when they spend some meditative time outside — whether sitting under the trees in deep forests, trekking up high mountains, kayaking in the open ocean or strolling through sunny meadows. Being amidst nature helps one calm the wandering mind, with its restless concerns and perennial planning. Likewise, the body feels more at ease outdoors, and the heart begins to open to and resonate with the peace, silence and stillness of the natural world.

The Zenith Taj Grand Resort is situated on the first stretch of the hill top. As one enters the resort, a rocky fence and road welcomes the guest. It extends over 11 acres with unique trees, flowers, a variety of cactus and creepers, guava, star fruit, jack fruit, litchi and more. Food is the highlight of the resort. The owner of the resort supervises every meal being prepared and served to guests. Taste and hygiene is the hallmark.

There is also a lake and boating facilities there. Trekking on the hilly slopes is adventurous and enjoyable. After 30 to 45 minutes of trekking over the hilly slopes, we found a spot to watch the sunset. Yelagiri is not far away from the City and is ideal for relaxing. It is about 157 kms from Bengaluru.

A twist in taste.

Anila Kurian, Dec 29, 2015, DHNS

Down foodpath

I never planned on being a part of the hospitality industry. I wasn’t even sure if this is what I wanted to do when I applied for my Hotel Management course. However, things changed when I started the course and by the end of the second year of college, I was very sure of what I wanted to do in life — I wanted to be a chef. 

It was part of our course to learn everything related to the hospitality department, but my true calling was the kitchen. I absolutely loved cooking and knowing that people enjoyed my food. I couldn’t find that kind of satisfaction anywhere else. So I made sure that I worked with some great restaurants to build my skills. And be where I am now. 

Having grown up in Uttar Pradesh, it’s easy to find a mix of communities living in harmony there. So my food memories involve me trying various dishes from other cultures. That kind of lifestyle has moulded me to fuse the traditional recipes with Western ones. For example, I serve my ‘chicken tikka masala’ with pita bread instead of regular roti and ‘Kerala veg stew’ with pancakes as a replacement for ‘appams’. It’s about combining ingredients and flavours in such a way that we incorporate other cultures as well. As a chef, I believe that it’s my responsibility to introduce such flavours as I have been exposed to them during my travels. 

When I was in college, we were taught that food needs to be complex and we need to confuse the guest with taste and flavour. Where only one sauce needs to be added, we were guided to add other elements to the dish so that the guests are left wondering about what they have just eaten. Over the years, this notion has changed and it’s turned to ‘simple and palatable cooking’. And that’s what I believe in too. It’s important for me to convince the guest of what they are eating rather than to confuse them with flavours they might not like. 

However, it feels like a vacation when I’m home. My wife takes over the kitchen — I like to give her the space or I might not get food the next day! And she makes some great dishes for me. 

I love when she makes ‘litti chokha’, a traditional dish from my hometown that’s basically an evening snack served with ‘chokha’ made of potato, brinjal and tomato. And the day I get to prepare something, I enjoy making biryani and cookies for her. 

The recipe I’m sharing today is of a simple dish called ‘Naanza’ which is a pizza with a twist. Instead of serving it on the regular pizza base,I prefer to use a ‘naan’ bread. It’s a dish that doesn’t take long to prepare and makes for a perfect party snack or meal that you would want to dig in to.

Chef Vikas Pathak 
Chef at blueFROG

Ingredients
For assembling
*Naan bread — 1
*Olive oil — 10 ml
*Pizza sauce — 50 ml
*Cooked tikka — 100 gm
*Mixed cheese — 75 gm
*Chopped coriander — 5 gm
*Chopped green chilli — 5 gm

Method
Naan dough
*All purpose flour — 250 gm
*Warm milk — 50 ml
*Yoghurt — 20 gm
*Sugar — 5 gm
*Yeast — 5 gm
*Salt —5 gm

Pizza sauce
*Pureed tomatoes —250 gm
*Chopped garlic cloves — 50 ml
*Chopped fresh basil leaves — 20 gm
*Dry oregano — 10 gm
*Red chilli flakes — 5 gm

Method: 
Pizza dough
*Add flour, salt, baking powder, yeast, sugar and mix well in a bowl.
*Add yogurt and combine it with the flour mixture.
*Add warm milk and start to knead the dough until it becomes soft.
*Cover the dough with a damp cloth and leave it in a warm place to rise.
*After the dough has risen well, grease your hands with oil and start to knead the dough again.
*Divide the dough into150 gm balls.
*Dust the surface with dry flour. Pat or roll the naan with a rolling pin.

Pizza sauce
*Rinse and chop the tomatoes. Puree the tomatoes in a blender or with a hand blender.
*Heat olive oil in a small pan.
*Add the chopped garlic and saute on low flame.
*Add the tomato puree and saute on a low to medium flame.
*When the tomatoes are cooked, add the chopped basil, dry oregano, salt and pepper.
*Keep it on slow flame for 30 minutes till the sauce gets cooked and gives that perfect flavour.

To assemble
*Take the hot naan bread and apply olive oil. 
* Top it with homemade pizza sauce.
*Arrange the cooked tikka, layer it with mixed cheese. 
*Cook it in the pizza oven for a few minutes, until the cheese melts.
*Garnish it with chopped green chilli and chopped coriander. 
*Cook it for eight to ten minutes under moderate tandoor heat.

The grand line-up

Nina C George, Dec 29, 2015, DHNS

Vintage pride

A lawyer by profession, Manav Nagaraj’s love for vintage and classic vehicles didn’t bloom overnight. He grew up watching his father polish and maintain his fleet of vintage beauties. Manav recollects that he used to spend a lot of time with his father learning and understanding why these vehicles never lose their charm. 
Today, Manav not only maintains his father’s collection but has also added some of his own to it. His interest is shared by his wife Nivedita and their two sons, Vikram and Anirudh, as well. “All of us in the family are die-hard vehicle aficionados. My father not only loves these vintage vehicles but also has an in-depth knowledge of vehicles in general and vintage vehicles in particular,” explains Manav. 

He says that growing up, he was always exposed to several technical aspects of vehicles, although the family did not own too many. “My father owned a 1963 model of Standard Herald and we still have the Herald with us,” he adds.

Like any other college-goer, Manav dreamt of getting a bike of his own. “When in college, I was eager on getting a motorbike and even in the 1990s, I laid my eyes on a Yezdi Roadking while all the bikes on the road were the Indo-Jap 100cc bikes. I remember getting one of the last models from the factory in Mysuru before it closed down. We also had the Vespa in our family and my grandfather was the first owner,” he shares. 

The family’s grand line-up includes a 1968 model Lambretta LI, a 1954 British-made BSA 350 cc (plunger suspension) and a recently added 1952 Hillman Minx Sedan car. Manav admits the biggest challenge is to maintain these vehicles in perfect condition. “Yes, the maintenance of the vehicles is a little difficult but it is not as hard as people think. With respect to my BSA motorcycle, I am fortunate that my friend Rajesh Nair is not only an expert on British motorcycles but is also generous with both knowledge and time,” he states. With help from friends and people who own similar vehicles, Manav has also managed to obtain the spares for some of his vehicles and gained a lot of technical knowledge. “The scooters are fairly easy to maintain and the parts are available off the internet. I believe that the best part of owning such vehicles is getting one’s hands dirty and working on them yourself,” he says.  He points out that there are a few reliable mechanics in the City who have a passion for vintage and classic vehicles and take pride in restoring them. 

“We have had some issues with the Standard Herald because of the lack of availability of some of the spare parts but I am hopeful of getting the car back in its original condition pretty soon,” he says. 

He points out that none of these old vehicles are used during the week but he tries to ensure that all them are started and run, even if for a short distance, to top up petrol and air every weekend. “That way not only are the vehicles in good condition but this also makes it easy to identify any issues and rectify the same without wasting too much time. 

And I always prefer to take them out early morning when the roads are empty,” he adds. 

His wife Nivedita is a financial and strategy consultant and has been extremely supportive of his collection and his children, although still young, are eager to know and understand the working of the vehicles. 

“My children come for rides with me every weekend and my elder son is already picking up some nuances of the vehicle. My younger son keeps track of which vehicle has been used more often than the others and reminds me to start them as well,” he says. 

He adds, “My children also join me in polishing the cars and enjoy getting their hands greasy and dirty.” 

Would he add on to his fleet? “I would love to own a few more vehicles, especially old British motorcycles, but they are hard to come by and getting them at a competitive price is a challenge,” he says. 

Different shades of grey

Tini Sara Anien, Dec 29, 2015, DHNS

Focussed outlook

Sandalwood actress Ragini Dwivedi is known to act in projects with characters that have made us stop and ponder for a minute. With her look for the film ‘Hulli Devara Kaadu’ out, she intends just that again. The film which is a psychological thriller, will see her playing a role that she has never played before and she is excited about the same.
The film will be set in a place near Sirsi, which has the same name as the movie. “The place where we are shooting is in Karnataka. The story will take place in a village,” she says. Ragini says that “each and every character in the film is fantastically written” and is bound to grab attention. “Though we start work for the film only by January, the first look was created to create a buzz among everyone and to get them talking. There are many who said that the look has a negative shade to it, is devilish, monstrous or a witchy character.” She adds that there are others who say that the “it is difficult to cohere what the character is thinking as she is smiling in the photograph”. 

Through her role, she intends to push her acting skills to the limits. “It is the first time I’m trying a genre like this which has shades of grey. I am focussed on trying different things.

My role is of a girl who belongs to a rich family and has a posh lifestyle. She has some disorders where she hallucinates and imagines things, which may or may not be true. If they are true or not, is what the story revolves around,” says Ragini. 

Like every movie requires homework and a lot of changes in the artiste’s looks, Ragini says she will be changing her hairstyle, makeup and entire look for this movie. “I’ve even lost weight. Also, I love reading fiction and for me this is yet another imaginary world. This movie talks about different states of minds of a person according to the situations.” She vouches that movie will keep one right at the edge of one’s seat. 

She says that with this movie she also intends to spread the message about the many enchanting places in Karnataka that one might not know off. “I wasn’t aware that there was a namesake village, when I heard the script. In most of the movies, we have shoots happen at some location abroad and people crave to go there. This movie is make us realise that we have many hidden treasures in our own lovely State.” 

Talking about 2016, she says, “The year ahead is packed with a lot of excitement for me with my projects ‘Ranachandi’ and ‘Parapancha’ releasing first.” She adds that work of ‘Naane Next CM’ is also in its finishing stage and will be ready soon. “After these, this project will follow.” Ragini has her hopes high that the next year will add multifolds to her career. “Just because a year doesn’t see many releases doesn’t mean that it wasn’t an important year. This year formed base for many quality projects and that is utmost important to me.”

For some hassle-free shopping

Anushree Agarwal, Dec 29, 2015, DHNS

Unique experience

The three of them— Debashish, Navneet and Vivek— a set of driven individuals, used their knowledge and expertise to the fullest to come up with a rather innovative start-up called ‘Snapshopr’ in June last year. It is a visual intelligence platform built using state-of-the-art artificial intelligence technology for various brand retailers. “We help them make the best use of their visual content in delighting their customers with revolutionary search, discovery and personalisation features powered by Snapshopr,” says Navneet who struck upon the concept by mere chance.
The idea of Snapshopr was born out of a personal experience, says Navneet who holds a bachelors degree in Mathematics and masters degree in Computer Science. He founded and headed an artificial intelligence research group for 18 months and mentored around 40 students in artificial intelligence, robotics and data science. “I happened to chance upon a nice dress at a retail store and wanted to buy it as a birthday gift for my girlfriend.

However, the dress was too costly for me. So I began looking for similar dresses on e-commerce sites. I couldn’t find anything similar online using the search tools available on those sites and then it occurred to me that there has to be an easier way to search for visual items like fashion apparels and accessories. That got me started with visual product search which helps the end users find what they want at the click of a button,” shares Navneet adding, “All an end user needs to do is take a photograph of what they like, upload it on retail websites that use Snapshopr image search technology and they can have the product they like for instant purchase.” 

Navneet joined hands with Debashish and Vivek to give wings to Snapshopr. While Debashish leads data science and engineering within the team, Vivek, a robotics enthusiast, delves into the research leadership. Apart from their visual search options, the trio also offer recommendations, product tagging (for items like dresses, tops and bags) and a bunch of other interesting solutions to their partner retailers. “We want to revolutionise the shopping experience using a combination of technology, design and psychology. Our future plans include finding some more interesting uses of our technology in the context of retail,” says Navneet.

They say that Snapshopr has received a good response, especially from fashionistas and shopaholics, who like to innovate their wardrobes from time to time.

Breaking away from the usual

Nina C George, Dec 29, 2015, DHNS

Fruitful year

There’s an air of satisfaction over how 2015 unfolded in Sandalwood. Actors, directors, producers and technicians say unanimously that it was a wonderful year for every segment of the Kannada film industry. The credit, they say, goes to the dawn of new talent and a certain infectious energy in every aspect of filmmaking.  
The year not only saw novel experiments like ‘RangiTaranga’, ‘Kendasampige’ and ‘First Rank Raju’ succeeding but also debutant directors and actors having it really good. 

    They have not only received critical acclaim but also kept the cash registers ringing. 

Two films that were noticed at the global level during the year were Master Kishan’s ‘Care Of Footpath 2’ and  ‘RangiTaranga’. The flood of fresh talent included Vinay Rajkumar, marking the entry of the third generation of thespian Rajkumar’s family. 

Puneeth Rajkumar’s bid to reinvent himself with ‘Mythri’ in the company of Mohanlal and Atul Kulkarni saw moderate success but Puneeth scored a bigger success with his ‘Rana Vikrama’.

Films like ‘Raate’, ‘Endendigu’, ‘Krishna Leela’, ‘Ranna’, ‘Uppi 2’, ‘Aatagara’ and ‘RX Soori’ took the Kannada film industry to another level. These films were appreciated for the way they treated ordinary subjects with a different approach. Director Shashank feels the year 2015 has seen interesting films such as ‘RangiTaranga’ that did well to blend emotion and love into a neatly-woven horror genre. “A film like ‘Krishna Leela’ showcased a real life incident and portrayed it with a commercial touch. Although ‘First Rank Raju’ was a humourous film, it sent out a strong social message. It’s not only films with a big star cast that have done well but even those with fresh talent have raked in a good collection at the box office,” he says. 

Another film that brought a lot of pride to the industry was ‘Naanu Avanalla Avalu’ which went on to win the National Film Award. 

Among actors, it’s been a great year for Yash with the just released ‘Masterpiece’ breaking the box office records of his earlier movie ‘Mr and Mrs Ramachari’. ‘Mr Airavata’ and ‘Rathaavara’ ran to packed houses. 

Another actor who turned producer this year is Sathish Ninasam with his film ‘Rocket.’ He is not only excited at the prospect of having entered a new area of filmmaking but feels that his hardwork has indeed paid off. “With ‘Rocket’, I have become thorough with every 
aspect of filmmaking. I not only learnt but had to unlearn a lot of things as well. I’ve turned over a new leaf,” says Sathish. 

The icing on the cake, that was 2015, was the encouragement that new ideas and 
talent received. The impact that ‘First Rank Raju’ could make was credited to its new actors and offbeat content. Many in the Kannada film industry see this as the pointer to 2016 being a bigger year than its predecessor. 

 Actor and director Ramesh Aravind observes that the audience trusting and accepting new talent is a good sign. 

“New talent, be it actors or directors being recognised, is an encouraging trend. We have done well to break away from the set formulae and try out something new and exciting,” he says. 

Director Yogaraj couldn’t agree more with Ramesh when he says, “We’ve seen talent flourish like never before. This year has proved that not only big budget films with only popular actors succeed but even offbeat subjects work well.”  

'I am a director's actor'.

Nina C George, Dec 29, 2015, DHNS

Skilled star

Actress Priyamani is going great guns. Set to share screen space with some of the biggest names in the Kannada film industry in the coming year, Priyamani says that the roles she is set to don are those that she has not attempted before.  

Priyamani will be seen playing a unique character in Prakash Raj’s bilingual directorial in Kannada and Telugu, which is a remake of Malayalam film.

“It’s hard to talk about my role but when Prakash sir narrated the character to me, he said my role was similar to a river and that my character was such that it could easily adapt to any situation. I found that pretty interesting,” she explains. 

“The character I play is very unpredictable and there’s a sense of restlessness around her all the time,” she adds. Although the film is a remake, Priyamani says it has been tweaked to suit local sensibilities. 

This is also the first time that she will be acting opposite Prakash Raj and confesses that she grabbed the offer only to work with him. 

About her rapport with Prakash, Priyamani says, “Most people think he is very reserved but I’ve found him to be extremely approachable and a jovial person. As a director, he guides you well and clearly explains what he wants of the character,” she adds. 

Priyamani is also playing a substantial role in Upendra’s movie, ‘Kalpana 2’. “I was really surprised when I got a call from Upendra sir’s office asking me if I wanted to play one of the two characters in ‘Kalpana 2’. I was thrilled because I had just watched ‘Kanchana 2’ and liked the concept,” she explains. This is the first time that she will be working with Upendra in Kannada but she mentions that she has acted with him in a Telugu project before. “Working with Upendra has been interesting because he never forces his views on you but makes suggestions. And I am a director’s actor and always prefer to deliver exactly what the director has in mind for my role,” she says. 

 She will be seen in the role of a woman aspiring to be a police constable in ‘Dana Kayonu’, a Yogaraj Bhat film. “The project is a perfect blend of comedy and romance. This character does everything she can to be a police constable and in the process, even snubs the man who confesses his love for her. The movie will keep people entertained,” she adds. 

Priyamani is looking forward to the new year because all these projects will hit the screens and she’s more than eager to know the audience reaction. 
 

Varied emotions on stage

Anushka Sivakumar, Dec 29, 2015, DHNS

Club culture

At first glance, improv is considered an impromptu act which is played out on stage using themes and suggestions with help from the audience. One rarely understands the nuances and emotions that parade behind this poetic art form. One secret hidden behind the curtains is that improv is the actor’s life and experiences, often sprinkled with heavy doses of humour. And there are a lot more untold stories behind the hilarious performance that is visible to the naked eye. 

In the City, no club better than the motely crew, ‘Improv Comedy Bangalore’ (ICB), to help one dig out the details, unearth the beauty of the artform and explain the need for an explosive chemistry between the actors and audience to churn out refreshing plots. An offshoot from ‘Improv Comedy Mumbai’ (ICM), ICB was formed just five months back and has already achieved a cult status in the realm of comedy. Formed by Nasir, who was part of ICM, and wanted to continue with improv when he moved here, the seven hilarious youngsters of ICB have taken the City by storm with their engaging shows spliced with clean humour. The learning experience in improv is huge which is why Nasir hopes that more people become aware of the artform. He says, “The art has tremendous potential to grow in Bengaluru. ICB became popular in just a few months because of the like-minded audience here.” 

For people still new to the concept, Rohit breaks it down to its building blocks. “If one talks on the phone, they generally discuss their past incidents and catch up on their lives. ‘Improv’ is just that; finding humour in truth and reality and unwrapping hidden details to make a beautiful story. The most basic principle we follow is the concept called ‘Yes Anding’. My fellow improviser starts a story and the rest of us take the scene forward.” 

   Abhishek, another improviser agrees and adds that in improv, it is important to support the fellow improviser and make him look good on stage. “I was looking to do something adventurous and fun. I happened to attend an ‘improv’ workshop and then realised that this is where my strength lies. Soon, I found myself on Nasir’s  basement and joined ICB.”

The group works on their listening skills, appropriate responses and supporting each other so that they can take on any show like a fearless lot. And they have had a number of full houses. Rohit recalls their successful Christmas special. “It was a long form improv where the audience gave us themes related to Christmas like eggnog, wine, joy, kindness and Jim Reeves.” 

Now, the group has taken a plunge into singing, all thanks to musician and member of ICB, Benson Chacko. 

A recent member to the group, Benson’s experience in music and playing instruments have helped ICB bring in a new twist to their shows, which is ‘musical improv’.

Madhu, the “baby of the ridiculous, foolish group”, who joined ICB in mid-November, bubbles with excitement as she describes her experiences. She says that she considers the art a metaphor of life itself. “I love the group’s vision. The artistes create new standards for improvisers and make the process so joyful.”

The members also unanimously echo that improv, which is often confused with and faces competition from stand-up comedy, should be looked at as a separate category altogether as both art forms are poles apart. 

Madhu adds, “Improv is not about individual brilliance. It’s the energy and chemistry of the actors and audience. On stage, there is not such thing as a ‘mistake’ because none of us know what we will do. Every act is an opportunity to build on an idea.” Improv holds an intimate relationship with each one. If Madhu looks at it as a life-changing concept, the art keeps Rohit’s “sanity in check”. 

A safety blanket venture

Harshavardhan V Sheelavant , Dec 29, 2015,

WOMAN POWER

The Safe Hands 24X7 security and housekeeping services is an innovative business venture in the Hubballi-Dharwad region. The venture, which provides security and housekeeping personnel to different households and organisations across North Karnataka, is unique in its approach, as it provides women security guards. This not only meets the needs of certain organisations like girls hostels and women’s colleges which look for women security guards, but also provides a livelihood to many impoverished women.
Safe Hands 24x7 was launched by Shravani Pawar, a Dharwad-based entrepreneur, in 2009 with the aim of facilitating quality janitorial and security services to the local people and organisations. The venture is acting now as a nodal point, wherein clients from factories, industries, establishments, residences, weddings, parties, conferences and festivals alike can approach for their housekeeping and security requirements and be assured of the people they are going to hire. 

When Shravani completed her graduation in Social Work, she didn’t have a clue about the future. After much thought, she decided to take a plunge into NGOs and worked in rural areas for six months. “Those six months actually shaped my future. When I started working with self-help groups and farmer groups, one thing I noticed was, though women were part of all the hard work, they had a very little say in family, agriculture or social matters. Then I decided to focus on women empowerment,” Shravani explains. 

Beginnings
She joined Deshpande Fellowship Program in 2008 as a first batch student in the Hubli Sandbox. After completing the course along with two of her friends, Shravani ventured into entrepreneurship. “All three of us had only one goal — to empower women and give them a voice. We observed that there was a demand for lady security guards.” Shravani recalls. They saw an entrepreneurial opportunity that completely aligned with our vision for women. Before taking a call, they decided to do a market survey. They discovered that though there was a demand, none of the existing agencies provided lady security guards in Hubballi-Dharwad. The team decided to fill the gap and started Safe Hands 24x7 with nine employees.

Sandbox gave the initial seed money  and provided the incubation space. Mentorship and networking followed. To test the model, Deshpande Foundation became the first client of Safe Hands 24x7. 

But in the beginning, Safe hands 24x7 went into some turbulence. “Three of us started this venture. But on day one, one of the partners walked out due to some problem within her family. Within a year, one more partner also moved out. So I became a lone gladiator in the battlefield. Especially, in this service sector, you have to be very committed and work 24x7. Convincing parents and family members is the toughest task. For almost one year, my parents didn’t know what I was doing. I kept my venture secrete and every day I used to leave home at 5 am and return at around 10 pm. We had recruited men guards for night shifts. Many a times, they used to disappear from clients’ place and I used to get calls even at 2 am sometimes. On a few occasions during the initial days, I myself played the substitute role. Once we were established, we hired supervisors and now it is not a problem,” Shravani recalls the early struggle. Later, Safe Hands 24x7 started providing human resource for housekeeping along with the security guard service.

Shravani believes that mentorship networking is the most important thing in any new venture. “Money will come anyway and that is not the problem. Because, when I started, I didn’t have single paisa in my hand. I had not even seen one lakh rupees in my life. But now, the venture’s annual turnover is Rs three crore and I have a 450-member workforce. Of them, 55 per cent are women,” Shravani says with pride.

Safehands 24x7 has expanded its operation in many districts of North Karnataka and is trying to have a base in Bengaluru. Visit www.safehands24x7.org for more information.

Miscellany - Kuvempu's first turn to Kannada

KSS Seshan, Dec 29, 2015,

A  household name wherever Kannada is read and spoken, Kuppali Venkatappa Puttappa, familiar as Kuvempu, is the first Kannada writer to receive the prestigious Jnanapith award. The State government honoured him as “Rashtrakavi”. Even as we celebrate Kuvempu’s birthday today, here is an attempt to recall the episode that changed the course of his literary career. 

A significant but lesser known aspect in the literary career of Kuvempu is the fact that he began writing poetry not in Kannada, but in English. Kuvempu had a great penchant to write poetry even as a small kid. But those poems were all in English, influenced by modern English poets. He was encouraged by teachers and friends as well. When he was in class 10, in 1922, he even published a 16-page anthology of collected poems in English. After this, he joined the Maharaja College in Mysuru, and continued to write English poetry. 

While in college, as the poet himself recounted later, an unexpected incident occurred, that brought a metamorphosis in Kuvempu’s literary career. It was an Irish poet, James H Cousins, with whom Kuvempu had a chance meeting, who dissuaded him from writing in English and advised him to pursue poetic instincts in his mother tongue, Kannada. As a result, he switched from English to Kannada to express his poetical sensibilities. The incident heralded the birth of an unparalleled Kannada poet in him. 

James was a multifaceted personality. He was an Irish writer, playwright, actor, literary critic, editor, educationalist, poet, and art critic. He was a great admirer of Indian art, culture and literature. In India, James had maintained several close friendships with many prominent personalities like Rabindranath Tagore and Rukmini Devi Arundale.

In 1924, James H Cousins visited the Maharaja College to deliver a lecture and the teachers there suggested that Puttappa meet James and seek his advise. Puttappa then gave him his collection of poems. James flipped through the papers, looked at Puttappa, who was clad in spotless khadi and spoke with a tone of displeasure. He straight away asked him how he could not be a nationalist in his language preference too. Puttappa recalls  James’ words, “Have you written anything in your own language?” 

Puttappa, who till then was receiving accolades from teachers and students for his English poems, felt disappointed to hear such a comment from James. He tried to defend the beauty of English and said that profound thoughts cannot be expressed in Kannada as in English. 

He further said that the literary level of Kannada was low; its meter old and archaic, syntax and grammar poor, unlike English. James, having heard patiently what Puttappa had to say in defence of English, said that what he said of Kannada was not correct. 

No language, he told, is capable, by itself. He then gave the example of Rabindranath Tagore, who he said, has elevated Bengali to a new level through his writings. James Cousins advised Puttappa to invent new meters, coin new adages and make experiments. He told him that if he could create epic literature, people from the west would translate it into their language like that of Tagore’s poetry. He told him with a firm voice that he cannot produce creative literature in English, which is an alien language to him.

Greatly upset, the young Kuvempu collected back his manuscript of poems from James, took leave and returned disappointed and angry. Though the advise left him upset and angry momentarily, he later saw reason and accepted the suggestion made with good reason and logic. From then on, Puttappa resolved to write in Kannada and as he himself admitted, it was a “historic event” in his life. Since then, Kuvempu, as a Kannada poet never looked back.

A melange of dances

Giridhar Khasnis, Dec 29, 2015,

TWIN ART

It was a delightful night at the Mahatma Gandhi College grounds in Bondel, Mangaluru, on December 12,  when several grand and colourful mythological characters came alive before a large and discerning audience. The uniqueness of the occasion stemmed from the fact that two longstanding classical art forms — Kathakali and Yakshagana — were juxtaposed during the six-hour long event. 

The prasanga chosen was Dushasana Vadhe, a strikingly gory episode from Mahabharata, which culminates in a vengeful Bheema tearing open his enemy's chest and drinking his blood, thus fulfilling the vow he had taken when the evil Kaurava had tried to disrobe Draupadi in an open gambling hall.

If there was much drama on the stage, there was enough of it behind the stage as well. Those who ventured into the spacious make-up rooms witnessed the all-male cast immersed in their jobs and transforming themselves into celestial beings. The meticulousness of the ritual of painting their own faces and painstakingly donning the elaborate costume was indeed a sight to behold.  

On stage, things turned magical as the evening set in. Traditional drummers thumped energetically while soulful singers created the right mood. It was then the turn of a stream of fascinating characters — Krishna, Balarama, Yudhishtira, Bheema, Shakuni, Draupadi, Karna, Duryodhana, Dushasana among others — to ignite the stage with their incredible personas and performance. 

The 22-member Kathakali troupe was led by Padmashree Kalamandalam Gopi Asan. Accompanied by a host of talented and well-known artistes, the 78-year old maestro played the role of Roudrabheema, much to the delight of the audience. The Yakshagana sequence was performed in tenku thittu (southern school) style by artistes of Theatre Yaksha of Udupi. Led by Prithviraj Kavathar, this troupe is widely acclaimed for hoisting a series of experimental performances.

The entire event was to be held only under the light shed by flickering flames of burning torches. The idea, it seems, was to have the performance in the real traditional way, as in the pre-electricity days. Some compromises were made (like having a few electric lamps during Kathakali act), but they did not adversely affect the overall impact of visually and musically charged event. The organisers had appealed to photographers not to use flash and it was heartening to see that the appeal was not in vain. By the time the two performances concluded, it was well past midnight; and the unwearied audience had its fill.

Intense planning
“It all started almost two years ago and fructified because of a fine team effort,” says Manohar Upadhya of Yakshagana Kalaranga and Yakshadhwani Trust, the main organisers of the event. “Having a twin performance of Kathakali and Yakshagana which are actually sister art forms on the same stage was a dream come true for us. Such an event has not taken place in decades. A similar programme is supposed to have taken place about 25 years ago in Bengaluru, not on the same day, but on two consecutive days. Anyway, after planning for months, we could bring the Kathakali troupe from Kerala — one of the very best — and have it in Mangaluru now.”

Prithviraj was excited by the way the event went through. “In today’s world everyone wants things to be fast; but an art form should not fall prey to the mad rush. Our effort has been to slow down the pace and gracefully expose the intricacies of the narrative. While we want our productions to be aesthetically sound, it is also important that they should not be merely parroting what has been done in the past,” he says. 

He also believes that Yakshagana is not just a spectacle, but an intense, intellectual exercise. “It is not about mere story-telling. How we engage with the audience even with a well known story and elevate the discourse is important. People who are used to conventional performances may find it difficult to accept our experiments and innovations immediately. But we are sure, in the long run, our efforts will sustain in bringing a subtle but important transformation in the way Yakshagana is conceived, presented and appreciated,” he adds.

Bright ideas for a better future

Seeds of change

Transforming the educational landscape
While leading a plantation drive in the campus of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay in the early 1990s, Pradeep, a doctoral student in Mathematics, would not have thought that creating biodiversity zones would become a priority in his life. Or did he? Twenty five years later, Pradeep, along with his wife Sarayu, an Indian Statistical Institute graduate, and two kids, is creating a biodiversity zone in Gubbi taluk of Tumakuru district. The desire to cover barren lands with different plant species was deep in Pradeep’s mind, since his IIT days. Over the years, it attained a proper shape. Thus, eight years ago, when the couple were at the helm of their career, they decided to shift to Pradeep’s ancestral village and take up farming. 

“Except for the innate desire and enthusiasm, we were totally unequipped for the new life,” says Sarayu. Pradeep adds, “We waited till we had a manageable bank balance to switch the profession.” Their idea was to work part time and as freelancers, to meet the livelihood needs. But there was a pleasant surprise as they shifted to Basavanagudda in Gubbi taluk. A local engineering college offered them teaching posts. Pradeep, who is known for his skills in delineating mathematical concepts, is much sought after as a resource person at seminars and conferences across India. 

Inspiring young minds
After shifting to the village, the couple decided to utilise their skills and experience to encourage and enlighten rural students. They set up a resource centre comprising a library and audio-visual facilities. Videos are shown here every week, to make learning fun and effective. Regular activities are organised in collaboration with volunteer groups from cities, to offer these kids an exposure to the outside world. To supplement children’s learning, the couple also take them on annual educational trips. Kids approach Pradeep and Sarayu whenever there is some problem — not just with curriculum, but also personal. “We are always ready to support kids who want to study more and get into a college.” 

Fun sessions are also held to make Maths and Science child-friendly. Every morning the house verandah bustles with students of different age groups, who come to get a better understanding of topics. Pradeep and Sarayu have also formed a Maths Club in Tumakuru and organise programmes once a month to facilitate students to explore the subject and its concepts. Villagers feel that these activities have made the younger generation enthusiastic, and encouraged them to study further. Hence, the number of students pursuing their education after Class 10 has gradually increased. “We never wanted to lead life in isolation and hence, decided to take an active role in nurturing the village children,” says Pradeep. 

On the one hand, the couple are encouraging the young generation to dream big and helping them  achieve it, while on the other hand, their lifestyle and approach towards farming has set up a model to those who want to nurture soil and heal the earth. To start with, they have built an eco-friendly house in the farm. Solar power is the only source of energy. The unit meets the basic requirements of the house including operating a laptop. In fact, they are very cautious when it comes to the use of modern gadgets and have kept it at a minimum. A borewell with water at 200 feet supplies water to the house. 

While the water level in the area has gone down to 1,000 feet, their decision to not fix a motor and use a hand pump to draw water has stopped indiscriminate use of water. 
Rainwater harvesting structures in the farm and near the borewell have also helped. 

Three tanks with a total capacity of 36,000 litres store rainwater, which is used for household and cattle during summer. A biogas plant meets the needs of kitchen. Water harvesting structures retain the moisture level of the farm, which is completely rain-fed. Vegetables are grown using recycled water. The couple knew that they couldn’t expect monetary returns from the farm immediately. In fact, they were more inclined about the satisfaction the effort would give. Though the land is inherited, Pradeeps’ ancestors had stayed away from farming for two generations. The knowledge accumulated during interactions with farmers and the Internet gave them required clarity and confidence. Since the farm was left barren for many decades, land preparation was crucial. Hence, they took enough care to improve soil nutrition before taking up farming. The eight acres plot is divided into 15 patches. Millets and pulses are grown in five patches while horticulture plants and forest species are nurtured in the remaining area. Focus is on restoring native species and adding new ones. Hardwickia pinnata (locally called kamara), an important native tree species that had once vanished from the area, could be seen in good numbers in the farm. 

Constant efforts have transformed the barren land into a biodiversity zone with more than 50 varieties of plants. Visit www.basavanagudda.blogspot.in for more information.

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Giving wings tostudents’ dreams 
Weekends start with a different note for Reshma Hegde, an engineer at Microsoft in the US. Every Friday, as the clock ticks 9.30 in the night, she logs on to her skype account to connect with government school kids thousands of miles away, in Bada village of Dharwad district, to teach Science in the first period of Saturday. Reshma is one of the many volunteers who are trying to facilitate quality learning among government school students in rural India.

eVidyaloka, a civil society organisation, is connecting the passion of young professionals and the enthusiasm of disadvantaged children by applying technology. The founders of the initiative, Satish Vishwanathan and Venkataramana Sriraman see the effort as an ecosystem that would complement the existing system of school education and supplement the quality teaching capacity. At a time when teacher shortage has become a major concern, the effort invites educated people to be a part of the solution. The initiative was launched in 2011 in three states — Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu. In Karnataka, it began in 2015 and is currently operational in three districts, benefitting over 700 students. 

The eVidyaloka team makes a base survey of schools with the help of local organisations and choses a particular school considering its student-teacher ratio and basic infrastructure. At present, English, Maths and Science — where quality teaching is still a distant dream — for Class 5 to Class 8 are covered under this initiative. The entire set up consists mainly of a digital classroom, teaching volunteers and an online database where the syllabus along with multimedia aids and language support is posted for the reference of teachers. 

Students are happy with this system for reasons more than one. “Now we don’t feel inferior to students who go to private schools in the cities. In fact, we are more privileged as teachers from different parts of the world teach us,” says Ganesh, a Class 7 student in Bada school. It is the in-depth  knowledge of these teaching volunteers and the proactive sessions that make students wait for the online classes every day. Short videos are used to make the sessions interesting and bring clarity to the topic. Last 10 minutes of the class is reserved to share out of the box information. 

“These videos help our students get a better understanding of the concept than teaching them orally. Moreover, it compensates the lack of lab facility,” says Shantha Gabbur, a school teacher and admits that these classes also help them improve their teaching techniques.

Graduates who are fluent in Kannada, know the subject, and have a passion for teaching can apply to become volunteer teachers. They should have infrastructure necessary for online sessions. A core team selects them after a detailed online discussion. Teaching volunteers are expected to take two sessions every week and continue for at least three months. These teachers supplement the teaching requirements of that particular class, easing the burden of regular teachers.  

“Teaching is a passion for me. When I heard about this venture, I decided to be a part of it,” says Reshma. Though she has never visited Bada, regular interactions with students have helped her visualise the village life there. She knows each student by name and the fun-filled conversations hint at the special bond that has been created over the last eight months.

In Bada, the entire village supported the idea and took the responsibility of guarding the digital classroom, which had to be set up in the school premises outside the village for better connectivity. The School Development Monitoring Committee has pooled in money to hire a security guard during night. “This is an opportunity for our children to get better education. We don’t want to lose it,” says a resident of the village. Students now look beyond exams and have changed into young scientists. 

Deepika Begur, state co-ordinator of eVidyaloka says the response from all the stakeholders has been tremendous. Individual donors and corporates have supported the initiative to meet the operational costs like setting up of a digital classroom and hiring a class assistant. eVidyaloka website indicates that so far 6,823 online classes have been conducted in the country involving 533 teachers and benefitting 4610 students. And the e-tribe is increasing constantly. Visit www.evidyaloka.org for more information.

The making and melody of bamboo flutes

Divyashri Mudakavi, Dec 29, 2015,

A flute either reminds us of Lord Krishna who played it melodiously to coax Radha or the flautists who can sway music aficionados by its soulful connotations. But little do we think of the unsung heroes whose skilled hands and ear for tunes shape a simple bamboo stick into a flute that can calm jaded souls. One such person is Ramesh Bakale from Gadag, one of the most sought-after flute makers of South India. 
Hailing from a humble background, Ramesh’s foray into designing flutes was not pre-planned. He recalls the circumstances that led him to take up flute making, “Gadag’s Veereshwara Punyashrama, which is synonymous with music, influenced me to a great extent. I began practising flute along with my friends who were students of the ashram. After some time, in spite of the financial constraints, I decided to buy a flute. When I didn’t get the design I wanted, I decided to try making customised bamboo flutes and thus began my journey in the field.”

Initially, Ramesh had to struggle a lot to make one good flute as he did not have any formal training. There were times when he could not tune the flute to the right pitch even after many trials, but he did not give up. He consulted many flautists, studied their requirements and understood the intricacies of flute making. Constant efforts yielded results and the  quality improved over time. A turning point in his life came when his name was referred to a United Kingdom-based flautist by an Indian artist who worked with renowned musician A R Rahman. 

Today, Ramesh makes customised bamboo flutes of Hindustani (with six holes) and Carnatic (with eight holes) types and supplies to flautists across 120 countries. Known for his fine work and aesthetic sense of tunes, he feels that making bamboo flutes is tougher than making metal ones. The time and work that goes into the making of a flute changes with the size and shape of the bamboo. Every piece of naturally-grown bamboo is unique in shape and dimensions. The length of the flute, diameter of the holes etc depend on the type and quality of bamboo. To make a flute, he first gets a particular type of bamboo (locally called vaate bidiru) from Assam. The bamboo sticks are then dipped in a mixture of oils extracted from mustard, almond, avenue tree (Pongamia), ginger and linseed for one month. It increases the longevity of bamboo, even in extreme weather. 

Then the outer and inner surfaces are smoothened. The blowing hole is first marked at a certain length from the top end of the bamboo stick. Later, a cork is fit inside the bamboo above the blowing hole. After this, the bamboo needs to be precisely cut according to the pitch. Other holes are pierced into it using pre-heated tools of different diameters. Later, tuning is done with a fine sense of pitch and precision. Ramesh, with the help of two assistants and support of the family, hand-crafts nearly 36 varieties of flutes (30 of them are preferred) ranging between 0.7 and 3.2 cm in diameter and 7 and 45 inches in length. The flutes are priced between Rs 800 and Rs 3,000, lesser compared with any other customised flutes. 

He has also made a rare shankh flute  and is experimenting with a unique flute, which can produce the sounds of a saxophone. Apart from this, he also makes shehnais. Though flutes are made from different materials, Ramesh feels that the notes produced by a cool bamboo flute are distinct.

As an extension of his activities, Ramesh has founded Bakale Bansuri World and dreams of setting up a training institute.