Go for Jashn-e-Ghalib, Delhi film festival & Mughlai food this weekend

Some reccommendations to enliven your weekend

DELHI

Walk

Celebrating Ghalib’s birthday: December 28 marks the birth anniversary of Mirza Ghalib, and Delhi Karavan, a heritage walk group is conducting ‘Jashn e Ghalib’ – a walk in Chawri Bazaar & Ballimaran, to celebrate all things 'Ghalib', his way of living, his pastimes, poetry, his love for the city. The event is being organised at a 155-year-old haveli at Chawri Bazaar which is exclusively booked for experiencing the rich legacy of Ghalib’s poetry and its multiple interpretations through recital of couplets and poems of Ghalib. They will also share rare letters written by Ghalib, and participants will be encouraged to share their favorite couplets of Ghalib/ or share their own poetry as a tribute to this legend. Also on the cards is a tabla performance by Prateek Joshi from Dilli Gharana, as well as delicious food from the streets of Purani Dilli.
Where: Meeting point is at Chawri Bazaar Metro Station
When: December 28, 10 am
Talk

An archive of the people: The People's Archive of Rural India (PARI) is being launched with an event, in conversation with its founder, journalist P Sainath. Sainath will introduce PARI, and answer any questions about the initiative, the first of its kind in India. The PARI website, both a living journal and an archive is aimed at recording the everyday lives of everyday people; it will host and combine video, still photo, audio and text articles. The site has gone live from December 20th, 2014. The website is not-for-profit, free to view and all the contributors - journalists, writers, film-makers, editors, translators, techies, lawyers and accountants - are volunteers. It will be licensed under creative commons (version 4.0) which means the contents can be shared by others, as long as it is non-commercial. Check out http://www.ruralindiaonline.org/about/.
Where: IIC, Seminar Halls 1, 2, 3 Kamaldevi Block (new block), First Floor, Lodhi Road
When: January 5, 3 pm onwards

Art

A peek into the mind of the artist: The Mad Artists workshop believes that “contemporary art is often best viewed in the company of friends. Dialog and exchange make for a powerful and memorable way to experience Art, allowing you to gain an understanding of yourself in relation to others.” Towards this end, they are conducting an exhibition walk-through 'Asamayavali / Untimely Calendar' at the NGMA's Jaipur House, where they aim to engage meaningfully with the artwork of one of India's most divergent artist groups, the Raqs Media Collective.
Where: NGMA, India Gate
When: December 27, 2.30 pm

Theatre

A weekend of theatre: T for Theatre’s Double Bill is presenting two back to back plays this weekend. Kaali Ghadi is about “a rural relationship, where urban resonators, Vaibhav and Sukhdev succumb to the linear perspective on relationships between two individuals. The story is known to us, two boys are friends, their friendship is laughed upon and then, they are friends no more, but its non-linear narrative puts light on the premises, which decides the conclusion of Vaibhav and Sukhdev’s relationship.” Shoonaya batta Sannatta is a play that dwells on “what happens in the middle, when we have to get from point A to Point B? What makes our lives more meaningful? Is it the nothingness, which we dwell in, whilst getting to work and back, bunking school, on the way back from running household errands and other such daily chores? The play is about those moments and conversations we have in life, that fills those gaps, which tantamount to nothing, or do they?”
Where: Fursat Se Cultural Café, Shahpurjat and Bakheda, Said-ul-ajaib
When: December 26-27, 7 pm and December 28, 4 and 7 pm
Info: Entry by donor passes, contact 9891409187 / 9810026174

Food

Street food festival: Dilli Ke Pakwaan, the street food festival organised by Delhi Tourism is on for some well-deserved winter indulgence. From chaat to Mughlai food to kulfi to kachori, everything will be available under one roof with favourites such as Daulat ki Chaat, Chicken Biryani, Changezi Chicken, Makke di Roti served with Sarson da Saag, Mirchi Vada, Pyaaz ki Kachori and many more dishes. Desserts include Gulab Jamun, Rabri, Jalebis and Moong Daal Halwa. There will also be Benarasi paan stalls serving paans of various flavours.
Where: Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Connaught Place
When: Till December 30, 10.30 am to 9 pm

Film

A festival of film: The third edition of Delhi International Film Fest, DIFF 2014 will be concluding this weekend. A total of 200 films chosen from 50 countries across categories like world cinema, Indian cinema, animation films, short films, documentaries and green films are being screened at the festival. Some of the films that will be showcased at DIFF 2014 are Zinda Bhaag, Dastan, Kolkata 71 Er Por Ebong Tar Por, The Senimentalists, Anuradha, Betiyan, A Place Called Home, Aladin and Magic Lamp and I am Raghu.
Where: NDMC Convention Centre, Sansad Marg
When: Till December 27, 10.30 am onwards

MUMBAI

Art

Between Black and White: Shades of Gray is a group show by artists including Julian Opie, Justin Ponmany, Kim Seola, Rekha Rodwittiya and Pablo Bartholomew. The colour palette is black, white and grey. The selection, according to the gallery, “gazes beyond the evident towards the latent, unsaid and unexplored. Some works peel through the surface to reach the raw and fundamental, while others employ an overlay to suggest alternate readings.”
Where: Sakshi Gallery, Colaba
When: Until Jan 10

A view of Banaras: Artist Manu Parekh’s City Of Magical Light, a solo exhibition will bring together two of his oeuvres from the various series he has devoted to Banaras. It will feature landscapes that evoke the potency of faith associated with the city, and oblations at the temples in the form of floral offerings and the holy flame. This combination, the Padma Shri award winner believes, offers a holistic view of the city that has been his long-time muse.
Where: Art and Soul Gallery, Worli
When: Until Jan 5

Theatre

A Gypsy Girl: As part of its theatre screenings, NCPA will show a filmed version of Richard Eyre’s production of Bizet’s steamy melodrama Carmen. In it, Mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili sings her signature role of the ill-fated gypsy temptress while Aleksandrs Antonenko is her desperate lover, the soldier Don José. Ildar Abdrazakov plays Escamillo, a swaggering bullfighter who comes between them. Pablo Heras-Casado conducts the score.
Where: NCPA
When: Dec 27 & 28
Tickets: Rs 750

Film

Behind Théâtre du Soleil: Ariane Mnouchkine – L’aventure du Théâtre du Soleil, a film by Catherine Vilpoux, recounts the French theatre director’s artistic journey. With the help of extensive archival material, it traces her inspirations, her dreams for the theatre, her love of cinema, her unique and extraordinary bond with audiences. The film also features clips from performances and rehearsals, interviews and coverage of various tours and travels, and an in-depth portrait of the Théâtre du Soleil, and its artistic and political commitment both in France and abroad. The screening will be in partnership with Prithvi Theatre, Thespo and Institut Français.
Where: Alliance Francaise, New Marine Lines
When: Dec 29, 6.30 pm onwards

Dance

Contemporary Kathak: A contemporary kathak show presented by The Personality School will include six pieces – aalaap, sargam, madhayalaya, thumri, ghazal and tarana. Choreographed by renowned dancer Kumudini Lakhia and directed by Usha Gupta, the production will experiment with “musical scatting” and aim “to discover silent rhythms going beyond traditional footwork to find new expressions of rhythm and sound.”
Where: Experimental Theatre, NCPA
When: Dec 30, 7 pm

BANGALORE

Art & film

A celebration of art: Kolkata’s Seagull Foundation in collaboration with NGMA Bangalore is presenting ‘New Works of KG Subramanyan’, an art exhibition that will bring forth 90 new paintings of the renowned artist. The exhibition will end with the screening of ‘Magic of Making', an IGNCA documentary which shows the life and works of the artist.
Where: NGMA, Palace Road, Vasanth Nagar
When: December 28, 3 pm onwards

Music

Poetry of rock: Khalid Ahamed (lead vocals, guitars), Kashif Iqbal (lead guitar, vocals), Fidel D’Souza (bass) and Sachin Banandur (drums & percussion) will be playing at B Flat this weekend. Parvaaz, a band formed by these young musicians from Kashmir, have interspersed Urdu lyrics with bass based rock music for an interesting performance.
Where: B Flat Indira Nagar
When: December 26, 9 pm onwards

Electronica night with Oceantied, RHL and Iyer: Oceantied is the peppy solo electronic project started by Until We Last guitarist Ketan Bahirat. RHL alias Rahul Giri is an electronic music producer based out of Bangalore, one half of the downtempo/electronica act Sulk Station. With a background in Carnatic classical music, Iyer (previously known as Lihkin), Iyer
Where: The Humming Tree, Indira Nagar
When: December 27, 8 pm onwards

Food

Magic with Thai food: Missing Thai food and some good Indrajal? White Elephant has been hosting Rakesh, an international magician from the United States to enthrall its patrons and their kids as they indulge in its selection of Thai cuisine.
Where: White Elephant, Indira Nagar
When: December 27, 7.30 pm onwards