Skip to main content

Posts

Q1) What is design?

What does this design depict? 5 Things About Design As an aspiring designer, I have my own outlook as to what design is. Each designer has their own style, their own brand of design work, which is derived from several influences around them. Here are a few of mine .... Design is to see beauty in everything.  Every line, curve, shape, and color - design is all around us. Whether it's a picturesque sunset with peachy hues, a fluffy cloud pattern which resembles a dog, the spiral whorls on the bark of a tall oak tree, or the jagged surface of the face of a mountain. If one cannot appreciate the designs in nature, how can they create a piece of their own? Design is to draw inspiration from what's around you.  Some of the most abstract thoughts and designs can be influenced by a simple object, person, or elements of nature. Salvador Dalli simply depicted melted clocks - an object we see so frequently and take for granted.  Design is to pay atte...
Post a Comment
Read more
Recent posts

Pattachitra: An Art of India, An Art of Patience

India has an incredibly wide array of art forms and a big pool of talented artisans. North, South, East, or West; they each have an art style unique to the anthropological roots. In the eastern region of India, lies a coastal state of Odisha, formerly called Orissa. Odisha has a vibrant culture, defined by the exquisite temple complexes, intricate woven patterns of Ikkat, and the world famous sand artists. The art form Pattachitra can be seen in the religious centers of Puri, Bhubaneshwar, and Konark. Pattachitra literally translates to cloth (Patta) and picture (Chitra) in Sanskrit. Over the weekend, I attended a workshop at IISER where an artisan from Odisha, whose family specializes in Pattachitra, guided the participants to create their own work of Pattachitra. This art form is simple, yet demands concentration and patience of the artist, due to its detailed illustrations. Here are a few things I learned about the art form, Pattachitra, and how it taught ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Music Sparks Imagination

Fireflies of night, Each has a story to tell, Igniting the minds. At the Fireflies Festival*, I accompanied a storyteller with my flute. Music along with storytelling is a unique style of presentation and is different from the traditional storytelling style. Music is impactful - it's healing, haunting, hypnotic, heartwarming. It's a universal language to convey emotions. And, according to the audience of last night, the pieces I played on my silver flute had tugged on their heartstrings.  Some had goosebumps. Others had tears. Most said they listened in amazement to the tunes and the effect it had on the storyline. A few were speechless. It was wonderful to receive such emotionally-charged reactions and feedback from the crowd. The flute, the music - it had warmed their hearts and ignited their minds.  Picture Courtesy: Kapil S. Jagtap * The Fireflies Storytelling Festival was recently hosted by the Storystat...
Post a Comment
Read more

The TATA Family

Our world is no longer run on a friendly barter system. All goods and services have been monetized, and have a numerical which decides their value - something we call money, cash, bucks, piggy bank, or any of the other million terms coined for it.  This money runs the world economy, which is fueled by the enterprises that produce, sell, and export goods and services for the consumers. This series "Business Review" will capture some of the most well-known, little-known and inspiring businesses around the world. This series explores their work as an organization and several business aspects like marketing strategy, operations, their management of human capital and their position in the global market. I have selected "Business Studies" as one of the subjects at my school. Our facilitator tasked our class with an interesting project: to create a presentation about the richest Parsi business families in India.  Parsi, or Parsees, are part of a Zoroastrian co...
2 comments
Read more

This City Bekons

Too many things to do, not enough time? Well, a visit to Mumbai is a perfect example of that. I visited the city hoping to relax and spend some time with my grandparents. The result? Walking, hassle, traffic, pollution, and more walking. But the experience? I'd give it five stars! The city, formerly known as Bombay, exudes charm, antiquity, sophistication, and modernity. It is a cosmopolitan and culturally diverse city. In the 19th century, Bombay became home to immigrants from all over India, who were drawn to the many golden gates of opportunity that the city opened. Mumbai has amassed a  population of 21.3 million civilians across its seven islands. It is home to a picturesque shoreline facing the Arabian along with a stunning skyline. An endless row of intriguing shops, top-of-the-class eateries, magnificent historical monuments, and lovely Victorian architecture are seen while on a casual walk in the city. Sound exciting? Well, I have a tour ready for ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Panchgani: A Treat to the Five Senses

As my summer vacation drew to a close, my family and I planned a weekend getaway to Panchgani, a serene hill station located in the Satara district of Maharashtra. We had visited Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani a few years back and toured the commercial tourist hot-spots. However, this time, we wanted to connect with nature by exploring eco-tourism - a concept I strongly support as an eco-warrior. Panchgani is widely popular for its breathtaking views and tranquility. Panchgani's name has much more to it, too. "Panch" means "five" and "Gani" refers to hills or plateaus - which together mean a land of "Five Plateaus." These tablelands were created during the formation of the Deccan plateau, the oldest plateau in the world. About 68 million years ago, active volcanoes spewed lava which eventually cascaded down the Indian subcontinent to form these flat-topped hills. Now dormant, the once-volcanic Table Land is home to a variety of flora, fauna, ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Easy On The Ears @ BYOH

A while ago, I joined the rising ambient pop group, Easy Wanderlings , as a flautist after I was discovered by a fellow member while performing at the local community jam. I wriggled in as the 7th member of the group with my silver flute among other musicians of fantastic musicality and capabilities. We are a band of amazing guitarists, singers with mellifluous voices, an excellent violinist, and a skilled drummer. Being the youngest member, I can't help but admire the talent within a seven-member group. This was also my first time venturing out of the western classical music scene and exploring more easy-going, lyrical music, which made the experience all more exciting! After the global launch of our first EP album, "As Written In The Stars," we landed our very first performance at the BYOH at Gray Spark Audio . BYOH spells "Bring Your Own Headphones." It is truly an interesting concept, where the audience brings their own headphones or earbuds which direct...
Post a Comment
Read more