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The Hindu
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
In Bengaluru, Cubbon Park's bandstand comes alive again
Priya Chetty-Rajagopal's earliest memory of Cubbon Park's iconic bandstand is hearing the Madras Sappers, one of the oldest of three Madras regiments of the Corps of Engineers that are headquartered in Bengaluru, play there, back in the 1970s. 'The bandstand has military band origins, so it has always been about the military for me,' says the founder of the citizen-led initiative, Heritage Beku, which has been instrumental in reviving cultural performances at the Cubbon Park bandstand. The initiative, she says, was catalysed by this dream of bringing the military band back to the park. 'That is where it started: saying that we need the bands to play again because it offers a sense of such majesty,' says Priya, whose father was a Sapper too. While the bandstand, first constructed by the British in the 1900s to showcase their military and police bands and renovated by the Horticultural Department a few years ago, was a point of beauty and aesthetics, Priya says, 'it was fallow, offering a visual perspective, but not enabling cultural interaction.' Performances used to occur here regularly, around two decades ago, but had become extremely sporadic. This was something Priya managed to change in December last year, kickstarting the initiative with a recital by the Saralaya Sisters. Since then, come Sunday morning, around 8 am, it transforms into a public performance space, open to anyone who wants to experience a slice of Bengaluru's cultural heritage, including the park's many canine residents. 'We love the parkies (the dogs who live in Cubbon Park) and they occasionally bless us with their presence,' says Priya, who believes that bringing art to a public space is democratising. 'People are really so happy to see the bandstand come alive again.' Triveni Saralaya, who performed on December 8 with her sister, Kavitha, says that the sound of classical music in the park takes her back decades. 'There used to be regular performances around 15-20 years ago,' says Triveni, who has herself been part of musical events in Cubbon Park, Lal Bagh and even Bugle Rock Park on many occasions. 'All these parks used to have concerts early in the morning, on Sundays, so walkers would be exposed to live music as they were walking.' And it isn't just about the music. Dance photographer Sumukhee Shankar, who attended a dance performance, believes that having it outdoors helps bring out 'the raw energy in the dance,' she says. In her opinion, dancers have a different energy when they perform outdoors. 'They are so fresh, and instead of being in an auditorium with all that (artificial) light, it is only pure sunlight and fresh air,' she says. 'As an audience, I felt it was definitely a welcome change.' Performance in the park When Priya and her team decided to have noted artists perform at the bandstand, they knew they did not have a budget to pay them. So, they were a little worried since 'we were very conscious that you cannot undermine performers by not rewarding them for their performance,' says Priya. But soon a realisation dawned. 'Much as we respected them, we realised that just like we work pro bono for the city, artists are also open to it,' she says, adding that many of these artists were just happy to perform at the bandstand. 'They felt the nostalgia of it, of being part of something bigger than themselves. This generosity allowed us the space we needed.' Over the last six months, Cubbon Park's bandstand has hosted numerous city artists, primarily those from the Indian classical tradition, including Vinita Radhakrishnan, Srijanee Chakraborty, Anirudha Bhat, Yamini Muthanna, and Anuradha Venkatraman. This movement has gained momentum, and Heritage Beku is currently being inundated with requests for bandstand performances, with many artists who have already performed here referring others to this venue, says Ruam Mukherjee, the curatorial director of Heritage Beku's Revival Series. She believes that the timing of the performances has contributed to their popularity. 'Artists perform in the morning at the bandstand and then head out for their paid engagements and gigs,' she says. Right now, the focus is on the classical arts, 'because spaces like this are more suited to them. Also, there are other platforms for popular and film music,' says Ruam, who is also attempting to get younger talent on the stage since, 'in the classical genre, it takes years for a performer to perform in a space like this,' she believes. 'So, if their body of work has merit, we definitely try to showcase them.' A special space Ruam explains why this particular space is so special, a sentiment with which many of the performers also concur. 'It is a 360 °stage and they can see the audience directly,' she says. The many flowers blooming in the park around them at different times of the year, like the pink tabebuias and yellow jacarandas, enhance the spectacle. Also, since the stage is open, 'the way they use the stage is interesting, especially in terms of dance.' For Derek Mathias, the band leader of Derek and the Cats, a Bengaluru-based instrumental dance jazz fusion band, one of the very few Western music performers who have been part of the initiative so far, playing here offered a surreal moment. 'Performing at 8 in the morning is so refreshing, since you feel the Sunday morning breeze, you hear the birds chirp all around you, and you are surrounded by greenery. It puts you in a very different headspace,' he says, a sentiment shared by Kavitha Saralaya. 'The fresh air and lighting are so perfect,' she says. 'And the way that bandstand is built, the acoustics sound so good.' She firmly believes that bringing art to public spaces enhances culture. 'It is a beautiful ambience and a good way to revive classical music for the general public,' she says, pointing out that, unlike in a traditional performance space filled with rasikas, it is not a niche audience who ends up attending these performances. 'Many people who come there won't know an iota of classical music. But when they listen to it in that beautiful setting, something could be triggered in them,' she feels. Ruam agrees that one of the nicest things about this initiative has been to see audiences of all ages, from all walks of life, in the city and outside it, coming in. Recalling how many people who were visiting Cubbon Park on Sundays, for a run or with their dogs, ended up staying for the performances, she further states, 'We have anywhere between 100-150 people in the audience in the bandstand on average, and, for the dance performances, it is always houseful.' While Heritage Beku has bigger plans for Cubbon Park, whether it be going beyond Indian classical performances or introducing busking in the park, Priya says the focus right now is on continuing the tradition that has been established and 'building up a good, solid reputation so people know that the Sunday bandstand is here to stay.'
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Cubbon Band Stand brings Bengaluru's Sundays to life
At the heart of Cubbon Park, the century-old Band Stand is no longer a relic of the past. Every Sunday morning, from 8 am, it comes alive with music and dance, marking a revival of Bengaluru's cultural heritage. Heritage Beku, in collaboration with the Department of Horticulture, is making the bandstand the centre of public life again. The Revival Series is an initiative to preserve and celebrate Bengaluru's history and culture through live performances. From Carnatic music to Bharatnatyam dance to festive choirs, the bandstand hosts a diverse range of artistes every Sunday. 'WE ARE BRINGING ART BACK TO THIS FORGOTTEN CORNER OF THE PARK' 'Cubbon Park has always held a special place in the hearts of Bengalureans. The revival effort took root slowly, seeded by nostalgia and a deep desire to bring music and life back to this forgotten corner of the park,' says Priya Chetty Rajagopal, founder of Heritage Beku. 'The series is not only about events but also about creating a cultural vibe in the heart of the city,' she adds. 'IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE RECONNECT' 'Reconnecting with a historical space through cultural experiences is not just nostalgic, it's necessary. Cities across the world have long treated their parks as sites for cultural congregation. Bengaluru, with its rich heritage and creative community, deserves the same. Artistes are eager to participate, the public is engaged, and the park provides the perfect stage,' says Priya. The real magic of this revival is not just the return of music and movement to the Band Stand, but the way it reconnects the soul of the city to its most cherished memories, which makes Cubbon Park more alive Priya Chetty Rajagopal, founder, Heritage Beku 'A LOST FEELING IS NOW BEING REVIVED AT CUBBON PARK' The events focus on Indian classical and traditional art forms. But curating the events comes with its pros and cons; however, at the Revival Series, artists come purely for the nostalgia. Priya explains, 'Finding artistes was a challenge, especially ones willing to perform pro bono. Yet, many responded with enthusiasm. For them, the band stand wasn't just a stage. It was a symbol of memory, belonging, and pride.' 'GLAD TO BRING BACK THIS TRADITION' 'There is a different magic when people perform at Cubbon Park. Every single artist tells us it was a privilege and an honour to perform here. Their creative souls are at a top level just being in that space. We're proud to be part of something like this, and we are glad to bring back such an important tradition to Bengaluru,' says Priya. 'IT IS MORE THAN JUST PERFORMANCES' 'Art in public spaces makes culture accessible. It breaks down barriers and reminds us that art doesn't belong in closed auditoriums alone. There's something inherently non-transactional about it. It's a gift to the city,' said Ruam M, a member of the group. Just being in that space, watching an artiste perform, under the open sky, surrounded by nature, is unexpectedly moving Ruam M Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
New Indian Express
30-04-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Citizens fight to save 368 trees at Cantonment, start petition
BENGALURU: Within 24 hours, 2,835 people signed a petition against the railway department's request to cut 368 trees for a commercial project at Cantonment. The campaign -- Stop Butchery of 368 Mature Trees at Cantonment Railway Station -- was initiated by Heritage Beku, a citizens group, on on Monday. The target is to reach 5,000 signatures and hand over the same to the BBMP forest wing, which has called for objections and suggestions in this regard. Talking about the petition, urban conservationist Vijay Nishanth said the Biodiversity Management Committee will also conduct spot visits to the place. 'Some of the portions have already been concretised at Cantonment Railway Station in Vasanth Nagar. Now, we will push for a physical consultation regarding the objections call from Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for tree cutting. Our primary demand is that the railway department should not disturb the tree canopy and biodiversity,' said Nishanth. Greens are angry at the railway department as it had sent a requisition letter to the BBMP forest division seeking permission stating that it wants to remove trees to build a commercial project. 'When they knew a commercial project here requires felling 368 trees, including old-growth ones, they should have altered the plan or just dropped it. It's good that we have a tree committee in the BBMP which mandates every household, industry, organisation to seek permission and the committee follows procedures including public consultation, else the trees would have been axed just like that,' said an activist. On Friday, the BBMP forest wing published a notification calling for objections, suggestions and comments from the public regarding the removal of trees at Vasanth Nagar Railway Colony in Cantonment. Following the notification, there has been resentment among greens over the railway department's action.
