Karnataka is focus at World Heritage Week

The Center for Soft Power, which describes itself as a national think tank, has teamed up with the National Gallery of Modern Art to celebrate World Heritage Week on Sunday, November 24 in Bengaluru.

It showcases the tangible and intangible heritage of Karnataka.

The event includes several aspects of heritage including classical dance, Ilkal and Molkalmuru weaves, millets, Hampi (built and unbuilt archaeology), the Sahayadris, Chitradurga fort, Vedic chanting, yoga and sculpture.

Vijayalakshmi Vijayakumar, director of the Center for Soft Power, says the onus of keeping Indian culture alive squarely falls on the shoulders of all its inheritors. “The Indian approach has been all-encompassing, a system that is concerned about all of life,” she says.

India’s approach to heritage, and with it the preservation and propagation, has been changing in the recent past. Rahul Goswami, expert facilitator on intangible cultural heritage with the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Culture division, will be speaking at the event.

Devika Ramarathnam, founder Ithy-A Dee, will speak about the popular Ilkal sari, a staple weave that cuts across class – from cotton rayon blend to pure silk.

Arun Kaulige, millet expert and historian is the chief and resident historian at Kaulige Foods, will interact with people about the healthier, more sustainable millet-based diet.

Yethin N is a sixth-generation artist who specialises in handcrafted icons.

He is adept at different styles – Hoysala, Chola and Mysore with an assortment of metals such as bronze, copper and silver. He will be showing a short film on the making of bronze figures.

Bharatanatyam dancer Ashokavadhani of the Radhaa Kalpa Dance Company, Vedic chanter Mukund and Indic Yoga director Vinaychandra Banavathy will showcase the intangible culture of the state.

Venkateshan Perumal aka PeeVee who works with Nikon School India as a photography mentor will be sharing his pictures of Hoysala temples as well as the Chitradurga fort.

The event will also showcase the unbuilt archaeology of Hampi with a short talk by Mohan S Rao. who designs sustainable water systems. When the Archaeological Survey of India began conservation work in Hampi, they Yethin N specialises in handcrafted icons. He will be playing a short film on the making of bronze figures at NGMA. found that the pushkarini (stepped well) within the Vittala temple complex could not be drained. Without a source, the tank seemed to have a natural feeder but not from the nearby Tungabhadra river. Mohan Rao’s research found that the people of the Vijayanagara period had found ways to manage the water supply system by routing the water differently.

Meera Natampally, an architect and conservationist, will show her film on the grandeur of the Vijaya Vittala Temple. Her film presents Hampi as it was before it was broken down into rubble. It is a digital recreation of the beautiful architecture, based on historical records.

(World Heritage Week, by the Center for Soft Power, will be held at NGMA on November 24, at 4 pm)