Music and Arts

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Through the lens: Ghulam Mohammad Sofi chronicles Mahatta’s legacy

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In 1972, Ghulam Mohammad Sofi joined Srinagar’s legendary Mahatta studio. Founded in 1915, it pioneered colour photography, capturing history, celebrities, and Kashmir’s essence through its lens.

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A rich legacy of toys and board games in India

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Ancient India had a rich tradition of board games, whose variations are still played today as Snakes & Ladders, Ludo and chess. The games were also a way to inculcate moral values in children.

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A village tourism bucket list for art lovers

It’s a double whammy for lovers of rustic art with this list of must-visit attractions in the hinterland where you can enjoy gazing at creative masterpieces. Read on to get fresh ideas on where to go over the long weekends of 2025.

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Teenage Madhubani artist from Bihar eyes brighter future for herself

Once unsure about her future, today Alisha Perween, from Bihar is on her way to becoming a sure-footed Madhubani artist. All thanks to a women’s empowerment programme, this school-goer now has concrete ideas about what to do next.

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A date with a sixth-generation pattachitra artist from Raghurajpur

Village Square spends the day with a local pattachitra artist from Odisha’s famous art village, Raghurajpur, to understand more about the craft and the village that was home to three Padmashree winners.

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Art’s the way: More wedding gift ideas

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In the second part of the feature on wedding gifts inspired by Indian arts and crafts, we bring to you an array of religious paintings and home decor items that will spoil you for choice. Try not to hold on to these for yourself!

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Wedding gift ideas inspired by traditional Indian art

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Given the growing interest in local Indian art, we bring to you an exhaustive list of arts and crafts from the subcontinent that you can gift this wedding season. Here’s the first of this two-part feature.

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The legacy of storytelling by mystical shadows of Tholpaavokothu puppets

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The ancient art form of Tholpaavokothu shadow puppetry is a cultural ritual steeped in tradition, spirituality, and artistic craftsmanship. It is unique in more ways than one.

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The Evolution of Toda Embroidery

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Toda embroidery, practised by the indigenous people of Nilgiri hills, is known for its precise geometric patterns of bright red, black and white inspired by nature and mythological stories. Spurred by market demand, it is gaining visibility through a wide array of products.

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Indian Traditional Art in Weddings

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Every region in India has its own unique art style which is an integral part of the wedding festivities to usher in fertility, prosperity, and auspiciousness. Their stories, rooted in folklore, make for a riveting read.

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A Himalayan baithak of folk music & qawwali

The ‘baithak’, or an intimate setting in which musical performances took place, is slowly fading. The Amarrass Society for Performing Arts, in partnership with Village Square, is reviving this tradition by hosting a baithak of folk music and qawwali in the beautiful hills of Uttarakhand.

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I am not the guardian of Uttarakhand’s folk traditions

Sarvjeet Tamta, a self-taught qawwali singer and harmonium virtuoso from Almora, delves into his love for the folk music of his state, his journey with his band Himali Mou and their alter ego Rehmat-e-Nusrat, playing to packed houses across the globe today and his dalit background.

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He’s saving Tripura’s puppetry tradition, no strings attached!

Prabhitangshu Das, who heads the Tripura Puppet Theatre Group, is at the forefront of preserving the craft in his state. From making children smarter to creating social change, there’s much to be gained from puppetry, he believes.

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And, it’s a rap about Naga culture 

With about 2.20 lakh followers and millions of views on YouTube, Moko Koza has well arrived on the Indian hip-hop scene. The Kohima-based rapper tells us how he is promoting Naga culture through his music.

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From waste to wonder – Odisha’s eco-friendly cow dung toys 

At a time when plastic and rubber toys rule the market, artisans in Ganjam district are crafting them in the traditional way. From dolls to animal masks and vegetable shapes, the toys come in various forms and sizes.

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These architects are building an archive of MP’s tribal traditions 

Meet architects Achyut Siddu and Apoorva Mishra who are encouraging members of the Pardhan Gond, Baiga and Bhil tribes of Madhya Pradesh to document their traditions through their initiative, Loksutr.

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Substitute for clay to ‘fortify’ Karnataka’s Bidri art

Did you know that the famous Bidri products were traditionally made with clay from a 15th century fort? Now scientists at IIT-Madras have come up with a chemical alternative to help artisans sustain the craft while preserving the monument.

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Blind siblings from Uttarakhand on road to musical success

Born to daily wage labourers and facing the harsh realities of their disability, three blind siblings are making a name for themselves through their music in Garhwali and Kumaoni languages.

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Meet the Ravan Didi of Uttarakhand

Munni Padiyar Bisht, an unassuming village woman from Chamoli district, metamorphoses into the formidable Ravan Didi through this women-led Ramlila in Uttarakhand.

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There’s art in Ladakh’s choktse, the multi-purpose low table

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Each motif in the ornately carved wooden choktse of Ladakh, an everyday object in every household, reflects the facets of life. Despite challenges and the intense work involved, artisans persevere to preserve Ladakh’s distinct cultural heritage.