The BLR Hubba is back, bigger and better
The citywide cultural festival, in its second year, has grown to a 16-day celebration with 500 events taking place across 40 venues in Bengaluru
A 150-year-old building on Bengaluru’s Kamaraj Road will take on new life as an intimate cultural space soon. From 30 November to 15 December, the second edition of the city-wide arts and culture festival, BLR Hubba, will roll out 500 events across 40 venues in the city, including the newly renovated Sabha.
“The building is centrally located with the city having developed around it over time,” says V Ravichandar, chief facilitator of BLR Hubba. Originally a Tamil-medium school and now a heritage building, Sabha will have its unofficial inauguration as a cultural hub when it hosts part of the BLR Hubba.
This will be the second edition of the event, which made its debut last year. The 16-day government-supported festival is presented by the UnboxingBLR Foundation. “Our vision is to make Bengaluru the go-to destination for a two-week cultural extravaganza, attracting not just locals but also visitors from across South Asia,” says Ravichandar.
Like last year, BLR Hubba’s programming pays as much attention to Kannada as it does to English. As Ravichandar notes, “Kannada and English often operate separately in festivals, but through initiatives like Gala-Gala-Gaddala, we’re creating a cross-cultural dialogue.” Gala-Gala-Gaddala will spotlight Karnataka’s arts, literature and folk traditions and commemorate poet Kuvempu’s 120th birth anniversary. New programmes include Kantha with 38 artists representing Asia’s musical traditions, and Offbeat, a dance, music and theatre show performed against the backdrop of illuminated heritage sites. Hubba In Your Streets will feature local artisans, buskers and performers. The there is Death by Dosa, a food trail which entails sampling three distinctive dosas in Bengaluru’s oldest neighbourhood, Chickpet, during a heritage walk. There will also be a screening of Rasan Piya, a documentary by Niharika Popli on the life of khayal vocalist Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan and his role in preserving the guru-shishya tradition.
Ravichandar's vision to create a cultural hub in Bengaluru led to the revival of Sabha, a 150-year-old institution established by RBANM's Educational Charities, which works with first-generation learners and marginalised communities in the city. Sabha had been set up as a private school for underprivileged children, but was shut down and left derelict for two decades because of funding constraints. A few years ago, Ravichandar decided to restore the building through his family's philanthropic efforts. While RBANM's retains ownership, Ravichandar and his family will manage it as a dedicated space for culture. Modelled on the Bangalore International Centre, the primary focus will be on in-house arts and crafts programs for children aged 6-18 though the space will also be available for rent in order to ensure it remains financially self-sustaining.
The building retains its original charm, with an open hall featuring a high ceiling, wooden beams and wide pillars with brass bands. “My family wanted to provide a space for young people to explore their creativity outside academics, giving them access to music, theatre and crafts, regardless of their financial background,” says Ravichandar.
Learn more about the festival at blrhubba.in
Also read: Block your calendar for an eventful December
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First Published:30 Nov 2024, 04:30 PM IST
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