band of beads

Lush Greenery. Structured Layout. Wide Footpaths. That's Bhartiya City, Bengaluru. Nested in this area, Bhartiya Mall is a shopper's ultimate destination - a big mall, with a huge open area outside. Excited voices. Pearly white santhe tents. Flowing sarees laid in a pattern for decor... Quite an  early morning  sight!  It was band of beads' first experience to be a part of the design community sante - Folkluru, by ADI BLR Design week! Supported by the Government of Karnataka and BBMP, this was a unique platform for artists following various art forms. A two-day paradise for art-lovers. A fabulous informal jam session made the stall setup lively. Thoughtful food arrangements, especially to combat the weather - heat and wind, made the experience all the more Bharatiya! The three "walls" of the stall with an open entrance seemed like a little cocoon for all my handcrafted bead products! It was a world of fantasy, come to life! Evenings were an absolute delight - buzz...

  A design institute. A handmade crafts festival. A bright, spring day. Felt like heaven for an art-lover! I landed on the new environment, where the hand-made crow puppet was to perform - an open-air amphitheater! A wider stage, a bigger audience... excitement was crawling in! As I assembled my DIY theater, I had some company on stage - NIFT students rehearsing a dance with classical music! A perfect start! Soon, it was time! The crowds were set, ready for the show. This time, the young crowd was dancing to the tunes of the songs, and gave a perfect chorus! The crow felt at home, despite the wider theater setup! Afterall, I had my whole family to cheer and support, this time! With a little  hand-made bird puppet in their hands,  lots of inquisitive questions followed after I ended the puppet workshop: "How to make the puppet say 'caw...caw'?" "Can I make this bird eat?" The answers turned into actions! The children departed the amphitheater with puppets in ...

The ambience felt so homely - mattress seating, custom mini-theatre in a library, on a rainy Sunday morning! "Mamma, what is behind the brown curtains?", the first reaction from a 3-year old in the audience. I heard the whispers with answers. Curious children, excited parents... I was all ears sitting behind the curtains. The ambience was captured in camera by another curious member, all grown up... my daughter! Its a wonder of perspectives! I could hear a range of emotions as I got into the character of the thirsty crow, enacted through a handmade puppet. The audience (including the parents) were great participants. There was a point, when the "caw, caw.." became a favorite chorus! The thirsty crow was now a hero! A puppet making activity had to follow as everyone wanted to get a handmade puppet, like the thirsty crow! It was a sight worth a capture when the puppet came to life! A world of fantasy! band of beads would like to thank all the parents and the kids for ...