CAC at Bond Over Bindings, Jakkur

"Hi, BOB!"

"Hi, bob!"

Introducing!

"BOB (Bind Over Bindings)" 

     meets...

"bob (band of beads)"

A beautiful venture, managed by welcoming and passionate people; Bond Over Bindings (BOB) offers a range of children's books and workshops. My first offline interaction with Neha and Sahana was at Bhoomi Santhe (https://adiz-artmania.blogspot.com/2026/06/flea-market-bhoomi-hubba-visthar.html). Pursuing a similar passion of narratives with artistic expressions at band of beads (bob), I was excited to be at their bookstore in Jakkur. This time, for the maiden Community Art Circle session!

The child-friendly bookstore is like a trip to a wonderland. With interesting shelves nestled in varying shapes and in branches of a "tree", the books were equally attractive.

BOB - a wonderland!

The workshop area is a perfect platform for the imagination to be set free - little tables for each kid, floor seating on little cushions, and excited kids coming in! We were all set for the session!

All set!

A bit of game. A bit of paper folding. A bit of drawing with basic shapes... ingredients for creating a base for unique stories! There was a sudden pause to enter the world of imagination. A bit of anxiousness about the new territory. A simple example demonstrating the fact that we all have a world inside our minds, wanting to come out!

Imagination... set free!

Imaginative Expression... set free!

After a deeper dive, each paper had a beautiful drawing. This inspired impromptu stories, narrated with excitement and claps... Yes! We all had reached the wonderland! A documentation of the wonderland story on paper followed to capture a snapshot - still not possible by technology! Some chose to make the drawing more realistic by adding interesting colours in objects! Afterall, we were out-of-the-box! 

Unique stories on paper

As parents came over, the kids wanted to continue their journey and take a part of it home - departing was definitely difficult!

band of beads is thankful to each and every child and their parents to participate in this session. A special mention of BOB for hosting bob in this wonderful space. Looking forward to meet again!

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Event at BOB:

Event Poster:

 

Flea Market @Bhoomi Hubba, Visthar

Symbiotics.

A short term, with a deep meaning. 

With various examples found in nature, it brings in a question on the existence of individuals - selfish, selfless or sharing? To find answers, needs a pause....

A celebration of the vibrant eco-system on Earth, Bhoomi Hubba is scheduled every year on Environment Day. Being at the clean and green venue of Visthar gives a perfect pause. The urban landscape of buildings suddenly blur into age-less trees. Grays turn green. Noises fade out, with a nature-led symphony of chirps and rustling leaves. The air suddenly feels cool. All the senses feel at home!

Before the city woke up, the venue was full of action - an "early bird" feeling! Decorations of flowers and leaves at every few steps made it welcoming. The day was planned with performances, workshops, film screenings and an exclusively curated flea market - privileged to be a part of it.

As I was setting up the stall, the wonderful announcements and songs - folk and western - proved to be the perfect companions! Audiences soon poured in - very different this time. Most of them stopped over. Admired with gleaming eyes. Smiled. A sight, which I treasure.

A school girl picking her favorite accessory.

A little girl choosing a "Strawberry" themed skirt and a "parrot" print top with her Grandma. So adorable!

Two teenage girls browsing the accessories and choosing a birthday gift. The excitement was contagious!

A Grandma choosing a gift for her one-year old grandchild - a finger puppet and a baby's name tag. Her daughter dropping in after a while and choosing a few more puppets and some accessories - surprised by the fact that her mom had purchased from the same place! After a few hours, returning again with her child, browsing the collection - a wonderful family.

Kids and adults seeming to be zoning out in a wonderland, looking at the "noise-less" windchimes and a book-character wall hanging.

A guy looking for a gift for a girlfriend - asking curious questions!

A lady adorning the recently purchased "native American-Indian" theme bracelet - encouraging two more people for a purchase!

Each visitor showered kind words and respect for the products - handmade at home! Some had a keen interest in the sustainable practices followed, process of making, the time spent in making and a curiosity to connect by picking up the visiting card and scanning the insta QR code. This audience clearly understood handmade, sustainability and kind human behavior - something quite rare.

band of beads is thankful to each and every guest for stopping by and taking home a part of the handmade world. A special mention of the wonderful host, Visthar for this thoughtful celebration. A day, reminding of symbiotics and the joy of being a tiny part of this Bhoomi.

Flea market space - a section

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Stall Poster

Event media coverage:

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/bhoomi-habba-returns-to-bengaluru/article71051093.ece

https://experiences.highwaydelite.com/visthar/speciality-events/bhoomi-habba-2026

https://www.festivalsfromindia.com/festival-detail/bhoomi-habba---the-earth-festival

https://www.indulgexpress.com/events/bangalore/2026/Jun/07/bhoomi-habba-2026-spotlights-community-led-climate-action-through-art-food-storytelling-and-more

https://www.karnataka.com/culture/bangalore-hubba/

Visthar Website:

https://visthar.org/bhoomi-habba/?v=13b5bfe96f3e

"The Roar and The Squeak!" at Atta Galatta

It's a great to have a partner in the world of stories. The world is understood. And celebrated. Together.

A pleasure to be back at the wonderful venue - Atta Galatta! Offering a wonderful collection of books and a dream-come-true platform for artists, this space invites creative expressions.

Scheduled on Mother's Day, my daughter and I were all set to meet the other mothers and kids! Fathers were there too! A celebration together!

"Wonderful auditorium!", I heard one of the parents say, as I sat behind the mini-stage of the puppet show. Thanks to the venue, Atta Galatta!

After the audience was seated, their excitement was in air for a glimpse of the puppet characters! A few of them attempted a peek! With perfect a sing-along songs chorus and prompts, the Lion and the mouse were in awe! 

As the curtains closed, "Mama, the lion and the mouse won't come back?" asked a curious child. The fear of parting transformed into the joy of meeting when the characters jumped off the stage! The expressions continued in the art activity that followed - now with pencils on paper, with friends! What resulted was a collective art inspiring stories! Impromptu recitals by kids were admired by each and everyone. What a wonderful world to be in!

A perfect end to the celebration:

coming up to shake hands!

band of beads would like to thank all the kids for participating in this event. A special "thank you" to all the parents for choosing to revisit the traditional stories. And, last but not the least, Atta Galatta - for giving a platform to make all this happen!

event poster

Urbanaut ticket booking platform: https://urbanaut.app/spot/the-roar-and-the-squeak-puppet-show

Atta Galatta Website: https://attagalatta.com/event_page.php?eventid=EVT1745

"Hello", Thirsty Crow @ Coro, Domlur

 

A sunny afternoon. The Thirsty Crow was all excited for a sip at Coro, co-working space - ticketing on Urbanaut.

After a very tight timeline to setup the stage, the voices of excited kids arriving in the room was a sigh of relief!

The chatter turned into silence as the crow started to interact. The kids were completely in the story and the best part is - after the show, there was still a silence! A sign, that the travel to the "Crow Land" was in progress!

Engrossed!

A puppet-making origami session followed to continue the travel! Little hands started folding coloured papers, and after a while, a bird was looking at them!

Puppet-making activity

band of beads would like to thank each and every participating child and the parents for making this imaginative re-visit a reality! The journey to our roots and back is joyous experience - every time! The kids wish to stay at the venue, even after the session is over - thanks to Coro! 

Looking forward to more memories together!

Event at Urbanaut: https://urbanaut.app/spot/hello-thirsty-crow-at-coro

Event Poster

CAC at Atta Galatta, Indranagar

A sunny Sunday afternoon. Refuge in the vibrant bookstore, in a very urban area in Bengaluru - Indranagar. Seems like a perfect combination!

The Atta Galatta bookstore entrance looks inviting! I spotted the Community Art Circle poster in the series of workshops and events! "The vector image of children in the poster would soon transform into real-life!" I thought.

Seated in the workshop space, watching the previous event of young adults wrapping up, I spotted a couple of kids entering the space - as excited as I was!

The room was a mix of books, a cafe space and workshop. This mix slowly blurred, as we entered the imagination zone. All we could see were characters, a setup and the story! The sounds of chatting almost disappeared when the pencils were in action on paper. The magic of expression had taken over - worth a capture!

 An hour later, all of us had a story in hand - both visual and in written! All excited to share these, we were amazed at how different each one was! 

band of beads would like to thank the kids and the parents, captured the "silent" process and made the hot afternoon seem like a gentle breeze. A special "thankyou" to Atta Galatta for hosting the workshop. An afternoon well-spent!

Event poster

Event details:

UB: https://urbanaut.app/spot/the-community-art-circle-wonders-of-team-work

AG: https://attagalatta.com/event_page.php?eventid=EVT1746

CAC at Beku Cafe, JP Nagar

A beautiful cafe in the verdant neighborhood of JP Nagar, Bengaluru. Adding to this is a treasure - a bookstore. And, right at the entrance are a range of options for getting together in the community. Books, food and arts - a combination hard to resist!

Event Poster at the Beku Bookstore entrance

The workshop space is as inviting as the cafe and the bookstore. The ageless tree, right outside the window added to the charm.

A welcoming green sight!

It was time for the Community Art Circle workshop to begin. The friendly, expressive and excited young pre-teens were ready to board the commute for an imaginative ride! Chatting turned into silence. A silence, where the minds wandered in a wonderland! It was now time to let the world see it all - through the ever-friendly companions, paper and pencil! A few strokes, a bit of pencil sharpening and a little erasing later - resulted in a unique capture of each mind!

Sometimes, its a wonder how kids surprise by their creations. In a world of AI, where text/audio prompts generate images and text; these kids seem rather naturally blessed!

Animated imagination!

band of beads would like to extend gratitude for this joyous day - Beku for being the welcoming host, the participating kids for being there and their parents for the heart-warming feedback. Your request for more has been noted! Looking forward!

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Event listing on Urbanaut: https://urbanaut.app/spot/community-art-circle

CAC Poster at Beku

Sensing Local

Going local is a feeling. 

A feeling, to experience blending.

A feeling, to understand the roots of a system.

A feeling, which can only be experienced first hand!

Colourful fabrics with diverse patterns and materials. Colourful beads in different sizes and materials. New additions in findings and threads - becoming the surprise element! All this selected from HUGE quantities - a world so big to explore!

Adding to this ambience, are the eateries ageing with time - yet, having the same essence. Narrow lanes transform into a cricket playground for the children. Heat getting shadowed by the excited crowds on the streets. Vehicles getting panic-struck to make a way! Nostalgia revived!

Arrival using the local public transport system - a local wholesale market - fresh raw materials! Results? A virtual memory file in a physical human brain! A blank page with a whole new set of ingredients, inspiring new creations!

It feels privileged to experience this first-hand since over a decade! Every visit is definitely a memory - passed on in every handmade band of beads creation. Self-selected raw materials which best suit the expression gives wings to an artist. Can this really be mass-made? A dilemma, which intrigues.

CAC @Bhoomi Santhe

Lush greenery for all the senses - that's Bhoomi Santhe!  

On entering the Bhoomi Network/College/Prakriya campus, there's a sudden pause - the sound of birds, a glimpse of the organic farming practices, drinking water stored in earthen/metal pots, traditional structures that require no additional lighting or cooling... - a perfect pause in an urban setup. Adding to this is an organic produce market, directly from the Bhoomi farms and the "tindi" area offering local delicacies from the Bhoomi Kitchen!

A pathway in the santhe

Nested in this setting, is another beautiful pathway to the workshop hall...

All set for the "Community Art Circle" (CAC) workshop!

CAC Poster

Workshops for the day

The workshop space proved to be a sensory treat! A spacious hall with natural ventilation, cool breeze, clean air and birds chirping on the trees, just a few feet away from the window. The traditional floor seating set the stage! A perfect setup for imaginative art and stories in a community!

Forming the "Circle"!

The room buzzed with sounds of surprising questions, answers, prompts, drawings, coloring, stories - all out of the box! The art extempore left me speechless. The interest in sustainability practices in art impressed me - fabric scraps in a crochet creation, dual-side paper use, recycling - this audience knew it all!

The kids once again, demonstrated that imagination does wonders to all. It takes you out of the box. And once you are out of the box, there are no boundaries or rules. The mind is set free for expression! All this in a community setting, through stories and art! 

band of beads is thankful to Bhoomi for being a great host. A special mention of all the participating kids and their parents for being a part of the CAC. A treat for sure!

Bhoomi Santhe continues to be a space where local farmers, artisans, and vendors can showcase their products and connect with the community. - Email flyer by Bhoomi Network

Makkala Hubba

"Makkala" - a Kannada word, roughly meaning "for the children".

Makkala Hubba, a sub festival of the city-wide celebration, BLR Hubba; was hosted at the venue, Freedom Park. A hospital block in the freedom struggle-era jail premises, was transformed into an imagination escape for kids! The various exhibits provided education and fun - both at the same time! A few of them include ... the glowing Phytoplankton world, draw your city, minimal surfaces in motion, kere party, follow the butterflies... and the mega-size board game, which explored the various cuisines of Karnataka!

I had the privilege to mediate the idea of the mega board game to the kids. The huge scale of the game - especially the dice; and the goodies on finishing the game, struck the chord! Culinary knowledge - Ingredients, recipes and utensils - explored through play - what a sight! The sticker book - for the various dishes on the map of Karnataka - was everyone's favorite! Sensory MasterChef-like challenges added a twist to the game! Children had a fun coloring zone as well! Aah... even adults wished to be a kid!

It was an absolute pleasure to be among kids from various backgrounds and get a peek in their world of imagination. The "6-7" excitement and their presence of mind in various recipes and ingredients - "red chilli" in Kannada as "Kempu Menasinekai" for the famous GI tagged Byadagi Chilli - was contagious!

I also met some attendees of my puppet show sessions, who instantly recognized me, despite a new setup - "Hey... we saw you host the Panchatantra Story puppet show session! We did a craft... when are you coming back?" Also got a chance to meet distinguished people - creators of the festival - who saw it all come to life.

A refreshing twist to play in an urban setup - little smiles and excitement in the air! band of beads is thankful to BLR Hubba-Makkala Hubba, Bachpan Manao and Nivaala for providing this opportunity. Hope to see you soon!

Mediating at Makkala Hubba

Rasthe Hubba

Respect for fine art - something which is quite rare...

Not in Banaswadi, Bengaluru!

band of beads had the privilege to exhibit the handcrafted theme bead products for sale at Banaswadi Rasthe Hubba. A sub-festival of the city wide celebration - BLR Hubba, Rasthe Hubba brought a community feeling on the streets of various neighbourhoods of Bengaluru - Koramangala, Sanjay Nagara, Pandura Nagara, Malleshwaram, Basawanagudi, Banaswadi - to name a few. Supported by the Government of Karnataka and Bangalore Expo, this event was a great effort to bring everyone together.

Social Media Flyer

With a huge crowd of warm people, stage performances, games, beautiful rangolis and a flea market offering local produce, this hubba was nothing short of a perfect Sunday outing. Banaswadi was a region unexplored by band of beads. But, our guests welcomed us with great respect for handmade, noticing every detail - applique banner, corrugated paper visiting cards, "handmade at home" products and even newspaper carry bags! Your interest in handmade was evident right from the setup till the time we wrapped up the stall! This is what keeps us going!

band of beads is grateful to each and every guest, performer and the organizers of this event. Hoping to see you again!