Creative Global Hub

BHUBANESWAR ART BAZAR

Bhubaneswar City become No-1 in the SMART CITY sweep stakes in the country. A great deal of brainstorming has gone inside Government and equally or more outside. You will be surprised even at an ordinary tea stall at Patia in C.S.Pur,  a few auto drivers and Ola Cab drivers and a few morning walkers were discussing seriously about SMART CITY; what should be done and how it should look like. If they had a specific opinion on such an intricate issue; then, it would be better if we, project Bhubaneswar SMART CITY as a “Creative Global Hub”. Apart from increasing job prospects for our Artist and Artisans; this would promote cultural tourism in Odisha through Word of Mouth Publicity.

What we should do? 

1-     Bhubaneswar Art Bazar: Artist and Artisan Community of Bhubaneswar City/Odisha could persuade State Government to facilitate an arrangement where “Bhubanswar Art Bazar” could operate once in a month initially for 2-3 days in a week end/ 7 days a month in peak tourist season. Bhubaneswar Art Bazar could be designed like “Puskar Festival” of Jaipur in Rajasthan. BAB could offer Artist Institutions and Individuals to participate free of cost to show case & sale their art work and provision for live art work on theme selected by art lovers and Art Buyers, Provision for Portrait making, Pictures of God and Goddesses, Statutes  and even installations. State Govt. and Artist Collectives should rope in private corporate and public sector organizations to source their annual purchase of gift items from the Bhubaneswar Art Bazar. If it receives appropriate public patronage; then, Artist and Art Galleries from the country and abroad would be keen to participate at a cost; while, attracting tourist and facilitating cultural tourism in which our State has distinct advantage. Ideally, this should be done at a place that naturally attracts public foot fall like IG PARK/BIJU PATNAIK PARK.

2-     Statues: on the eve of 22^nd AAC at Kalinga stadium Odisha Govt. taken initiative to inundate the city with “wall Art” which makes this city beautiful; to continue this creative Initiative forward for a larger cause; artist collectives & all organizations working in the creative arena should persuade the State Govt. and Private Corporate in the city to fund the plan to “Install Modern Statues” at important & near busy traffic junctions of Tourist Triangle—Puri-Konark-Bhubaneswar. Let us do this in such a manner that it beats our legacy in public art and Kalinga Style of Temple Architecture. We can also provide Important Social Message through modern architectural pieces. Once again we should do this in such an austentious & a very loud manner that the World Community would sit down and take notice and even talk about this.

This activity eventually would make Bhubaneswar/Odisha an attractive Tourist destination; while, making other cities in the country and abroad competing to follow in the foot steps of our SMART CITY BHUBANESAWR and our Artist & Artisans would receive work from across the world making the city truly a Global Art Hub. #Can We? # Should We?

3-     Patho Ustavs: This novel concept enunciated in the SMART CITY BHUBANESWAR and executed impeccably; that has won the adulation of general public and fun loving children of our city. Can we extend this concept to other localities/street corners of Tourist Triangle----Puri-Konark-Bhubaneswar in collaboration with respective cultural association with some amount of both Government and Corporate patronage only in the Peak Tourist Season (October-January)?Our Ambition should be to design and execute this in a better manner than Puskar Festival of Jaipurin Rajasthan.

·       This will become a great Tourist Attraction as the Words Spread and International Media Highlight this Unique Concept of our Cultural Tourism.   

Bikash Choudhury Mobile: 9853426657 Email: streben.market@gmail.com

Twitter: @ideasofhope Adress:plot no:3309 Adarsha Vihar Lane-2 Patia Bhubaneswar-751024

CHANGING SOCIAL TRENDS

Bikash Choudhury

One humid Sunday morning my better half announced barely getting out of bed; today is the house cleaning Sunday and I have asked Laxmi our maid to thoroughly clean every nook and corner of our 2bhk rented home. I new already what is coming next; “park yourself outside and manage your breakfast outside of home”. No wonder, near Master Canteen Square, our Desi Jantarmantar of Delhi where protesters pitch their tents; you will find a tent for “Men’s Protection Commission” to protect men from abuse and domestic violence from their wives. As instructed after completing the morning chores; parked myself at a completely unoccupied corner of Idli Bhawan—a near by South Indian Restaurant in Patia; while fondly remembering my days in Chennai Besant Nagar Beach on Sunday Morning followed by steaming hot Sambar Idli at Maharaja Restaurant at Adyar. While rummaging through memories one call came and due to poor signal I had to troupe out to attend the call; by the time I returned to my seat, I found them occupied by two young IT working couple. I politely told them that since they have occupied my place; I have to occupy the vacant seat in front of them. They nodded in agreement; soon after my order of Onion Dosa was served and I fed my hungry stomach slowly taking the taste of very soft Idli with hot Sambar and Coconut Chutteny. After some time the couple was served with Dosa and Idli and without caring for a stranger sitting in a hitting distance; they started feeding each other alternatively. I felt little uncomfortable initially; gained composure later and as usual I ordered a Mini Coffee to seal my breakfast with the freshly brewed South Indian Coffee which I enjoyed in the company of this young couple; while, reasoning inside that the “Public Display of Affection” by young people of SMART PHONE ERA is too common to be even mentioned; if you have read “Half a Girl Friend” by Chetan Bhagat or any of his novels; then, you would have received a degree in romance in the annual convocation. I was actually romancing about the changing social trends happening in front of our eyes without being noticed or aware of. Because, I have seen my grand parents not addressing each other by their names in private; forget about even standing in one frame in public. However, they have sired 6 off springs in my father and his three brothers and two sisters. While, I have observed my father calling my mother by her maiden name “Lochan” and he was progressive enough to go to Rotary Club on weekends in Angul town accompanied by my mother in Copper Sulphate Ladies Coat with golden stripes and they used to interact like friends in private. After my marriage I gave my wife a new home name- “Suman” and privately call her “dear” which she reciprocates. Dress codes have changed drastically in three generation; my grand father used to wear only Dhoti & Kurta and Grand Mother adorned Saree with Pallus covering the head in contrast my father changed into trousers and shirts, in winter he puts on a Blazer; while my mother used Sarees only, however, the color scheme and textures of sarees were more flamboyant and Pallus stayed on the head, in front of elders only. Now a days my Bhavi window shops in Palazios with only one inch deep make up driving a big hole in my brother’s wallet, my wife slips into western attires making neighbor’s envy and owner’s pride palpable and my younger brother’s wife who is tall and beautiful as good as Hollywood Divas; some times, post her images in FB/what’s App in austentious western garments to say it loudly—hey, I have arrived in America making our desi women folk in town go red in little jealousy. Now, our nephew’s and nieces order designer dresses and dance for hours in Baratis without any eye bros being raised; while, family gives tacit consent for love marriages within and outside castes; which was strictly no-no a few years earlier. This can’t just be the story of my extended family alone; that’s pretty much the trend in our contemporary society of our class-middle one. So, public display of affection is a non-issue and a vital part of our changing social trend. What you say readers?     

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

Women's Day would be worthwhile if we decide to give equal property rights to our Sisters, Daughter in our homes first; this Initiative would Stop/Control Dowry Related Violence. Further, it is a Economic Necessity to Bring 48% of our Population(Women) into Mainstream of Indian Economy to make Rapid Strides in Socio-Economic transformation that we so assiduously Pursue in Recent Times. 33% Reservation for Women in Parliament/State Assembly could be starting Point. If that does not Bring Necessary Change in the Status of Women in our Society then ALL WOMAN POLITICAL PARTY could be a Good Alternative.