24 hours of art on Bengaluru’s metro route

In Bengaluru, art isn’t confined to auditoriums or late-night clubs; it is thriving in the spaces we already inhabit. Linear Festival, curated by Vishruti and Bharavi, invited audiences in Bengaluru to hop across venues along the green metro line for a cultural experience. From a 9th-generation shadow puppeteer to hip hop, theatre, city walk and even board games, the festival celebrated the diversity of art in all its forms.

‘I discovered Bengaluru in a new way’

For rapper Khokkosh, Linear marked a milestone. “It was my first-ever live show, and it let me discover old Bengaluru in a new way,” he says. “What I loved most was sharing space with such a diverse lineup—from puppeteers to rappers—and the metro made it easy to explore the city. The intimate venue made my debut really memorable.”

‘For me, the event was a revisit to an old memory’

Arunachal-born dancer Aseng Borang performed at CV Raman’s historic home, beneath banyan trees at Panchavati. “Performing at 8 am felt completely natural for my body. I adapted my choreography to the branches, the steps, even the ants and mosquitoes. The audience found it calming and drifting, which matched the morning mood. For me, it was like revisiting an old memory—remembering what was before, and living in what is now,” she shares.

‘Accessibility was the backbone of the fest’

Actor Roshan Mathew brought his play Bye Bye Bypass from Kochi to Bengaluru. “We had done ten shows at home, mostly for familiar audiences. Linear gave us a chance to travel with the play, to see how it resonated outside Kerala. Accessibility became the backbone of the festival. The audience in Bengaluru not only watched with patience, but stayed back to chat with us afterwards. That warmth is rare,” smiles Roshan.

‘It was a complete experience with a bit of everything’

For shadow puppeteer Gunduraju, who performed overnight, the festival was a reminder of why traditions endure. “Performing through the night is how we train the next generation—it builds stamina. I was so pleased that people in Bengaluru stayed up all night to enjoy something from the rural regions. All new inventions are rooted in something old. A Kannada saying, ‘old roots with new sprouts’. That’s what Linear felt like: a complete experience with a bit of everything,” he says.