Conversations around art set to rekindle Bengaluru's soul

Once celebrated for its gardens and unhurried pace, Bengaluru is now a bustling tech hub that rarely pauses to look back. For retired IPS officer Jija Harisingh, this fading sense of memory is deeply troubling. “People know Bengaluru today only for potholes, traffic and congestion,” she says. “But where is the culture? Where is the heritage? Where is the soul of this city?”

It is this concern that has shaped Creative City Bengaluru: Dialogues & Discoveries, a 10-day, citywide festival that kick starts today. Curated by the Bengaluru-based Art Mantram Trust, the festival brings together art, public conversations and shared experiences across multiple spaces. For Jija, the idea goes far beyond exhibitions or performances. “This is about shared experiences, diverse voices and collective reflection. I want Bengaluru to sit up and think,” she explains.

The festival opens with a series of focused conversations — short, crisp sessions designed to hold attention in an age of shrinking patience. “People don’t have the mental space anymore. So it has to be sharp and meaningful,” she says. One of the conversations centres on heritage, art and the city — a subject close to her heart. “Most people don’t even know Bengaluru has heritage buildings. Someone actually asked me, ‘Heritage buildings? In Bengaluru?’ That hurt,” she says.

She points to the steady disappearance of iconic structures. “Many buildings mentioned in old books no longer exist. Even heritage walks struggle today because there are not enough structures left.” Another strand of the festival intentionally bridges art and artificial intelligence, drawing Bengaluru’s tech community into cultural dialogue. “This is the Silicon Valley of India. But many techies don’t know how to deal with stress, relationships, or even themselves,” points out Jija. She believes art can offer balance. “If their mental space is occupied by art, culture and dialogue, it won’t be filled with anxiety and negativity.”

The final conversation turns inward, focusing on ecology, wellness and the growing restlessness of urban life. “There is road rage, depression, substance abuse—even among children. This city was once a pensioner’s paradise. Now, there is no calm,” she says, adding, “These dialogues are really about discoveries into our own minds,” she adds. “Who are we as Bengaluru citizens today? Can we at least pause, step back and reflect?”