This Bengaluru fest is a cohesive collection of art events

Namma city's art and culture lovers are in for a treat. Bengaluru Art Mantram Festival of Art, Craft, Design is on till October 26 and this multi-venue festival includes an art souk, crafts market, workshops, an art exhibition featuring Yusuf Arakkal’s work and a fashion show. Former cop and the Managing Trustee of Art Mantram, Jija Harisingh says, "Art is a very good source of de-stressing and relaxation. People often explain how they're not artists but I believe that art is every subjective. Everything drawn, made and conceptualised with a mentally creative approach is art, in my perspective. A bazaar at the MG Road Boulevard aims to demonstrate the same with interactive and live demonstrations by nearly 50 artisans."Another highlight of this fortnight-long event is a two-day exhibition that will give the city's culturati an opportunity to interact with five Padma awardees. "We wanted to host something different, instead of just another lecture or panel discussion. This led to the Padma Awardees exhibition and interaction. These awardees have contributed to art, social service and science. The participants include Anita Reddy, a social worker, Sharada Srinivasan, an archaeologist who specialises in art studies, Gajam Govardhana, a handloom weaver, Sudharak Olwe, a documentary photographer and Laila Tyabji, a social worker," says Yumna Hari Singh Jawa, Vice-President and Founding Trustee of Art Mantram. The event will also feature live demonstrations of various art forms in order to encourage more people to be inspired and help preserve them. These include Kalamkari, Tanjore and Mysore paintings.