CARE USA Learning tour
I went on a tour with CARE USA to look at education, public health, and maternal mortality issues. The trip included some chiefs of staff of US congressmen and women. It was fascinating to interact with them and see how [...]
Parsi gara
The sari I liked cost about 100,000 Rupees so I didn't buy any from this line. The grace and movement of ‘gara’ Our handcrafted products may be unusual, original, colourful, and wildly creative. But they lack finish E-mailPrint Shoba Narayan [...]
The world’s got ‘talent’
Opinion Comment If the world’s got talent, how come all of us aren’t famous? Shoba Narayan February 4, 2014 Updated: February 4, 2014 18:51:00 The whole world, it seems, has got “talent” – or at least they have, if the [...]
For The National Abu Dhabi on Oman Shopping
About incense, frankincense, perfumes, dishdashas and things to buy in Oman
Emotional ecstasy: painter V. Ramesh
The painter, V. Ramesh, is sitting cross-legged on the floor of the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), Bangalore, talking about four female poets and their experience of mysticism. All around us are Ramesh’s large canvases, depicting these four women poets who have been a source of inspiration for his recent work. Ramesh discovered them in the library of the Ramana ashram in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu.
About Subodh Gupta for The National Abu Dhabi
The NGMA Delhi has this retrospective. Would be great to visit if you are in Delhi. Arts & Culture Art Subodh Gupta the Damien Hirst of New Delhi Shoba Narayan February 1, 2014 Updated: February 2, 2014 11:46:00 Famously dubbed [...]
For British Airways magazine on Chennai
Chennai's culture, beaches, food, museums, temples. A survey
Singing Carnatic Music
Even if practice doesn’t make perfect, I will keep singing Music and dance are the keys to success, writes Shoba Narayan. Shoba Narayan Jan 26, 2014 Listen In English Listen in Arabic Powered by automated translation There has been [...]
Drama Therapy
FIRST PUBLISHED: SAT, JAN 25 2014. 12 57 AM ISTHOME» LEISURE» THE GOOD LIFE Experiencing the power of theatre as therapy A drama therapy workshop which lets the author dip her feet into the field of psychology without having her [...]
Carnatic Music vs. Harry Potter
Like jazz, Carnatic music allows for a lot of improvisation. Most concerts begin with improvisation. We call it alapana. And like jazz riffs, you can traverse the musical universe with your imaginative singing and then return to the base, in time with the beat, of course. It is this bit that I cannot do. I can learn and render countless straightforward compositions, but I don’t have the imagination and confidence for improvisation.
Song from the navel
Song from the navel One of the tough things about writing is that the piece that you think is great will not resonate with readers and the piece that you think is so-so will elicit unusual responses. FIRST PUBLISHED: [...]
For The National Abu Dhabi on business class
Funny what you remember. Travelling with kids: what to do with babies in business class? January 9, 2014 Updated: January 9, 2014 17:17:00 I show my passport to the security agent and, as the proverbial phrase goes, turn left. I [...]