Sat 28th April 2012 - 7 pm - 'Trade Off?' - next episode of Blackpally Diaries - the story of Russel Market

[Archana Prasad]

NEIGHBOURHOOD DIARIES 

presents our next episode of our Blackpally Diaries chapter

 

'TRADE - OFF?'

A short film on Russel Market by Saythu and Jaaga Media Center 

DATE & VENUE:

28th April 2012 7:00pm sharp at Russel Market, Shivajinagar

 

PROGRAMME:

Introduction to the place and project - Krupa Rajangam

Screening of 'Lost Sequel' - our first instalment of Blackpally Diaries

Screening of 'Trade-Off?' - our focus of the evening

Meet Film-maker Clemence Barret after the screenings 

 

FILM SYNOPSIS: 

 

One of the few remaining historic covered markets of Bangalore, a recent fire that destroyed a section of the market has brought it into public focus. BBMP would like to demolish the structure and re-use the site for a mall while traders have gone ahead and restored it. 

 

The stand-off between authority and traders and the discussion on whether this site is heritage or not remain - So will the rebirth of the market prove to be temporary? Well, thats not what Parvez, a 4th generation market vendor feels - he remains optimistic about its future while telling us the story of the market...

 

This film is part of a larger idea  "Neighbourhood Diaries"...stories and histories of neighbourhoods - short films that describe a neighbourhood's tangible and intangible heritage, its significant socio-cultural centres and their present relevance or otherwise through personal narratives.

 

SYNOPSIS ON BLACKPALLY i.e. SHIVAJINAGAR:

 

Shivajinagar or Blackpally was a barren region when Kempegowda founded modern Bangalore. The first settlers in the area were farmers and it is believed that the name Blackpally came from the bili akki (white rice) that they grew in their fields. 

 

As the British Cantonment was established to its south and east, Blackpally gradually became a native settlement servicing the needs of ‘native’ residents. Interestingly, the bazaar became popular with the Europeans as well, as they couldn’t resist the possibility of finding a bargain! 

 

Though much has altered now, Russel Market is still the main market, opposite one can still see the spires of St Mary’s Basilica. Numerous stalls and different kinds of bazaars, co-exist, along with the shop houses. Beside these remain lone remnants of typologies like the mews, choultries (community halls), cinemas and hospitals, which once served the influx of visitors and residents alike. All are now united in their struggle for existence and relevance.

 

ABOUT NEIGHBOURHOOD DIARIES:

Neighbourhood Diaries is a collaborative project conceived by Krupa Rajangam of Saythu (www.saythu.com) and Archana Prasad of Jaaga (www.jaaga.in).  Based in Bangalore, the two of them initially collaborated on an open-to-public initiative by Max Mueller Bhavan – the Bangalore City Project (www.bcp.wikidot.com). Whilst working on this project they realised the importance of neighbourhood histories. Of involving the residents of a locality and engaging them in discovering secrets, truths and novelties that made their area special. Neighbourhood Diaries was a natural continuation of this idea seeded in the Bangalore City Project. Thus, the notion of documenting the oral, tangible and intangible heritage of neighbourhoods using the short film format began to take shape. 

Clemence Barret, our film maker is a French film maker and artist based in Bangalore (www.clemencebarret.com). She has made many documentaries for French TV channels as Canal + and Arte and has been actively collaborating with Jaaga Media Center and Saythu on directing Whitefield and Blackpally Diaries episodes.

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