We ask little of our buildings, yet agonise over mere spectacle.
WHEN Jawaharlal Nehru said, “Open your windows and let the winds of change blow through your house”, he had not anticipated that the action would upturn the furniture and break everything that lay within. Much of what has happened in Indian architecture since Nehru’s prophetic words has been destabilising and destructive. The civilising influence of building, seen in the independence ideals of Chandigarh, is lost in a haze of changing aspirations, and now almost three-quarter of a century later, the struggle to find an identity within the urge to globalise has left Indian buildings with a crisis of design.
Nehru’s view of architecture arose from western modernity and the hope of creating a national culture through architecture. But it was mistakenly interpreted as a break from tradition. Rather than the original doctrine of an ascetic and frugal simplicity bestowing a visible equality for all, Indian modernism began to emulate a capitalist ideology; certainly, it changed the perception of the country from ‘third world’ to ‘developing’, but in its wake left a muddled inheritance.
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India Reads Korea
Books, comics and webtoons by Korean writers and creators-Indian enthusiasts welcome them all
The K-kraze
A chronology of how the Korean cultural wave(s) managed to sweep global audiences
Tapping Everyday Intimacies
Korean filmmaker Hong Sang-soo departs from his outsized national cinema with low-budget, chatty dramedies
Tooth and Nail
The influence of Korean cinema on Bollywood aesthetics isn't matched by engagement with its deeper themes as scene after scene of seemingly vacuous violence testify, shorn of their original context
Beyond Enemy Lines
The recent crop of films on North-South Korea relations reflects a deep-seated yearning for the reunification of Korea
Ramyeon Mogole?
How the Korean aesthetic took over the Indian market and mindspace
Old Ties, Modern Dreams
K-culture in Tamil Nadu is a very serious pursuit for many
Lamp of the East
Young girls express their love and facination for Korean culture
Annyeonghaseyo, Patna
Bihar's capital city's heart beats for all things Korean
An Aggressive Wave
Korean music stars (K-pop idols) are reaching out to audiences or consumers through their works on every possible platform. These platforms range from the purely cultural to the political. They are seen and heard on social media everywhere, and even the United Nations is not left behind. Recently, South Korea (hereafter referred to as Korea), has been in the global spotlight due to a few major events. For example, Korean author Han Kang giving her Nobel acceptance speech while Korea's streets overflowed with people marching against the president and demanding his impeachment. K-pop artists are not distant from the political picture. The popular band BTS turned down the invitation for the president's inaugural performance. On the other hand, Girls' Generation (SNSD) performed the song Into the New World on the occasion of the president's impeachment by the National Assembly. Ironically, one group turned down the performance to avoid getting politicised while the other proactively performed for a political cause.