EVENTS SHOWCASE
Please enjoy these wonderful sessions done in collaboration with Goethe Zentrum Hyderabad, featuring world class experts…They have all been warmly supportive of our film effort and we are grateful and energised by their faith in us!!
SANG O SHAYARI - JULY 2022
Very ambitious initiative. Quite amazing! - Meera Shenoy
A superb string of heartfelt love for the priceless rocks of Hyderabad. Thank you Other Kohinoors - Sadhana Ramachander
It’s a fantastic program - Kavita Ratna
Beautiful!1 Bahut hi heart touching event hai. Thank you for organising such a wonderful and important event. Mai 22 years ki hu aur Hyderabad ke purane shehar me rehti hu. Humne aaj jis Hyderabad ko mehsoon kiya, humne usse dekhne ka mauka nahi mila. And I am sure meri umar ke aur dost is Hyderabad ko nahi jaante. Wish you all the very best. - Pooja Kagada
A session of Dakhani and Urdu poetry with eminent poets, singers and writers savouring the use of the words 'patthar', 'sang', 'chattaan' ; to share the grief we feel over the rocks we have lost in Hyderabad and raise a dialogue to keep the #rocksthatremain
Featuring: Warsi Brothers, Sajjad Shahid, Poorva Guru, Jameela Nishat, Gopika Jairam, Dr. Kirti Kiran, Gursharanjit Singh, Raza Mir, Ali Mir
MC: Mohd Abdul Nayeem and Pallavi Verma
Comments for "Sang O Shayari" below:
Joined a little late but totally enjoyed Sang O Shayari. The anchors were wonderful. The ghazals by Gopika were mellifluous and the shayari was soulful.- Vijaylakshmi
An enjoyable and enthralling evening - Jhilam Chattaraj
Dr. Kirti, the rocks speak feel through your voice - Chitra Chandrashekhar
Deccan Rocks
The unique identity of Hyderabad
Through millennia
Weather – sculpted beautiful configurations
That stun and awe
Astonishing forms poised gracefully
Above the city
These rocks hold within their silence
Many histories
Of banjara’s and common folk, of emperors and armies
Witness then, and witness now, and still if life should cease.
- Renu Singhal
FIELDING THE DECCAN: LANDSCAPE, ARCHITECTURE, AND PLACE - APRIL 2022
As Director-Producer of the film “Other Kohinoors, The Rocks of Hyderabad”, Uma Magal was invited to this prestigious workshop at Pomona speak about the relationship of the culture and the landscape as showcased in the film. The workshop was organised to share and exchange ideas related to the Deccan with its rich landscape and its mixed cultural and artistic productions. Held on the 08 – 09, April 2022, Uma Magal shared the platform via Zoom with other reputed Daccani experts such as Navina Haidar, Marika Sardar, Helon Pilon, John Fritz, George Michell, Sanjay Subrahmanyam, Ratish Nanda, Kavita Singh, Sunil Sharma, Karen Leonard to name a few. Full list, desription etc. at:
Encouraging comments for our ongoing film effort:
Congratulations!. Completing a project like this, especially amidst a global pandemic, is truly something to be proud of. I am looking forward to the film too.
Best regards, - Mohit
Well done Uma and Mahnoor. All the very best. Bring it over to Ireland and looking forward to seeing it.
Lots of love - Promilla
ROCKS IN THE FRAME! - APRIL 2021
A session discussing Dakhani miniature paintings, Bidri work and other art and craft forms that shows how artists and craftspeople included the rocks they saw all around them into their creations.
Speakers: Navina Haidar Heykel, Kathleen James-Chakraborty Moderator: Abeer Gupta
Comments for "Rocks in the Frame!" below:
This recording should be shared with all the concerned authorities so that blasting is stopped with immediate effect. What a heritage and what we are doing to it!! - Amita Talwar
An amazingly refreshing talk- thanks for bringing us on a wonderfully animated journey. Fantastic insight on forms of nature very often at our door steps that need not just to to be cherished but more importantly saved. - Ash Dewan
Wow what a session. Amazing research and curation by the team. .kudos ..Abeer, Navina, Kathleen , @Uma Dublin @Mahnoor Yarkhan ...rivetting work ..learnt so many things specially the deogiri/daulatabad and elephant Hyderabad pictures ..were mind blowing - Sanjay Gadhalay
Simply fabulous session!! With such a wonderful way of sharing that knowledge - Ajay Norona
It was an interesting, informative program.. - Shanti Krish
An absolutely enchanting session, fabulous images, eloquent words and so much learning. THANK YOU - Kavita Singh
Thank you for this amazing talk . I was certainly educated on many aspects apart from enjoying the beauty of the paintings. Enjoyed the session very much. - Evita Fernandez
Though I have watched it live, would love to watch again. Seen Wonderful paintings with rocky settings. Magnificent rocks, part of NATURE, evoke the feeling of BEAUTY, JOY, and SERENITY. - Rajasekaram
It was an aesthetically beautiful, well structured and informative presentation...I luvd the session.tks !!! - Meera Shenoy
The timing is wonderful. Ahh the rocks I do miss them on my horizon. Session was both Evocative & informative! It was a surreal experience, the phone screen blossoming with lovely colorful paintings. Thanks - Vidya Bhandarkar
THE KOHINOOR KITCHEN COOK ALONG - MARCH 2021
A conversation in which the discussion centers on how the cuisine of our area draws from local landscape. Specific focus on Pathar ka Gosht and the beloved Imli.
It includes a cook-along of our beloved Safed Mirchi ka Salan.
Masterchef: Dilnaz Baig Speakers: Abhishek Patel, Rajeshwari Kalyanam MC: Juhee Ahmed
Comments for "The Koh Kitchen Cook Along" below:
Other Kohinoors is an ode to the rocks of the Deccan Plateau, and a poignant reminder of our lost horizons. It infuses an urgency to protect the remaining rocks. The show is a wonderful mosaic of dimensions and perceptions that tie together rocks, recipes, nuggets of culture and history to Dakhan. The show is punctuated by the enthusiasm of participants spread across continents and countries. Enjoyed every bit of it... - Vidya Bhandarkar
Juhee Ahmed: was at her best. Abhishek Patel and Rajeswari Kalyanam were experts in rock utensils/cutlery and Hyderabadi mouthwatering cuisines. There two other ladies, one who initiated the program and another who has given video demonstrations regarding making Hyderabadi cuisines. My kudos to them. Overall very nice program. Thank you. And congratulations for selecting such a nice subject. More please. - Kanakayya Gadapu
These ladies are the true gems, Kohinoors of Hyderabad. Such a lovely group of ladies (and gent). Thank you so much for such an innovative and informative session. Love to all. - Meera Kohli
Hi! I had the privilege of attending the zoom meeting, I am here to Wonder Baithak! It was amazing, a truly wonderful experience. - Naresh Bakthula
GEET GAYA PATHARON NE - FEBRUARY 2021
Thank you for such an enjoyable and varied programme. I joined a bit late because it took me some time to connect (my fault entirely!). I was enthralled with the pieces I did hear and feel sorry that I missed the beginning. Having lived in Hyderabad/Secunderabad from 1949-56 and then again from 1965 onwards , it breaks my heart to see the destruction of our wonderful rock formations. I hope that the public get sensitised to the importance and beauty of our rocks through programmes like the one we have just participated in. Perhaps a programme for children and by children could promote this sensitisation. - Daphne de Rebello
A session showcasing rocks in Telugu, English and Hindi songs. In which the lyrics feature words like pathar / sang / rock / stone / raalalu / banda. Sung by well known singers from Hyderabad.
Featuring: Dr. Mahesh Joshi, Harini Rao, Keith D'Rozario, Lady Skavya, Rohit PVNS, Sriram Mudambi
MC: Anuj Guruwara
Comments for "Geet Gaya Patharon Ne" below:
Uma hearty congratulations on the brilliant show. Your sincere efforts are such an inspiration to give back to the society. Anuj really did a fantastic job. The artists were so genuine and connected to the show and rocks of Hyderabad. You are blessed. Thank you for the opportunity once again.- Renu & Sriram
Hi Mahnoor I wanted to thank you and Uma for this great start. It was a wonderful evening and I enjoyed every bit of it. Having lived in Hyderabad since 1966 when we first came here, I always recollect the kind of rock formations we had and today I am so saddened to see what the authorities are doing to the rocks. Hope we can stop this illegal quarrying even by the powers that be to make roads all over the place. - Shanghamitra Malik
The Hyderabad Heritage Education Project - Sep 2019
The Hyderabad Heritage Education Project team invited filmmakers Uma Magal and Mahnoor Yar Khan, to screen and discuss excerpts from their documentary on the Rocks of Hyderabad in September, 2019. We invited them to talk about their film, its vision and mission with a group of teachers from eight schools across Hyderabad.
Theatre Expert and Educationalist Feisal Alkazi conducted the workshops. The idea was to explore different facets of the rich geographical, historical and cultural legacy of Hyderabad and Telangana in a relevant and thought provoking manner.
Comment for "The Hyderabad Heritage Education Project"
The session with Uma and Mahnoor was very well received by the participants. They said it was enlightening and helped boost awareness about the importance of the rock formations and the preservation of the invaluable heritage of the Deccan Plateau. The documentary highlights many aspects of the history of the rocks, the rock "residents", the rocks that are still around but facing destruction and the importance of preserving this unique landscape. We believe it is a very good educational tool for students and the broader community to help protect the rocks of the Deccan. - Juhee Ahmed
© Fenugreek Productions