Hyderabad's Lamakaan completes 10 years: Here's a list of week-long events

To celebrate the space which has been an important venue for several cultural activities, Lamakaan has lined up a week full of events.
Hyderabad's Lamakaan completes 10 years: Here's a list of week-long events
Hyderabad's Lamakaan completes 10 years: Here's a list of week-long events
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Lamakaan, Hyderabad's most well-known cultural space, is all set to complete a decade of being in existence. To celebrate the space which has been an important venue for all cultural activities like music, dance, theatre, debates, documentaries and even stand-up comedy, has lined up a week full of events.

Lamakaan, which translates to a 'house without boundaries', was founded by Ashhar Farhan, Elahe Hiptoola, Humera Ahmed and Biju Mathew in March, 2010.

In a brief conversation with TNM, Farhan says that it doesn't seem like ten years, and is grateful to the people who have made Lamakaan an integral part of the city.

"Lamakaan has certainly become a part of our lives as well, but it has always been driven by the people -- what kind of programming they do and what kind of issues they raise. In that sense, it has been a very humbling experience as well that people have taken to it so well," Farhan says.

"There is a huge sense of ownership about Lamakaan among the people, that we're very happy about. Above all, it is the people who curate and bring in performances. They are the ones responsible for Lamakaan's sucess. After all, we only provide a mic, a stage and a chair," he further adds.

Looking back at ten years of the venue, he adds, "Some of us have been there for a long time, but many others have contributed to the journey. We have had a whole series of managers who have come, stayed for a few years, and moved on."

Asked about what the next ten years may hold in store and what plans they have for the future, Farhan says, "We would like to see fairly radical changes in the way it has been continuing. Because when we started out, there were no other such spaces. But today, that is not the case. A number of cultural spaces have come in. That need has been satisfied."

Despite this, there are still certain kinds of events that will come only to Lamakaan, Farhan notes. Lamakaan also wishes to increase its digital presence. 

"The digital medium was not as important ten years ago as it is now. We have social media pages and a website with all the details of upcoming events, but we haven't been livestreaming them much, or put out any archival content on YouTube. We will pursue things along those lines," he says.

"At the end of the day, we shouldn't be complacent about the way things are and we are trying to infuse new blood and younger people to take part and engage in social issues," he adds.

The full schedule for Lamakaan's anniversary programs can be found below. Further details can be found here.

Wednesday - March 11

7.30pm - Resistance: Music as Politics (Music)

Sumangala Damodaran, a professor of Development Studies and Music performs pieces of resistance music and talks about  music in dark times.

Thursday - March 12

7.30pm - Himmat Mai (Play)

Hindi adaptation of Bertold Brecht’s epic play Mother Courage and her children. The play was adapted by Neelabh and It is directed by Nasreen Ishaque.

Friday - March 13

6 pm - Sachin Pilgaonkar (Talk)

Sachin ka Urdu Safar – Sachin the actor, director and Urdu lover traces his relationship with Urdu and poetry.

8 pm - Javed Jaffery (Talk)

The multi-talented Javed has made us laugh and cry. As an actor, comedian, dancer he talks about his journey and our contemporary struggle for freedom.

Saturday - March 14 

6 pm - TM Krishna (Music + Book Launch)

TM Krishna is the icon of Indian music.  He talks of his new book – Sebastian and Sons, followed by a concert.

Sunday - March 15 

10.30am - Aradhana Karhade (Music)

Hyderabad’s famous Khayal singer presents a collection of morning raags.

4.30 pm - Bezwada Wilson and JV Pawar (Book)

Magasaysay award winner Bezwada Wilson launches JV Pawar’s book – Dalit Panthers: An Authoritative history.

7 pm - Jayati Ghosh (Talk)

What explains the current mess in Indian economy? Jayati Ghosh, the well-known professor of Economics from JNU in lecture.

8.30 pm - Kuch Sach Kuch Mubalagha (Comedy)

Irshad Panjatan the world-famous mime’s funny take on life in Hyderabad during the early 20th century.

Tuesday -  March 17 

7 pm  - Qawwali by Warsi Brothers (Music)

Sangeet Natak award winners Warsi brothers sing Hyderabadi poems as well as sufi music.

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