BENGALURU: Commuters at Cubbon Park metro station were in for a treat on Saturday, as they were witness to ‘Living Libraries’, a unique initiative by Srishti Manipal Institute. The initiative was put up by seven students from different backgrounds, and featured an array of workshops including origami, illustration design and crochets.
Exploring the potential for metro stations to be a space for transit hubs, Srishti Manipal collaborated with Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to celebrate World Nature Conservation Day. Speaking to TNSE, Project Lead Niret Alva stated, “By co-creating a repository of tools, this programme is designed to engage audiences with the park’s ecology, sparking curiosity.” An award-winning documentary film about the illegal ivory trade, by Alva, was also screened. A post-movie discussion shed light on the illegal ivory trade across the country.
The event also featured workshops on creating illustrations for a poster exhibition on a sustainability forum. Three more short films focused on sustainable development goals adopted by the United Nations, were also screened.
An excited local artist Anand Rao said, “The initiative is a breath of fresh air and I am happy to see so many people come together to conserve nature through art,” and added that he learnt new techniques of crochet through the workshop.
Yash Bhandari, a faculty member of Srishti Manipal gave insights on the wall paintings by the students. “Conservation of the ecology should be of utmost importance. We aim to cultivate a deeper appreciation for nature and inspire sustainable practices through creative expression and education,” he said.