Ideas of change
This space in Yeshwanthpur is where Bengalureans are gathering and putting their heads together to come up with ways to tackle climate change
Published: 17th November 2021 06:35 AM | Last Updated: 17th November 2021 06:35 AM | A+A A-
Visitors attending the various workshops organised by Bangalore Creative Circus
BENGALURU: Covid, climate change, what next? That’s the foremost question on the minds of people. Now, there’s a space to discuss these concerns. Called Bangalore Creative Circus (BCC), this setup in Yeshwanthpur Industrial Area is the latest hotspot for Bengalureans. Here, you can attend workshops, discuss and practise sustainability and even dine.
Founder Ajay Raghavan came up with the idea of opening a space where people could discuss climate change and sustainability, in 2019. But the pandemic brought the launch to a standstill with the plan taking off recently.
In line with the objective of the vision, the 20,000 sq ft space has been created with reused products. Raghavan, a former lawyer, used scraps, including tyres, from his old office to create the walls of the cafe; old and unused electronic appliances have also become art pieces. The masterpiece is a large seahorse that hangs from the ceiling and seems to have caught the fancy of netizens. “I was inspired by Leonardo DiCaprio’s documentary Before the Flood and wanted to create a platform that will have an impact on climate action, sustainability and art,” says Raghavan, adding, “Eventually, more and more like-minded people came on board to help with this project and after many uncertain times, we finally opened the space for the public in October.”
From workshops like skateboarding, aerial silk, planters to regular yoga classes, modelled as the Urban Living Lab, visitors have a space for everything they want to do here. So, on a regular day, if you were to visit BCC, you’d probably see professionals working in one corner, some adults taking workshops hosted by experts, or children doing activities in the evening. It has become a growing community of artists, scientists, chefs, gardeners, dreamers and changemakers. “The idea was to make a space to get people of different backgrounds and agencies to embrace the idea of sustainability,” he says, adding, “We don’t want people to come and just visit. We want it to be a one-stop shop to understand what the problem is, come up with solutions and act towards making it happen.”
There’s also The Circus Canteen which follows the farm-to-fork concept. A store, museum and demonstrations of solutions — ranging from urban farming like permaculture, aquaponics, hydroponics and mushroom cultivation, along with ecological building, waste management and water harvesting — completes the look and feel of BCC.
Bangalore Creative Circus is open to the public, from 11 am to 7 pm, from Tuesday to Sunday. No entry fee. For details, follow their Instagram page @blrcreativecircus
