NCPA throws...
And a unique highlight — a terrace smoking area up a flight of stairs, with a spectacular view of the Arabian Sea.
“We are going to limit the number of guests to 100 and cap ticket prices at Rs 1,000, so that the essence of the space isn’t lost,” says Irani.
Already, she adds, people have been calling to ask if there’s really a secret garden being opened up at the NCPA. “We’re so excited to be performing here that we’re actually planning to test out a couple of new songs at the gig, along with a selection of covers,” says Marshall and The Mischief vocalist Yohan Marshall, 28. Colaba resident Arshad Kurwa, 31, a sales executive and lifelong NCPA goer, says he’s eager to see what the hush-hush new venue is all about. “I’ve been going there for decades and I have no clue which garden this is, so this is all very intriguing,” he adds. “I am also really looking forward to an open-air show, because I feel we don’t have enough of those in the city.” their religious sentiments.
The temple, which opened for monthly rituals on October 18 for the first time after the Supreme Court’s verdict, witnessed violent protests. About a dozen women who came to worship at the shrine were prevented from going inside by angry protesters as police baton-charged devotees in two base camps of Pambha and Nilakkal.
Listing court verdicts “that have not been implemented in the past”, including on the bull-taming sport of ‘Jallikattu’ and prohibiting loudspeakers in mosques, Shah said “impractical” directions should not be given by courts and they should only pass orders that can be implemented.
“You concentrate on developing the state rather than attacking the Ayyappa bhakts,” the BJP president said, warning chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan that BJP workers “will not hesitate to pull down the government”.
Hours after the BJP chief’s remarks, Vijayan said Shah’s remarks were an attack on the Supreme Court and the Constitution of India.
“His statement that the apex court should pronounce verdicts that are implementable is nothing but a challenge to the various rights that the Constitution guarantees,” Vijayan wrote in a Facebook post.
“This clearly shows what’s on the mind of Shah is the same that’s there in the minds of the sangh parivar forces,” the Kerala CM said.
“The statement that women should not be allowed entry clearly shows that they (BJP) stand for the male hegemony. I wish to state that this government was elected by the people and not with the help or support of the BJP. People who support democracy should come out against this statement,” he added.
On Friday, the police said they had registered about 450 cases and arrested 2,000 people linked to violent protests against the Supreme Court verdict.
Referring to the police action, Shah said: “A non-believer government is trying to do enough dirty jobs in the name of a verdict.”
Shah said the Hindu religion always respected women and Sabarimala was not a gender issue but of protecting one’s culture and tradition. “We have several temples where men are unwelcome. In Kerala, for example, at Attukal and Chakkulathkavu, men are not allowed to perform offerings. Each deity has a different custom and tradition. We have to respect this diverse nature,” he said.
He said instead of giving relief to the flood-hit people in the state, the government was cracking down on peaceful devotees. “The state is under another Emer- gency. Even women are not spared and they are getting arrested late at night,” he said.
Responding to the BJP chief’s allegations, the Kerala CM said: “It is a democratically elected government. We came to power not due to Amit Shah’s largesse. He is threatening the government for trying to implement the order of the highest court of the country.”
Shah’s visit to Kannur, a district that has seen members of the BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh clashing with workers of the Left parties, is significant as the BJP tries to gain a foothold in the only Left-ruled state in the country.
(With inputs from agencies)