Place-Based Catalogue of Methods Artefacts
| Name of the Method/Artefact | Type of Artefact | Annotations | Co-creators | Geogrpahy | Year of making |
| Process of cataloguing | shreyas, naveen, micah, sangeeta, eshwari | ||||
| Prototyping Artefact Display(Makeathon): Collaborative design and production of visual and artistic representations of past engagements, such as Kundapura fish market stories and the Hara interactive map. | Representing | Developed visual and artistic prototypes for artefact display, reflecting key engagements in Kundapura, such as the fish market and Hara interactive map. | Archit, Vidya | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Field-Based Immersive Engagements and Observational Learning: direct engagement with local communities, in observing and learning about specific local practices and occupations. | Documentation through Observational Practices and Storytelling | The method emphasizes learning through immersion in local contexts, where first hand experiences allow for the gathering of data not just through interviews or surveys but through sensory engagement and personal interaction. This method is rooted in participatory observation, helping to see how local practices and occupational patterns contribute to larger cultural, environmental, and economic systems. In the example of the fishing process, detailed observations about the types of boats and fishing practices were made through active participation and engagement with the community. | Vidya, Shruti, Harish | Kundapura | 2023-2024 |
| Participatory Geospatial Lab (PGSL) Engagement for Local Discovery and Spatial Narratives: facilitating local discovery through maps and spatial narratives. | Interactive Mapping and Local Spatial Discovery | The method emphasizes the creation of a participatory space where community knowledge is visually mapped and shared. It is grounded in local engagement and the use of both digital and physical mapping tools, such as the PGSL, Every Door app, and open-source platforms like QGIS. | Adhavan, Harsha | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Community-Based Participatory Engagement for Adolescent Health and Palliative Care: to discuss initiatives related to adolescent health, palliative care, and other community welfare efforts, through participatory tools such as illustrated prompts and open dialogues, facilitating understanding and involvement. | Community Mapping & Outreach | The interactions and engagements involved talking to various community members and professionals about adolescent health and palliative care. Tools like illustrated prompts were used to create conversations and gather insights. These engagements have led to a deeper understanding of local health challenges and areas for intervention. | SA team, SHA workers, GP members, women entrepreneurs, and local health professionals, PHC doctors | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Community-Engaged Data Collection for Atlas Development: Gathering geographical, economic, and cultural data from the local Panchayat Development Officers (PDOs) and Village Accountants (VAs) of Hemmadi, Hakladi, and Vandse GPs. | Contextual Mapping & Data Gathering | The visits involved engaging with local administrative officials across three GPs in Vandse cluster to collect data for the GP atlas. Each meeting provided insights into the geography, economy, and cultural makeup of the respective GPs, to understand the area’s socio-economic landscape. | Ayush | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Community Engagement & Participatory Mapping: collection and mapping of permanent features - trees, public buildings, and bus stops. | Capacity-Building & Mentorship | The meeting and activities focus on recruiting youth fellows from the SA cluster for mapping workshops, which combine manual and digital tools to map permanent infrastructure. The goal is to develop leadership and mapping skills within the local community, helping fellows identify and address regional concerns. | SA Collaborators, ASHA workers, community mentors | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Community-Led Educational Planning: Participatory consultation for curriculum development, mentoring, and community integration for youth and adolescent fellowships. | Participatory Framework | Community mentors gathered to discuss goals, structure, and mentorship roles for the Grama Drishti Fellowship. Participants shared local insights, cultural resources, and project ideas. | Vatsala (CHO), Geetha (Krishi Sakhi), Pramila (ASHA Worker), Suresh (GP Librarian), Mamatha (LCRP), Nagarathna (MBK), Shanti (MBK), Aruvu members | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Participatory Health System Development: Collaborative planning and consultation meetings with ASHA workers and PHC medical officers for palliative care implementation. | Consultative Framework | Organized PHC-level meetings with ASHA workers and medical officers to design patient identification, data collection, and palliative care integration under Samagra Arogya. | Uday Kumar Shetty (PC Task Force President), PHC Medical Officers (Alooru, Vandse, Hakladi, Gangolli, Keradi), Vidya H.P. (Samagra Arogya), ASHA Workers from seven GPs | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Integrated Community Health Governance: Design and co-creation of a decentralized palliative care system involving GP-level administration, healthcare institutions, and community participation. | Integrated Action Plan | A comprehensive proposal writing for a cluster-level palliative care pilot in seven GPs of the Vandse cluster, emphasizing collaborative governance, health infrastructure, and community-driven care services. | Vandse GP Cluster (Presidents, Vice Presidents, Members), Zilla Panchayat Udupi, DHO, KHPT, Aruvu Collaboratory, MAHE, Pallium India, and local health institutions | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Collaborative Policy Development: Integrated governance, healthcare, and community efforts through task force meetings, workshops, and inter-agency consultations. | Participatory Policy Framework | Co-created a palliative care framework for Vandse GP Cluster through multi-level collaborations between government, healthcare, and community actors. | Vandse GP Cluster, Zilla Panchayat Udupi, DHO, THO, PHC Medical Officers, KHPT, Aruvu Collaboratory, MAHE, and Pallium India | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Participatory Health Systems Design: Co-created a cluster-based palliative care model through collaborative workshops, site visits, and policy discussions. | Engaging and Distributing, Participatory Systems Mapping, Situated Learning Infrastructure | Designed a community-centric palliative care model integrating healthcare, social services, and grassroots governance. | Vandse GP Members, Aruvu Team, PHC Representatives, KHPT Experts, Dr. Kirthinath (KMC Manipal), Ms. Swaroop (KHPT) | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Agrarian and Horticultural Practices: Documented traditional flower cultivation, labor dynamics, and economic sustainability in Hemmadi. | Capturing and Composing | Explored Sevanthi flower farming, focusing on economic viability and cultural significance in temple offerings. | Vidya, Shruti, Sangeeta | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Craft Production and Micro-Enterprise Mapping: Investigated local pottery, spice production, and tailoring enterprises through field visits and interviews. | Mapping, Small-Scale Economic Networks | Documented craft production processes, market challenges, and socio-economic contexts through direct site visits and informal conversations with producers. | Vidya, Archit, Prathima, Rashmitha, Prema & Prasanna | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Socio-Economic and Self-Employment Mapping: Documented operational structures, roles, and entrepreneurial challenges in Sanjeevini Sanghas. | Community Economic Practices Documentation | Explored the roles of community-driven self-help groups (SHGs), women-led economic initiatives, and grassroots market systems through interviews, participatory mapping, and site visits. | Vidya, Shruthi, Asharani, Rashmitha, Prathima, LCRPs, Sanjeevini Sangha Members | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Socio-Cultural Documentation: Conducted oral history interviews, explored traditional agricultural practices, and documented cultural heritage through conversations and site visits. | Community Knowledge and Cultural Heritage Documentation | Collected narratives on migration stories, social customs, spiritual practices, farming methods, environmental conservation, and religious rituals. | Vidya, Shruthi, Local Elders, Farmers, Community Members | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Community-Led Network Mapping: Conducted participatory mapping and site exploration for network nodes through guided community walks. | Network Infrastructure Mapping | Explored settlement topology and mapped potential network points based on field visibility and household placement. | Vidya, Shruthi, Abhiram, Archit, Local Residents | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Ethnobotanical and Cultural Surveys: Documented plant use, cultural rituals, and local oral histories. | Cultural Resource Inventory | Mapped traditional plant knowledge, rituals, and indigenous cultural practices. | Aruvu field team and Hara Locals | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Technical Field Surveys and Community Dialogues: Mapped potential network node sites and conducted feasibility assessments. | Technical Feasibility Report | Explored line-of-sight feasibility and possible network node placements. | Archit, Abhiram, Kirana, Locals | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Informal Interviews and Observational Mapping: Explored community settlements through immersive interviews, site observations, and environmental mapping. | Oral Histories and Spatial Documentation | Documented everyday narratives related to community history, religious practices, and socio-economic challenges. | Archit, Abhiram, Vidya, Shruthi, Subramanya, Kirana, Local Residents | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Participatory Walkthroughs and Local Conversations: walks to explore community spaces, understand social dynamics, and document lived experiences. | Ethnographic Field Study | Multiple thematic walks were conducted, focusing on public spaces, transport, network coverage, and children’s play areas. | Archit, Abhiram, Vidya, Shruthi, Kirana, Local Residents | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Participatory Mapping and Contextual Conversations: Field visits involving mapping, sketching, and interactive discussions on telecommunication and built environment. | Ethnographic Mapping Document | Mapping settlement infrastructure, engaging locals about network challenges, and exploring socio-economic contexts. | Aruvu field team, local residents | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Participatory Mapping and Relational Observation: Exploring built environments, ecological landscapes, and local infrastructure through mapping, sketching, and journaling. | Ethnographic Documentation: | The visit explored Hara’s landscape, built environment, and community life through mapping, visual documentation, and interviews. | Aruvu field team, local residents Shashank, Subramanya, Parvatamma | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Community Mapping and Relational Inquiry: Documenting settlements, mobile network coverage, and informal conversations to establish community relationships. | Ethnographic Documentation | The visit explored settlements in Dheeti, focusing on mobile network coverage, community relationships, and potential mesh network nodes. | Aruvu field team, local residents of Madhukodla, Anganwadi representatives. | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Community Network Development Vision: Conceptualizing and drafting a comprehensive proposal for the community network initiative. | Community Network Design Framework | A comprehensive vision for a community network that supports local connectivity and social learning. | Aruvu team and Hara members | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Community Advocacy and Public Infrastructure Negotiation: Local stories as advocacy tools to highlight infrastructural neglect and mobilize for public action. | Advocacy and Public Mobilization | Community-driven storytelling to address infrastructural challenges. | Aruvu team and Hara members | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Embedded Technological Learning: Collaborative technological learning through direct site engagement and participatory co-design. | Situated Learning Infrastructure | Learning through building mesh networks and digital artefacts in real-world contexts | Aruvu internal team, Hara community members | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Participatory Mapping and Artefact Creation: Local narratives, spatial mapping, and artefact production emerged through community workshops and interviews. | Strategy Development and Capacity Building, annotative reflection | Collaborative mapping and artefact creation sessions centered around the Bobbariya temple as a public gathering space. | Mythrayi, Ashwin, Chandravathy, Subramanya, Satish, and Hara community members, Abhiram, Archit | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Embedded Digital Knowledge Ecosystem: hyper-local digital tools and services built for and with the community using FOSS and participatory methods. | Knowledge Exchange System | Designing digital platforms supporting lived experiences, government interface systems, and participatory decision-making. | Aruvu team, community representatives | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Community-Driven Mesh Network Development: site mapping, stakeholder engagement, and participatory planning for a community mesh network. | Participatory Network Infrastructure Design | Community-led planning for mesh network development to address connectivity issues and local infrastructural neglect. | Mythrayi, Ashwin, Abhiram, Archit, Subramanya, and local residents like Satish and Chandravathy in Hara and Iduru Kunjadi hamlets. | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Discussions on Practices and Sustainability: Areca Nut and Coconut Cultivation | Synthesizing knowledge | Details practices such as fertilizer use, seasonal crop spraying, and water resource management for areca nut and coconut farming. | Shruti, Krishna Poojary, Shashikala | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Direct Oral History Collection: Reflection on Farming Practices | narrative archive | Captures Krishna Poojary’s decades-long experience in paddy and areca nut cultivation, discussing transitions from traditional to modern farming practices and the introduction of new crop varieties. | Shruti, Krishna Poojary, Shashikala. | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Reflective Interviews on Adolescent Education: Explored sensitive topics like menstrual health, relationships, and mental well-being through conversations with women and ASHA workers. | annotative reflection | Gathered reflections on sensitive topics like relationships and mental health among adolescents. | Shruti, Nagaratna | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Scenario Analysis for Sneha Clinics: Analysed scenarios related to Sneha Clinics’ functionality, engagement challenges, and potential future strategies. | scenario modelling | Examined barriers and proposed strategies for Sneha Clinics' revival. | Shruti, Nagaratna, Vandse Medical Officer, Sasikala | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Community Knowledge Mapping: Recorded insights from ASHA workers and Panchayat members about adolescent health initiatives, Sneha Clinics, and their challenges. | community mapping | Mapped community health knowledge and perceptions of adolescent health resources. | Shruti, Nagaratna, Panchayat members, Vandse Medical Officer | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Intergenerational Narratives: Documented generational perspectives on adolescent health and family dynamics, including parental advice and evolving societal norms. | Comparative analysis | Explored generational differences in menstrual health knowledge and practices | Shruti, Nagaratna, Local women, ASHA workers | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Adolescent Health Needs Assessment: Engaged with women and ASHA workers to discuss the need for Sneha Clinics and their impact on adolescent health education. | Needs assessment | Assessed the decline in Sneha Clinics and their relevance today. | Shruti, Nagaratna, Vandse Medical Officer, ASHA workers | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Oral Histories Collection: Interviewed women aged 35+ with adolescent daughters to capture narratives about menstruation, lifestyle changes, and social norms. | narrative archive | Collected oral histories on menstrual practices, rituals, and lifestyle transitions. | Shruti, Vidya | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Field Challenges and Documentation: Identified systemic and logistical barriers, such as lack of awareness about Sneha Clinics and inconsistent participation, through field observations and conversations. | Diagnosing | Documented barriers like lack of Sneha Clinic awareness and low participation. | Shruthi, ASHA workers, GP members | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Demo Engagement Planning: Planned pilot engagements with Meena Club and school programs to explore adolescent health education themes. | Prototyping | Proposed pilot engagements to revitalize adolescent health education. | Shruthi, Hakladi Primary School, ASHA workers | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Exploring Collaboration: Identified potential collaborators like young CHOs, school teachers, and MBKs to support adolescent health initiatives. | connecting | Identified collaborators to strengthen adolescent health initiatives. | Shruthi, MBKs, CHO Vatsala | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Community Health Narratives: Developed thematic patterns from ASHA workers’ and school teachers’ inputs on adolescent health and hygiene practices. | Synthesizing | synthesized inputs on menstrual hygiene, nutritional education, and adolescent counseling. | Shruthi, ASHA workers, GP members | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Interviewing and Documentation: Conducted interviews with ASHA workers, CHOs, and school staff to document their experiences and perspectives on adolescent health education. | Archiving | Collected testimonies on adolescent health education and Sneha Clinics’ cessation | Shruthi, Vatsala (CHO), Hakladi Primary School HM | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Mapping Knowledge Sources: Engaged with ASHA workers, panchayat members, school teachers, and health officials to gather insights on Sneha Clinics. | Mapping | Conducted field visits to understand the status and relevance of Sneha Clinics across seven panchayats. | Shruthi, ASHA workers, Panchayat members | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Iterative Prototyping and Feedback Loops(makeathon): Collaborative ideation and development of SARC resources, refined through daily reviews and feedback. | Iterating | Employed iterative prototyping over three days, refining mock-ups for SARC resources through collaborative feedback and reviews. | Naveen, Shreyas, Makeathon participants | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Information Design Mock-up(makeathon): Designed a physical information display system that uses micro-contexts to explore SDoH, demo engagements, and related themes. | Exhibiting | This system highlights interconnected health contexts and practices within SA, encouraging visitors to explore and learn through interactive displays. | Abhiram, Ayush | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Online Archive Mock-up(makeathon): Created a prototype of an online Kannada multimedia archive to showcase SA engagements, envisioning its dual use as a projection in the resource center and a potential website. | Archiving | Developed an online Kannada multimedia archive for showcasing SA engagements, designed as both a projection tool and a standalone website. | Aadhavan, Shruti, Eshwari | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Spatial and Interactive Design Mock-up(makeathon): Conceptualized a cluster resource center with interactive spaces, including physical maps, a projection room, maker spaces, and other creative zones. | Arranging | Designed a spatial model for the SARC, including interactive spaces like projection rooms, maker zones, and physical maps. | Sangeeta, Harsha | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Participatory Community-Centered Co-Design: co-creating artefacts with the community through facilitated engagements, building contextual understanding through mapping, oral histories, and visual storytelling. | collaborative action research | The artefacts generated show collective knowledge gained through participatory engagements, illustrating community representation and advocacy. The participatory mapping of Hara, fish market timelines, and the agro-infrastructure mapping were designed as co-produced knowledge systems that enabled nuanced understanding of socio-economic and spatial dynamics in the Vandse GP cluster. | Community Collaborators — Subramanya, tribal settlement residents, and fish market vendors. Local GP Members and PDOs — Udhay Shetty, Goverdhan Jogi, and other Gram Panchayat representatives, KHPT Core Team and Aruvu Team Members | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Co-Speculative Facilitation through Visual Tools: A deck of cards as a participatory tool to facilitate co-speculation with Gram Panchayat (GP) members and PDOs. | Participatory Speculative Frameworks | The deck of cards facilitated collaborative discussions with GP members and PDOs about stages of data management, linking abstract data points to real-world implications. This speculative engagement helped them to envision practical, locally informed uses of Household Review Data. | Aruvu Team,GP members,PDOs | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Contextual Taxonomy Development: The Place-based Glossary of Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) for the SA Cluster was developed through direct engagement with micro-contexts across multiple Gram Panchayats (GPs) | Ethnographic Concept Mapping | The glossary contextualizes SDoH through community-specific descriptors derived from lived experiences across SA Cluster GPs, supporting localized health interventions and participatory policymaking. | Aruvu members,SA Cluster Collaborators | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Participatory Knowledge Mobilization: The Demo Engagements facilitated structured interactions between Gram Panchayat (GP) members, community stakeholders, and governance actors to co-create and operationalize place-based solutions. | Action research framework | The Demo Engagements introduced participatory governance concepts through contextual micro-engagements, linking Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) to community realities while also fostering inclusive decision-making practices. | SA Collaborators,Aruvu Team | Kundapura | 2024 |
| Tagging, Clustering, and Creative Renarration: Group-based processing of community health information to create tagged, clustered, and renarrated knowledge narratives. | Reassembling | Processed community health information by tagging and clustering themes, renarrating them into creative non-fiction, and reflecting on their relevance and potential impact. | Naveen, HNs, Ramakka | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Collaborative Tagging and Immersive Renarration: Shared, tagged, and synthesized community knowledge media while exploring patterns and deeper personal engagement. | Composing | Shared and tagged community health media collaboratively, renarrating insights and exploring new recording opportunities, such as panchayat initiatives and HNs’ personal journeys. | Naveen, Ramakka, HNs | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Peer Interviews and Reflective Training Discussion: Recorded HNs’ life-journey challenges and explored reasons for training others in knowledge collection and preservation. | Capturing and Composing | Conducted peer interviews on challenges faced by HNs, initiating reflections on why training is essential for preserving knowledge. | Naveen, HNs | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Knowledge Mapping and Metadata Categorization: Engaged HNs in mapping community knowledge and exploring metadata categories for organizing and uploading information on PAPAD. | Classifying | Reiterated community ownership of knowledge through mapping, introduced metadata categories, and clarified the project's long-term vision. | Naveen, HNs | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Geospatial Mapping and Network Deployment: Mapped key locations in Channapatna, identified lines of sight, and initiated setup of the first node for the mesh network. | Rescaling | Mapped coordinates for potential mesh network nodes, assessed Fresnel zones and lines of sight, and set up the first node at the storage unit with guidance from Shalini. | Naveen, Shalini, Ramakka, Jabeen Taj | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Community Mapping and Ethical Interviewing: Mapped health knowledge sources, shared interviewing strategies, and initiated content collection with ethical considerations. | Engaging and distributing knowledge | Mapped community health knowledge sources, planned interviews using Ramakka’s verbal structure, and began developing an evolving protocol for ethical content collection. | Sid, HNs, Ramakka | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Ethical Structuring and Process Documentation: Recorded and analyzed HNs' interview processes to build evolving ethics and privacy protocols. | Qualifying | Discussed interview topics and processes, addressing privacy and safety concerns, and initiated evolving ethics and privacy protocols for HNs. | Sid, Ramkka, HNs | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Protocol Development and Collaborative Annotation: Group discussions on interview protocols, hands-on annotation sessions on PAPAD, and brainstorming on content creation and public engagement. | Capturing and Composing | Discussed interview protocols for health knowledge collection, engaged in tagging and annotation on PAPAD, and brainstormed public content sharing and feedback strategie | Ramakka, Naveen, HNs | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Speculative Design and Collaborative Annotation: Facilitated oral narrations envisioning future engagements with the Health Library and conducted group demos of PAPAD for tagging and annotating | Speculating | Explored speculative futures for the Health Library through oral narrations, refined annotation practices on PAPAD, and aligned terminology with HNs’ preferences. | Naveen, HNs | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Speculative Design and Collaborative Annotation: Engaged HNs in envisioning their future roles with the Health Library, while refining tools like PAPAD through group demos and discussions. | Speculating | Facilitated speculative design through oral narrations envisioning future Health Library activities, and collaboratively annotated using PAPAD in group demos. | Naveen, HNs | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Speculative Scenario Creation: Synthesized oral narratives into future-oriented scenarios, enabling HNs to engage in speculative design discussions about the Health Library’s potential roles and challenges. | Speculative Scenarios (Hypothetial cases discussed) | Created speculative scenarios based on HNs’ narratives to explore future roles for the Health Library, focusing on income generation, emergency usage, and content accuracy challenges | Deysi, Sid, Ramakka,HNs | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Audio Uploading and Metadata Discussion: Facilitated audio uploads on PAPAD, discussed metadata entry fields, and explored relatable metaphors for tagging and categorization. | Capturing and Composing | Conducted audio uploads on PAPAD, clarified metadata entry, and used real-world metaphors to explain tagging for better understanding among HNs. | Naveen, Sid, R, HNs | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Network Mapping and Design: Mapped HNs' locations, identified key connectivity points, and designed a hybrid MESH-MASH network using Ubiquiti’s ISP design center software. | Infrastructuring | Designed a MESH-MASH network using mapped HNs’ locations and network design software, combining Wi-Fi mesh and ISP/SIM internet to ensure widespread connectivity. | Sid, Naveen, Ramakka, HNs | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Infrastructuring and Mapping: Reintegrating audio annotation practices, distributing technology dependency, and co-mapping HNs’ locations for network design. | Rescaling | Engaged HNs in annotating audio on PAPAD, set up diverse infrastructure to reduce technology reliance, and co-mapped locations for designing a mesh network. | Ramakka, HNs, Naveen | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Collaborative Editing and Translation: Edited and refined Kannada content for the Data Collection Toolkit through collaborative efforts, leveraging technology and individual preferences for efficiency. | Qualifying | Collaborated with Ramakka and others to edit and refine Kannada content for the Data Collection Toolkit, adapting methods to suit preferences and resources. | Ruchika, HNs, Ramakka | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Mock-Up Testing and Feedback Gathering: Demonstrated a rough "Data Collection Book" mock-up, incorporating HNs’ input to refine content structure and usability. | Prototyping | Demonstrated a mock-up of the "Data Collection Book," receiving feedback to refine content, format, and usability based on HNs’ needs and preferences. | Ruchika, HNs, Naveen | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Usability Testing and Co-Designing: Observed HNs' challenges with data entry, proposed interface improvements, and gathered input on book design preferences for co-design possibilities. | Engaging and distributing knowledge | Observed HNs’ interface usage and data entry challenges, proposed improvements like commonly used tags and better-designed books, and explored co-design options based on HNs’ input. | Ruchika, HNs, Sid, Naveen, Padmini, Ramakka | Channapatna | 2022 |
| System Setup and UI Refinement: Manual installation of PAPAD, UI adjustments on the dashboard, and discussions on future collaboration for Natural Language Processing features. | Prototyping | Installed PAPAD manually on the think centre, adjusted UI elements for usability, and discussed NLP applications for potential transliteration and translation features with IIIT-B. | Abhiram, Ruchika, Mukunda from Janastu | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Storytelling and Personalized Health Education: HNs shared experiences on using storytelling as a personalized tool for health communication, with focus on unstructured conversations and privacy. | Engaging and distributing knowledge | Discussed the role of storytelling in health work, with HNs highlighting trust-building, privacy concerns, and the impact of local stories for effective health communication. | Ruchika, Naveen, Ramakka, HNs | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Feedback and Iterative Design: Gathering HNs' inputs on the metadata form layout, terminology, translation needs, and physical design of the Meta Data Book. | Qualifying | Collected feedback on the metadata form’s terminology, translation needs, and physical design to make it clearer and more user-friendly for HNs. | Naveen, Ruchika., HNs | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Site Preparation and Visibility Testing: Setup at Maya’s office, flag installation for line-of-sight testing, and exploration of neighboring buildings to assess connectivity potential. | Infrastructuring | Set up the Think Centre, tested line of sight with a makeshift flag, and explored options for connectivity, encountering free internet access provided by a neighboring ISP. | Naveen, Asma, Sid | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Collaborative Reviewing: Group listening and review of interview techniques, followed by refinement of the interview Protocols | Casing, refining best practices | Reviewed a detailed interview by Mangalamma to refine Interview Protocols,focusing on best practices for consent, clear audio, and relationship-building. | Naveen | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Prototyping and Feedback Gathering: Created and demonstrated a rough mock-up of the "Data Collection Book" to HNs, incorporating interview protocols, best practices, and health knowledge topics. | Capturing and Composing | Presented a mock-up of the "Data Collection Book" for feedback, which led to recommendations on content organization and design preferences. | Ruchitha, Ruchika, HNs | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Testing and Debugging: PAPAD functionality testing with Janasthu, resolving cross-device issues, and finalizing features through local development and Docker setup. | Disrupting | Tested and debugged PAPAD functionalities, working closely with Janasthu to resolve cross-device syncing and Docker deployment issues. | Janasthu team, Naveen, HNs | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Editing and Translating: Collaborative editing of Kannada content for the Data Collection Toolkit, using third-party translation tools and mobile typing. | Qualifying, linguistic accuracy, review and correction | Collaborated with Ramakka and others to edit and refine Kannada content for the Data Collection Toolkit, adapting methods to suit preferences and resources. | Ramakka, Anitha, Sarasamma, Ruchitha | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Knowledge Gathering and Sharing: Responses collected from HNs on challenges and solutions in engagement, emphasizing health education and lifestyle adaptation. | Valuing and Validating | Documented challenges faced by HNs in promoting health awareness and consistency, highlighting how the Health Library can support educational and cultural knowledge-sharing efforts. | Ruchika, Naveen, HNs | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Collaborative Annotating: Group-based annotation process led by Asma, focused on practicing and refining the understanding of metadata annotation. | Capturing and Composing | Continued group-based annotation, with Asma leading, as HNs practiced capturing metadata beyond literal descriptions. | Ruchitha, asma | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Server Configuring: Server setup with Open Media Vault, Docker, Tailscale VPN, and remote SSH access for planned deployment of Nextcloud and Papad services. | Infrastructuring | Configured server with OMV, Docker, and Tailscale VPN, enabling remote access and setting the groundwork for deploying services like Nextcloud and Papad. | Abhiram | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Demonstrating and Sharing: Inauguration of the health library with project overview and live demonstration by HNs for ASHA and anganwadi workers. | Engaging and Distributing | Inaugurated the Channapatna health library with local health workers, where HNs demonstrated the library's resources and potential. | Dr. Pramila, HNs, ASHA workers, anganwadi workers, Naveen | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Network Testing and Configuration: UniFi network controller installation on Ubuntu, AC mesh configuration, extended Wi-Fi network testing at home. | Prototyping | Installed UniFi network controller on Ubuntu using a Raspberry Pi setup, configured AC mesh for extended Wi-Fi network, and tested multi-device connectivity at home. | Sid | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Access Point Configuring: Installation and configuration of UniFi controller and AC mesh setup as a public access point for internet provision. | Distributing | Installed and configured UniFi network controller and AC mesh as an access point to support internet for the adjacent Urdu school, with public engagement potential. | Sid | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Network Configuring: NanoBeams configured for distance, IP setup, line of sight verification, and troubleshooting. | Infrastructuring | Configured and tested NanoBeams for connectivity across the first hop station, verifying alignment and line of sight for optimal network performance. | Sid | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Curating and Engaging: Content curation discussions, initial grouped annotations, and brainstormed concepts for public engagement with HNs. | Capturing and Composing | Facilitated grouped annotations and engaged HNs in curating remedies and cultural stories for public engagement via content like videos and audio formats. | Jabeen Taj, Triveni, Ramakka, Health Navigators, Ruchitha | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Group Synthesis and Pattern Recognition: Students grouped their findings to produce collective narratives through charts and presentations. | Collaborative Analysis | Participants clustered their observations on charts and presented their findings to explore emergent patterns. | Vinay, Adhavan, Harsha, Eshwari | Bidar | 2024 |
| Multimodal Field Observations and Annotation: mapping, sketches, audio-visual recordings, imprints, and conversations to document the ecological and social dimensions of water heritage in Bidar. | Situated Observations | Students observed water-centric social and ecological aspects of Bidar by mapping multiple layers of historical and cultural heritage along with the changes | Vinay, Adhavan, Harsha, Eshwari | Bidar | 2024 |
| Secondary Research and Base Mapping: Conducting secondary research and creating a base map of Bidar’s old city to understand its urban fabric and context before site visits. | Pre-Field Contextual Research | Prepared for fieldwork by stitching together a base map and conducting extensive secondary research on Bidar’s history, demographics, and urban structure. | All students in the 2016 cohort, with faculty mentors, local community members, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2016 |
| Quadrant-Based City Mapping: Dividing the walled city into four quadrants for systematic exploration and documentation by different student groups. | Spatial Segmentation and Mapping | Each group was responsible for mapping one quadrant, ensuring that the entire walled city was systematically documented through site visits and observational studies. | All students in the 2016 cohort with the faculty mentors, peer groups, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2016 |
| Transect Walks and Annotative Mapping: Conducting transect walks to annotate and categorize different types of buildings and land use within the quadrants of the walled city. | Annotative Ethnographic Mapping | Identified and recorded residential, commercial, and public buildings, contributing to an understanding of the built environment and its functional variations across the city. | All students in the 2016 cohort with local residents, Team YUVAA | Bidar | |
| Ethnographic Field Study: Engaging with local communities through immersive fieldwork to understand the socio-economic dynamics and cultural practices related to Bidri craft. | Ethnographic Craft Analysis | Explored the relationship between Bidar’s city walls and the evolution of Bidri craft, examining how historical and cultural elements influence contemporary practices. | Shubhika Malara, Bidri artisans, Team YUVAA, Mr. Anurag Tewari, Mr. Abdul Rauf, Mr. Amar Shetkar, Mr. Digambar Thakur, Mr. Rishikesh Bahadur Desai, Mr. Habib from bidrihandicraft. com, Mrs. Laxmi Bai, Mr. Mohammed Idris, Dr. Rehman Patel, Mr. Shafi from Sahyog NGO, Mr. Vinay and Team YUVAA, Mr. Yusuf Raheem, Shreyas | Bidar | 2016 |
| Participatory Design Workshops: learning workshops with local residents to co-design interventions for public space revitalization around Bidar’s fort. | Community Co-Design | Worked with community members to envision adaptive reuse strategies for the fort’s moat, integrating their inputs into the design process. | Pallavi Paul, local residents, local community leaders, government officials, YUVAA, Shreyas Shrivasta | Bidar | 2016 |
| Oral History Collection: Conducting interviews with local families to gather narratives on Bidar’s culinary heritage. | Oral History Documentation | Explores how culinary practices reflect Bidar’s cultural identity, aiming to preserve traditional recipes and cooking techniques. | Simran Chawla, Local chefs, community elders, Mr. Anurag Ti- wari (D.C commisioner Bidar), Team Yuvaa, Shreyas Shrivatsa, | Bidar | 2016 |
| Photographic Documentation: Visual documentation of culinary practices and related spaces in Bidar. | Visual Ethnography | Captured visual narratives of Bidar’s food culture, highlighting the aesthetics and context of traditional culinary spaces.This method offers a visual complement to oral histories, enriching the understanding of culinary heritage through imagery. | Simran Chawla, Local chefs, community elders, Mr. Anurag Ti- wari (D.C commisioner Bidar), Team Yuvaa, Shreyas Shrivatsa, | Bidar | 2016 |
| Historical and Environmental Mapping: Documenting and analyzing the Jamna Mori Qanat’s structure and environmental context | Ethnographic Mapping Document | Investigates the historical significance and current state of the Qanat system, proposing methods for its revival. This method blends historical context with environmental considerations, providing a comprehensive understanding of the Qanat’s role in Bidar’s water management. | Keta Kant, local historians, Team Yuvaa, Shreyas Shrivatsa, local community leaders. | Bidar | 2016 |
| Community Engagement and Visual Reporting: Creating visual reports to communicate findings to stakeholders and guide restoration efforts. | Participatory Visual Communication | Developed visual materials to facilitate community engagement and think through restoration initiatives. This method focuses on translating technical findings into accessible visuals, fostering community involvement in heritage conservation. | Keta Kant, Local communities, Team Yuvaa, Shreyas Shrivatsa, local community leaders. | Bidar | 2016 |
| Architectural Documentation and Analysis: Detailed documentation of Bidar’s walls and surrounding structures through sketches and measurements. | Architectural Documentation | Captured the architectural nuances of Bidar’s fortifications, contributing to conservation efforts. This method provides a baseline for understanding the structural and historical value of Bidar’s walls, aiding in preservation strategies. | Shubhika Malara Collaborators: Local community members, Mr. Anurag Tewari, Mr. Abdul Rauf, Mr. Amar Shetkar, Mr. Digambar Thakur, Mr. Rishikesh Bahadur Desai, Mr. Habib from bidrihandicraft. com, Mrs. Laxmi Bai, Mr. Mohammed Idris, Dr. Rehman Patel, Mr. Shafi from Sahyog NGO, Mr. Vinay and Team YUVAA, Mr. Yusuf Raheem, Shreyas | Bidar | 2016 |
| Oral Narratives and Cultural Context: Collecting stories from residents to understand the cultural significance of the walls. | Cultural Ethnography | Documented personal and community stories related to Bidar’s walls, uncovering their cultural resonance. This method sheds light on how historical structures shape and are shaped by local identities and traditions. | Shubhika Malara Collaborators: Local community members, Mr. Anurag Tewari, Mr. Abdul Rauf, Mr. Amar Shetkar, Mr. Digambar Thakur, Mr. Rishikesh Bahadur Desai, Mr. Habib from bidrihandicraft. com, Mrs. Laxmi Bai, Mr. Mohammed Idris, Dr. Rehman Patel, Mr. Shafi from Sahyog NGO, Mr. Vinay and Team YUVAA, Mr. Yusuf Raheem, Shreyas | Bidar | 2016 |
| Oral History Interviews: Engaging with elders to collect oral histories related to Bidar’s socio-cultural evolution. | Oral History Compilation | The purpose of using oral history interviews was to document the lived experiences of Bidar’s residents, capturing stories about historical events, daily life, and changes in the urban landscape. The resulting artefact was a collection of recorded interviews, providing a valuable resource for understanding the socio-cultural dynamics of Bidar. | Prathmi Mehta, Community elders, local historians, Shreyas Srivatsa, Deputy Commissioner of Bidar - Mr. Anurag Tiwari, Mr. Rishikesh Bahadur, Mr. Samad Bharthi, The Urdu Society - Mr. Yusuf Raheem and Mr. Amueeruddin Ameer, Mr. Thankur | Bidar | 2016 |
| Linguistic Mapping: Mapping spaces where Dakhni language is spoken and preserved, to understand the spatial distribution of language use and its cultural significance in Bidar. | Linguistic Spatial Analysis | To trace the presence and use of Dakhni within Bidar, identifying areas where the language remains vibrant. The resulting artefact was a series of annotated maps that visually represented the linguistic landscape of the city, highlighting key areas where Dakhni is spoken. | Devki Jayanti Pande, DC Anurag Tiwari, and Mr. Vinay, Anees Hashmi, Dr. Hashmat, and Mr. Hrishikesh Bahadur, The people of tarkari market, Shreyas Srivatsa, Yusaf Rahim Khan, Samad Bharti, Matinuddin Hussaini, a Sufi elder | Bidar | 2016 |
| Cultural Ethnography: Conducting ethnographic studies to understand the relationship between Dakhni language and the cultural identity of Bidar’s residents, focusing on how language reflects and influences social interactions. | Ethnographic Linguistic Study | The aim of this method was to explore how Dakhni is more than a means of communication but a vital part of Bidar’s cultural heritage. The artefact was a collection of ethnographic notes and narrative accounts that illustrated the language’s role in everyday life. | Devki Jayanti Pande, DC Anurag Tiwari, and Mr. Vinay, Anees Hashmi, Dr. Hashmat, and Mr. Hrishikesh Bahadur, The people of tarkari market, Shreyas Srivatsa, Yusaf Rahim Khan, Samad Bharti, Matinuddin Hussaini, a Sufi elder | Bidar | 2016 |
| Sensory Mapping and Urban Trails: Documenting sensory experiences of urban spaces in Bidar through guided trails and experiential mapping, to capture how people perceive the city through their senses. | Sensory Urban Exploration | to create a sensory map of Bidar, capturing the personality, and textures of different urban spaces. The resulting artefact was a multi-layered map that offered an immersive experience of the city’s personality landscape. | Tushar Pant, Local Community members, Team Yuvaa, Shreyas Srivatsa. | Bidar | 2016 |
| Interactive Photographic Documentation: Using photography to create interactive visual narratives, allowing users to engage with Bidar’s urban identity by exploring images, illustrations, and discovering their context through exploration. | Interactive Visual Storytelling | to engage users in a dynamic exploration of Bidar’s spaces by interacting with photographs and different sketches, the resulting artefact was a collection where users could navigate through the city’s stories by completing visual narratives, in piecing together its visual and historical narratives. | Tushar Pant, Local Community members, Team Yuvaa, Shreyas Srivatsa. | Bidar | 2016 |
| Participatory Co-Design Workshops: Engaging local residents in co-design workshops to develop public space interventions, focusing on adaptive reuse of Bidar’s fort and surrounding areas. | Community-Driven Design | To collaborate with residents in designing interventions for public spaces around Bidar’s fort. The resulting artefact was a set of design ideas co-created with community input, aimed at revitalizing underutilized areas. By involving residents in the design process, the project aimed to create spaces that are more inclusive and reflective of local culture. | Pallavi Paul, local residents, local community leaders, government officials, YUVAA, Shreyas Shrivasta | Bidar | 2016 |
| Architectural Typology Analysis: Studying the architectural styles of old residences in Bidar to understand their historical evolution and cultural significance, linking these findings to contemporary architectural practices. | Architectural-Heritage Ethnography | To analyse the architectural elements of Bidar’s old residences, tracing their evolution over time. The resulting artefact was a detailed report, categorizing different architectural typologies and their cultural significance. Provides insights into how historical architecture influences contemporary design, offering strategies for integrating traditional elements into modern constructions. | Pallavi Paul, local residents, local community leaders, government officials, YUVAA, Shreyas Shrivasta | Bidar | 2016 |
| Drone Mapping and Spatial Analysis: Using drone technology to capture aerial views of Bidar’s fort and surrounding spaces, providing a comprehensive overview for assessing potential adaptive reuse projects. | Aerial Spatial Documentation | To obtain a macro view of Bidar’s fort and moat, identifying areas suitable for public space development. The resulting artefact was a series of high-resolution aerial maps, images that informed design interventions. It offered a unique perspective on the site’s spatial dynamics, allowing for more informed planning and decision-making in the adaptive reuse of historical spaces. | Pranim Rai, Mr Rishikesh Bhadur, ASI, Mr. Vivek Pandhari, The People of Bidar old city, Mr. Shreyas Shrivastava | Bidar | 2016 |
| Adaptive Reuse Feasibility Study: Conducting feasibility studies to assess the potential for adaptive reuse of historical spaces, focusing on the fort’s moat as a public space. | Adaptive Reuse Planning | To explore the feasibility of transforming the fort’s moat into a multifunctional public space. The resulting artefact was a feasibility report that outlined potential uses, benefits, and challenges of the proposed interventions. This method provided a structured approach to assessing the viability of adaptive reuse, balancing historical preservation with contemporary needs. | Pranim Rai, Mr Rishikesh Bhadur, ASI, Mr. Vivek Pandhari, The People of Bidar old city, Mr. Shreyas Shrivastava | Bidar | 2016 |
| Architectural and Cultural Documentation: Using photography, sketches, and interviews to document the architectural and cultural heritage of old residences in Bidar, connecting these findings to the city’s historical narratives. | Cultural Heritage Documentation | To document the architectural features and cultural significance of Bidar’s old residences, linking them to broader historical narratives. The resulting artefact was a curated collection of photographs, sketches, and oral accounts. This method provided a view of how architectural heritage reflects cultural identity, offering a foundation for future conservation efforts through heritage walks | Abhilasha Sethi, Mr. Anurag Tiwari, Mr. Vinay Malge, Mr. Rishikesh Bahadur, Team YUVA, Bidar App team and the people of Bidar, Shreyas Srivatsa, | Bidar | 2016 |
| Material Culture Analysis: Analyzing the materials used in Bidar’s historical architecture to understand their cultural and historical significance, exploring how these materials can inform contemporary sustainable practices. | Material Cultural Study | To study the traditional materials used in Bidar’s architecture, assessing their durability and cultural symbolism. The resulting artefact was a material analysis report that linked historical use to potential modern applications. This method highlighted the value of traditional materials in sustainable architecture, providing insights into how historical practices can inform contemporary design, suggested ways to integrate these materials into modern construction, promoting both sustainability and cultural continuity. | Abhilasha Sethi, Mr. Anurag Tiwari, Mr. Vinay Malge, Mr. Rishikesh Bahadur, Team YUVA, Bidar App team and the people of Bidar, Shreyas Srivatsa, | Bidar | 2016 |
| Festival Documentation and Spatial Analysis: Observing and documenting festivals in Bidar, analyzing their spatial organization and cultural impacts on the city’s public spaces. | Festive Spatial Ethnography | To document how festivals in Bidar activate public spaces and foster community engagement, resulting a series of ethnographic notes and spatial analyses that highlighted the transformative impact of festivals on the city. This method provided insights into how festivals contribute to the social and cultural vibrancy of Bidar, emphasizing their role in community building and cultural expression. | Shyla Prabhu, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mr. Rishikesh, Vinay, Team Yuvaa, Local Community members and leaders. | Bidar | 2016 |
| Cultural Tourism Strategy Development: Developing strategies to promote Bidar’s festivals as cultural tourism attractions, integrating them into the city’s broader tourism framework. | Cultural Tourism Planning | To create a plan for incorporating Bidar’s festivals into its cultural tourism offerings. The resulting artefact also outlined recommendations for festival promotion and visitor engagement. The strategy emphasized sustainable tourism practices that benefit both the local community and visitors, ensuring that cultural heritage remains a vibrant and accessible part of Bidar’s identity. | Shyla Prabhu, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mr. Rishikesh, Vinay, Team Yuvaa, Local Community members and leaders. | Bidar | 2016 |
| Historical Timeline Study: Compiling a comprehensive timeline of Bidar’s history, covering major periods such as the ancient, medieval, colonial, and modern eras, to provide contextual background for field research. | Chronological Historical Analysis | To develop a clear historical framework that informed all the students’ understanding of bidar before their field immersion, a detailed flowchart of the timeline tracing the city’s evolution through various periods, key dynasties, cultural shifts, and significant events. | All students in the 2016 cohort, Team Yuuvaa, faculty mentors, archival resources | Bidar | 2016 |
| Historical and Spatial Mapping: Common methods involved a detailed historical mapping of Gulbarga, including dynastic timelines, and spatial recce for micro-context identification, fostering site-specific ideas and possibilities. | Historical Cartography and Spatial Analysis | This method provided a foundational understanding of Gulbarga’s historical and spatial contexts, enabling a comprehensive view of the region’s heritage. By layering historical timelines with spatial observations, the thesis projects were able to connect the past with the present landscape, allowing for the creation of site-specific narratives and design interventions. This approach also encouraged participants to think critically about how historical events and spatial arrangements influence contemporary cultural practices. | Students of Cultures of resilience, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Narrative Compilation and Artistic Representation: Compilation of Dakhini folklore and poetry into storybooks, collages, and interactive art installations. | Narrative Artifacts and Multimodal Storytelling | This method involved curating and transforming oral and written folklore into tangible and interactive formats. The narrative artefacts served to preserve and celebrate the linguistic and cultural diversity of Dakhini, making it accessible and engaging for broader audiences. The artistic representations, such as storybooks and installations, provided immersive experiences, fostering a deeper appreciation for its role in shaping Gulbarga’s cultural identity. | Purvi Agarwal, Team YUVAA (Youth United for Vigilance, Awareness & Action), Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies, Shreyas, Mahesh Bhat, Dr. Shamim Surriya, Sulaiman Khateeb’s daughter, Sangeeta Agarwal, Aditi Tibrewal, Shilpa Polavarapu, Maithali Sagar, Dhriti Kundalia, Aejez Sahab, Sakshi Gaggar | Bidar | 2018 |
| Language Preservation through Oral Histories: Engaging with local poets and scholars to gather oral histories and folk narratives in Dakhini. | Ethnographic Fieldwork and Oral History Collection | The collection of oral histories was a crucial aspect of preserving the intangible cultural heritage of Dakhini. By documenting the narratives and experiences of local poets and scholars, the project tries and preserves linguistic traditions. This method emphasized the importance of lived experiences and personal stories in understanding the cultural and social nuances of language. | Purvi Agarwal, Sulaiman Khateeb’s daughter, Mr. Khadri (Urdu poet), Meenakshi Pragnya (singer and scholar), linguists, and scholars | Bidar | 2018 |
| Object-Based Speculative Design: Developing a board game and art walk that engage with objects’ historical and cultural contexts, prompting players to consider future scenarios | Speculative Design and Interactive Media | This method used speculative design to explore the cultural significance of everyday objects such as the tabeez, gulab, ittar in Gulbarga. The board game and art walk provided interactive ways to engage with the city's heritage, encouraging participants to think about how these objects might evolve or disappear in future scenarios. By framing objects within speculative narratives, the project invited players to reflect on their cultural importance and the potential impact of modernization on traditional practices. | Tanaya Akolkar, Team YUVAA (Youth United for Vigilance, Awareness & Action), Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Documentation through Material Explorations: Creating physical representations and imprints of objects to convey their evolving cultural significance. | Material Culture Documentation and Archival | This approach focused on the tangible documentation of cultural objects through material explorations. By creating physical imprints and representations, the project aimed to capture the essence and transformation of objects over time. The material artefacts served as both records and reinterpretations of Gulbarga’s cultural heritage, highlighting the changing meanings and values associated with these objects. | Tanaya Akolkar, Team YUVAA (Youth United for Vigilance, Awareness & Action), Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | |
| Revitalization and Adaptive Reuse: Reimagining Gulbarga Fort as a public space through community engagement and design interventions. | Heritage Conservation and Community Design | This method involved engaging with the community to reimagine the Gulbarga Fort as a vibrant public space. By incorporating local insights and historical knowledge, the project aimed to balance conservation with contemporary usage, ensuring the fort remained a living heritage site. The adaptive reuse approach allowed for the integration of new functions within the historic structure, making it accessible and relevant to current and future generations. | Shivani Bapna, local community members, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies. | Bidar | 2018 |
| Participatory Observation and Empathy Mapping: Conducting observations and empathy mapping to understand the behaviors and needs of Gulbarga Fort's users. | Participatory Research and User-Centered Design | This method emphasized understanding the users' experiences and perspectives through participatory observation and empathy mapping. By immersing in the site and engaging with its users, the project gained insights into how the space was perceived and utilized. This understanding informed the design decisions, ensuring that the interventions addressed the actual needs and aspirations of the community. The user-centred approach facilitated a design process that was both inclusive and responsive. | Shivani Bapna, local community members, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies. | Bidar | 2018 |
| Documenting the doors of Gulbarga: A recce trip and a detailed study of historical and architectural elements of the doors in the place, to explore their culture significance. | Historical documentation & Cultural Study | This method involved an in-depth field investigation into multiple features of the doors in gulbarga, reflecting the region’s historical and cultural heritage. It also aims to preserve and interpret the socio-cultural narratives embedded in these elements in gulbarga’s built environment, with a special focus to its doors. | Niharika Basoae, Shreyas, Mahesh Bhat, AKTC, Team YUVAA, local community members and experts, Maneya Badiger. | Bidar | 2018 |
| Engaging with Craft Communities: Workshops with the local artisans to revive and reinterpret traditional crafts, such as the Surpur painting and calligraphy. | Community engagement for craft revivial | This focused on the participatory revival of the crafts by directly co-working with the artisans in workshops, trying to understand the gap between historical art forms and contemporary relevance. | Niharika Basoae, Shreyas, Mahesh Bhat, AKTC, Team YUVAA, local community members and experts, Maneya Badiger. | Bidar | 2018 |
| Creating an Interactive Art Installation: Development of an interactive art installation that integrates narratives from historical and cultural research on Gulbarga’s doors. | Interactive Media and Installation Art | The installation used immersive media - collection of books that gives an entry to Gulbarga, a city in the northern region of Karnataka, through its doors; to engage audiences with the historical narratives of Gulbarga's architectural elements. It served as a medium to translate research findings into an experiential form. | Niharika Basoae, Shreyas, Mahesh Bhat, AKTC, Team YUVAA, local community members and experts, Maneya Badiger. | Bidar | 2018 |
| System Mapping of Agricultural Supply Chains: Tracing the journey of Tur Dal from farm to food, examining the interconnected systems and stakeholders involved. | System Design and Agricultural Research | The project involved creating a detailed system map that visually represented the entire agricultural supply chain of Tur Dal in Gulbarga. It identified the roles and interactions of various stakeholders, highlighting the systemic challenges and opportunities for intervention. The mapping process aimed to provide a comprehensive overview, aiding stakeholders in understanding the complexities of the supply chain and fostering collaborative problem-solving. | Paromita Bathija, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Rustam Vania, local residents of Dharmapur, Bhairmadagi, and Nandur, Mr. Suresh Tanganoor, Assisstant Secretary of the APMC Office in Gulbarga and Mr. Lokesh, Central Warehouse Inspector, Mr. Mahantesh and Mr. Rawoor, | Bidar | 2018 |
| Developing an Activity Kit for Stakeholder Engagement: A toolkit designed to facilitate stakeholder interactions and data collection for system improvement. | Participatory Research and Tool Design | The activity kit included a series of interactive exercises and tools, visual charts, and feedback forms designed to engage stakeholders in discussions about the supply chain. These tools facilitated the collection of qualitative data, promoted collaborative brainstorming, and helped identify actionable insights. | Paromita Bathija, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Rustam Vania, local residents of Dharmapur, Bhairmadagi, and Nandur, Mr. Suresh Tanganoor, Assisstant Secretary of the APMC Office in Gulbarga and Mr. Lokesh, Central Warehouse Inspector, Mr. Mahantesh and Mr. Rawoor, | Bidar | 2018 |
| Creating a Public Space Design: A project focused on reimagining public spaces in Gulbarga to reflect transitions and cultural narratives. | Public Space Design and Urban Planning | This method involved designing a public space that incorporated storytelling elements, interactive exhibits, and visual art installations to reflect the cultural transitions of Gulbarga. The space was designed to be a community hub where locals could engage with their cultural heritage through guided tours, informational displays, and interactive workshops, thereby fostering a stronger connection to their historical identity. | C.S Bala Soundarya Lakshmi, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, local community members, Akmal, -Yugantri deshmane, Aejazzudin, Vijay Hagaragundigi | Bidar | 2018 |
| Modeling and Prototyping for Spatial Design: Developing models to visualize and analyse transitions within public and private spaces, including levels, courtyards, and light variations. | Physical Modeling and Prototyping | The creation of physical models allowed for an in-depth exploration of spatial transitions in Gulbarga. This hands-on approach helped in visualizing how design elements such as courtyards and pathways interact with light and user movement. It provided insights into how spaces could be designed or reimagined to facilitate better community interaction that also reflect cultural heritage | C.S Bala Soundarya Lakshmi, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, local community members, Akmal, -Yugantri deshmane, Aejazzudin, Vijay Hagaragundigi | Bidar | 2018 |
| Interactive Exhibition and Feedback Loop: Hosting an exhibition to present the project outcomes and gather community feedback and thresholds in cultural narratives. | Interactive Exhibition and Public Engagement | The exhibition served as a platform for community engagement, allowing participants to interact with the models and provide feedback on the interpretations of all the projects. This feedback loop enriched the project by incorporating local insights, ensuring that the final designs were both culturally resonant and practically applicable. | Students of Cultures of resilience, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Field Research on Rose Trade and Usage: Analysing the logistics of the rose trade in Gulbarga, including its supply chain, and documenting the various cultural functions of roses. | Ethnographic Research and Supply Chain Analysis | This method involved conducting a thorough examination of the rose trade in Gulbarga, mapping its economic and cultural dimensions. The research aimed to uncover how roses are integrated into daily life, from markets to religious practices. The use of interviews, voice recordings, and observational studies provided a comprehensive understanding of the rose's role in the cultural and economic fabric of Gulbarga, shedding light on its historical significance and ongoing relevance as a living heritage | Mizba Bashir Pathan, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Creative Documentation through Multi-media: Developing a multimedia narrative that includes video, photography, sketches, and voice recordings to capture the cultural significance of roses. | Multi-media Storytelling and Cultural Documentation | This method utilized various media to document the cultural significance of roses in Gulbarga, that highlighted the multifaceted uses of roses in religious, culinary, and ornamental contexts. The multimedia approach ensured a dynamic and engaging presentation of the findings, making the cultural narratives accessible. The project aimed to preserve and celebrate the cultural heritage of roses, positioning them as a central element of Gulbarga’s identity. The final output included a 6ft x 3ft large painting of a phulaar swinging a bunch of rose garlands, as part of an audiovisual installation that re-created the essence of Gulbarga through the lens of roses | Mizba Bashir Pathan, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Public Art Installation: Creating site-specific public art installations, such as murals and typographic installations, to showcase the role of roses in Gulbarga’s cultural heritage. | Public Art and Community Engagement | The project culminated in the creation of public art installations that visually represented the significance of roses in Gulbarga’s cultural heritage. The artworks served as a medium for storytelling, transforming public spaces into interactive cultural narratives that highlight the rose's enduring presence and impact on local traditions. The final output, an audiovisual installation with a large painting, was designed to communicate the cultural role of roses and the working class of Gulbarga | Mizba Bashir Pathan, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Experiential Guide Development: Creating a recreational tool-kit for children to explore Gulbarga Fort, enhancing personal and emotional connections with the site. | Experiential Learning and Recreational Design | This method involved designing a tool-kit comprising narratives and multisensory activities aimed at fostering curiosity and wonder about Gulbarga Fort. By engaging children in exploratory and imaginative activities, the tool-kit sought to deepen their connection with the historical site, moving beyond academic knowledge to a more personal and immersive experience. The final output included a prototype for the tool-kit, featuring guided heritage walks that invited active participation and discovery | Ridhima Gugnani, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Chakor Mehta, Hassan, Rehman Patel, Kazi Ashraf, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Primary Research through Field Visits and Interviews: Conducting site visits and interviews with families, children, and experts to gather insights on perceptions of historical sites. | Field Research and Community Interaction | The project involved extensive field research to understand the community's relationship with Gulbarga Fort. By interacting with children and families, and interviewing experts, the research provided valuable insights into how the site is perceived and how engagement can be increased. This research informed the development of narratives and activities tailored to the community's needs. | Ridhima Gugnani, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Chakor Mehta, Hassan, Rehman Patel, Kazi Ashraf, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Illustrated Publication and Interactive Game: Developing an illustrated book / card game that incorporates storytelling to engage children with the history of Gulbarga Fort. | Storytelling and Interactive Media | The project included the creation of an illustrated publication and an interactive game designed to make the history of Gulbarga Fort accessible and engaging for children. These media used storytelling and visual elements to convey historical narratives, helping children build a personal connection with the site. The final output featured an illustrated book with interactive elements, such as puzzles and games, that encouraged exploration and learning through play | Ridhima Gugnani, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Chakor Mehta, Hassan, Rehman Patel, Kazi Ashraf, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Oral Histories and Ethnographic Documentation: Collecting stories and experiences from workers and visitors at Khwaja Bande Nawaz Dargah to understand the role of services in spiritual practices. | Oral History Collection and Ethnographic Research | This method involved immersive fieldwork at the Dargah, where oral histories from workers like khadims, ittarwalas, booksellers, and others were collected. The research aimed to explore how these services contribute to the spiritual atmosphere of the Dargah and how they have evolved over time. The collected stories provided insights into the interconnectedness of rituals, services, and spiritual fulfillment, serving as a foundation for the animated short film that depicted these elements | Devaki Gupta, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Mahesh Bhat, Raju Singh, Mohammed Farid, Mohammed Younus, Nadeem Bhai, Maqbool Sheikh, Dr. Mohd. Kamruddin, Aziz-ur-Rahman, Azimuddin, Munna Bhai, Ayazuddin Patel and others, AKCT, YUVAA | Bidar | 2018 |
| Animated Short Film Development: Creating a multi-sequence animation illustrating the services at the Dargah and their significance in the spiritual and cultural context of Gulbarga. | Animation and Visual Storytelling | The animated short film, Khidmat, used visual storytelling to depict the daily transactions at the Dargah, highlighting services such as khadim, ittarwala, and qawwali. Each sequence in the animation focused on a specific service, illustrating its role in the spiritual journey of visitors. The use of red color derived from dhaaga and the ambient soundtrack enriched the multisensorial experience, aiming to immerse viewers in the cultural and spiritual essence of the Dargah. The final output combined animation with an accompanying booklet that provided context and explanations for each sequence, making the narrative accessible and informative | Devaki Gupta, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Mahesh Bhat, Raju Singh, Mohammed Farid, Mohammed Younus, Nadeem Bhai, Maqbool Sheikh, Dr. Mohd. Kamruddin, Aziz-ur-Rahman, Azimuddin, Munna Bhai, Ayazuddin Patel and others, AKCT, YUVAA | Bidar | 2018 |
| Mixed-Media Stop-Motion and Digital Illustration: Experimenting with stop-motion photo montage and digital illustrations to visually represent the services and rituals at the Dargah. | Mixed-Media Art and Illustration | This approach involved creating a mixed-media stop-motion montage and digital illustrations that visually captured the essence of the Dargah's services. The visual art forms were designed to complement the animation, offering a tactile and visual narrative that deepened the understanding of the rituals and the people involved. The final outputs included a series of illustrations and a photo montage that visually documented the spiritual and cultural dynamics of the Dargah | Devaki Gupta, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Mahesh Bhat, Raju Singh, Mohammed Farid, Mohammed Younus, Nadeem Bhai, Maqbool Sheikh, Dr. Mohd. Kamruddin, Aziz-ur-Rahman, Azimuddin, Munna Bhai, Ayazuddin Patel and others, AKCT, YUVAA | Bidar | 2018 |
| Spatial Analysis of Dargah Realms: Investigating the spatial dynamics of the Khwaja Banda Nawaz Dargah through the lens of four distinct realms: Sama-Khana, Khwaja Market, Camping Grounds, and Paayan-Siraana. | Spatial Analysis and Architectural Ethnography | This method involved a deep spatial analysis of the Dargah, focusing on its role as a heterogeneous assemblage of spaces or "realms." Each realm—Sama-Khana, Khwaja Market, Camping Grounds, and Paayan-Siraana—was examined for its unique spatial qualities and social functions. The analysis sought to understand how these spaces mediate cultural practices, memory, and community interaction, contributing to the Dargah's identity as a complex site of historical continuity and living heritage. | Ishan Hendre, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Installation with Video Projection and Interactive Elements: Creating an installation that juxtaposes the spatial qualities of Sama-Khana and Camping Grounds, incorporating video, images, and textual anecdotes. | Installation Art and Interactive Media | The installation was designed to convey the contrasting spatial dynamics of the Sama-Khana and Camping Grounds. It featured a video projection of Qawwali performances, images referencing the site's architectural and social elements, and hidden anecdotes for visitors to discover. This multisensory installation aimed to immerse viewers in the spatial and cultural experiences of the Dargah, highlighting the tension between formalized religious spaces and the informal, communal nature of the camping grounds. | Ishan Hendre, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Juxtaposition of Formal and Informal Spaces: Analyzing the interplay between structured religious spaces and spontaneous communal spaces within the Dargah, using spatial and narrative techniques. | Comparative Spatial Studies and Narrative Analysis | This method explored the interplay between the structured Sama-Khana and the informal Camping Grounds. By analyzing how each space supports different types of social interactions and cultural expressions, the project revealed the dynamic nature of the Dargah as a site of both tradition and adaptability. The comparative analysis used narrative techniques to contextualize the spatial experiences, providing a nuanced understanding of how the Dargah accommodates and reflects the diverse needs of its visitors. | Ishan Hendre, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Interactive Board Game Development: Designing a board game to facilitate interaction among stakeholders of the Gulbarga Fort, including residents, ASI officials, and local community members. | Participatory Design and Game-Based Learning | This method aimed to create a participatory platform where stakeholders could engage in dialogue through the medium of a board game. The game was designed to simulate scenarios involving the encroachment issue, allowing players to explore different perspectives and potential solutions. By fostering empathy and understanding, the game aimed to bridge the gap between conflicting interests, promoting a collaborative approach to heritage conservation and community rights. The final output included a prototype of the board game, with scenarios based on real-life situations within the Fort, encouraging players to think critically and negotiate solutions. | Dhruv Jesrani, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Rehman Patel, Mohammad Ismail, Ayazuddin Patel, Mr. T.V. Sivanandan, Mr. Rishikesh Bahadur, Mr. Sajjad Shahid, Mr. Kazi Ashraf, Qazi Rizwan-ur-Rahman Siddiqui Mash’hood, YUVAA, AKTC | Bidar | 2018 |
| Toolkit for Stakeholder Engagement: Creating a toolkit to facilitate discussions and negotiations regarding the future of Gulbarga Fort. | Community-Driven Design | The toolkit was developed to provide a structured format for stakeholders to share their views, discuss concerns, and collaboratively seek resolutions to the encroachment issue. It included activities designed to help participants reflect on their perspectives and understand others' viewpoints. The toolkit served as a medium to democratize the conversation, ensuring that each stakeholder had an equal voice. The final output comprised a set of tools such as role-play cards, discussion prompts, and visual aids, aimed at fostering constructive dialogue and building consensus among the stakeholders | Dhruv Jesrani, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Rehman Patel, Mohammad Ismail, Ayazuddin Patel, Mr. T.V. Sivanandan, Mr. Rishikesh Bahadur, Mr. Sajjad Shahid, Mr. Kazi Ashraf, Qazi Rizwan-ur-Rahman Siddiqui Mash’hood, YUVAA, AKTC | Bidar | 2018 |
| Context Mapping and Perspective Analysis: Conducting site visits and interviews to map the historical and contemporary context of Gulbarga Fort, analysing the perspectives of various stakeholders. | Context Mapping and Qualitative Research | This method involved gathering qualitative data through site visits, interviews, and observations to understand the complex dynamics of Gulbarga Fort. By mapping the historical significance and current socio-political context, the project aimed to document the lived experiences of the residents labelled as encroachers. The context mapping highlighted the multifaceted relationship between the Fort and its inhabitants, emphasizing the need for inclusive heritage management that acknowledges the residents' historical ties to the site. | Dhruv Jesrani, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Rehman Patel, Mohammad Ismail, Ayazuddin Patel, Mr. T.V. Sivanandan, Mr. Rishikesh Bahadur, Mr. Sajjad Shahid, Mr. Kazi Ashraf, Qazi Rizwan-ur-Rahman Siddiqui Mash’hood, YUVAA, AKTC | Bidar | 2018 |
| Community-Based Participatory Action Research: Engaging with the fulaar community and other stakeholders to study the cultural significance of roses in Gulbarga. | Participatory Research and Ethnographic Study | This method involved collaborating with the fulaar community, rose cultivators, and local consumers to gather qualitative data on the socio-cultural practices involving roses in Gulbarga. The study aimed to document the role of roses in rituals, markets, and daily life, emphasizing their contribution to the city's intangible cultural heritage. The engagement of the community in the research process provided authentic insights and helped in co-creating narratives that reflect the diverse meanings and uses of roses. | Ashna Julka, Shreyas Srivatsa, Kazi Ashraf, Sajjad Shahid, Vinay Malage, Rishikesh Bahadur Desai, T.V. Sivanandan, Arijit Chatterjee, Asha Sumra, Meenakshi Bale, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Narrative Development and Storytelling: Using collected oral histories and local stories to develop visual narratives that connect roses to Gulbarga’s cultural heritage. | Storytelling and Visual Narratives | This method involved compiling and interpreting the oral histories and local stories gathered during the research to create visual narratives. These narratives were then translated into art forms that visually communicate the multifaceted role of roses in the city's heritage. The final output included a series of illustrations and an artist book that narratively connected the material reality of roses to the intangible cultural heritage of Gulbarga, providing a comprehensive visual exploration of how roses are embedded in the cultural practices of the city | Ashna Julka, Shreyas Srivatsa, Kazi Ashraf, Sajjad Shahid, Vinay Malage, Rishikesh Bahadur Desai, T.V. Sivanandan, Arijit Chatterjee, Asha Sumra, Meenakshi Bale, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | |
| Archiving and Mixed-Media Representation: Collecting and curating narratives from women in Gulbarga, examining their spatial environments, and representing these stories through mixed-media. | Archival Research | This method involved collecting and curating real-life narratives from women across different parts of Gulbarga. The project emphasized examining the spatial qualities of their living spaces and representing these stories through mixed-media forms such as photography, found materials, digital illustrations, and typography. The final output consisted of abstract representations that invited interpretation, aiming to stir thought and challenge traditional notions of empowerment by highlighting women's presence in various spatial contexts. | Karuna Dawson, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Sangeetamma, Yuganthiri, Shahaja Begum, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Spatial Analysis and Narrative Framing: Exploring the spatial dynamics of women's living environments and incorporating these insights into the narrative structure of the project. | Comparative Spatial Studies and Narrative Analysis | This method involved examining the spatial environments of women in Gulbarga and integrating these insights into the narratives. By analyzing the differences in living spaces and societal roles, the project aimed to create a nuanced portrayal of women's lives. A significant part of this process was the creation of a flowchart of three initial 'sheroes'—key figures whose stories were pivotal during the archiving. This flowchart helped in structuring the narratives and provided a framework for understanding the diverse experiences of women. | Karuna Dawson, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Sangeetamma, Yuganthiri, Shahaja Begum, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Architectural Analysis and Experiential Exploration: Immersing in the architecture of Gulbarga through sensory exploration and analysis of design elements like motifs, colors, and carvings. | Sensory Exploration and Architectural Analysis | This method focused on a deep sensory exploration of Gulbarga's architecture, using the five senses to understand the emotional and cultural impact of design elements. By documenting these experiences and reactions, the project aimed to reveal how architectural features evoke specific feelings and thoughts. The insights gathered informed the creation of prototypes that explored the coexistence of religious motifs in public spaces, contributing to a dialogue on secularism and cultural heritage. | Rajat Khurana, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies, Mr. Rehamatt (architectural historian), monument authorities | Bidar | 2018 |
| Interviews and Expert Consultations: Engaging with architectural historians, experts, and authorities to gather insights on the historical and cultural significance of monuments. | Cultural Primary Research | This method involved conducting interviews with experts to gain a deeper understanding of the cultural and religious significance of Gulbarga’s architectural sites. These consultations provided historical context and expert perspectives, which were crucial for interpreting the architectural elements in relation to the city's multicultural identity. The findings were used to contextualize the prototypes and the sensory exploration. | Rajat Khurana, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies, Mr. Rehamatt (architectural historian), monument authorities | Bidar | 2018 |
| Prototyping and Public Interaction: Creating prototypes that incorporate diverse religious motifs and observing public reactions to these installations. | Prototyping and Public Engagement | This method involved constructing architectural prototypes that blend different religious motifs, aiming to celebrate Gulbarga’s secularism and provoke discussions on religious coexistence. The prototypes were displayed in public spaces, and reactions were documented through photography, videography, and interviews. This interactive approach provided a platform for the community to engage with the cultural narratives embedded in the architecture. | Rajat Khurana, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies, Mr. Rehamatt (architectural historian), monument authorities | Bidar | 2018 |
| Archival Research and Textile Arts: Investigating historical motifs and using traditional textile techniques like shibori and block printing to create art pieces. | Textile Art and Historical Research | This method combined archival research with hands-on textile arts to explore the cultural significance of faith in Gulbarga. The project resulted in a series of textile panels that incorporated historical patterns with modern interpretations, displayed in a public art installation. The installation offered a tactile experience, inviting viewers to engage with the cultural narratives through touch and visual stimuli. | Maitreyee Kshirsagar, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, People at Kwaja Bande Nawaz Dargah, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | |
| Community Engagement through Faith-based Art: Collaborating with local communities to create faith-inspired art that reflects collective beliefs and practices. | Community Art and Participatory Design | The project engaged the community to co-create faith-based art, using their insights to inform the design of public installations. These installations, placed in prominent public spaces, became sites of dialogue and reflection, fostering a deeper understanding of the interplay between faith and everyday life. | Maitreyee Kshirsagar, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, People at Kwaja Bande Nawaz Dargah, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Archival Research and Case Studies: Conducting extensive archival research and reviewing case studies to understand the evolution and challenges of ancestral occupations in Gulbarga. | Archival Research and Comparative Analysis | This method focused on gathering historical data about ancestral occupations through archival research and global case studies. The aim was to identify factors influencing the survival or decline of these occupations and to create a framework for their sustainability. The research informed the development of narratives that provided a comprehensive view of the cultural and economic significance of these occupations in Gulbarga. The final output included an archival book that visually and textually represented the history and current state of the occupations. | Bhavisha Lalitkumar Darji, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Srishti Mentors, External mentors - Kazi Ashraf, Sajjad Shahid, Rishikesh Bahadur Desai, T.V. Sivanandan, Arijit Chatterjee, Asha Sumra, Meenakshi Bale, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies, UNESCO Chair at Srishti Institute | Bidar | 2018 |
| Empathetic Fieldwork and Data Collection: Engaging with local communities to document the techniques, skills, and socio-economic factors associated with ancestral occupations. | Ethnographic Fieldwork and Data Documentation | This method involved conducting fieldwork to document the living practices of ancestral occupations in Gulbarga. By interacting with the community, the project collected data on migration, caste, working lifestyles, and educational challenges. The empathetic approach ensured that the narratives were authentic and reflective of the community's voice. | Bhavisha Lalitkumar Darji, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Srishti Mentors, External mentors - Kazi Ashraf, Sajjad Shahid, Rishikesh Bahadur Desai, T.V. Sivanandan, Arijit Chatterjee, Asha Sumra, Meenakshi Bale, local artisans, community members, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies, UNESCO Chair at Srishti Institute | Bidar | 2018 |
| Concept Mapping and Ecosystem Analysis: Mapping the value framework of ancestral occupations and analysing their interconnections within the socio-economic ecosystem of Gulbarga. | Concept Mapping and System Analysis | This method focused on creating a concept map that explained the need for a new approach in the craft industry, particularly in traditional fabrics like Kambli. The project aimed to show artisans the market demand for their products and the potential for commercial success. The final output included a book that combined the concepts of archiving and marketing, advocating for a balanced approach to preserving and promoting traditional crafts. | Bhavisha Lalitkumar Darji, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Srishti Mentors, External mentors - Kazi Ashraf, Sajjad Shahid, Rishikesh Bahadur Desai, T.V. Sivanandan, Arijit Chatterjee, Asha Sumra, Meenakshi Bale, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies, UNESCO Chair at Srishti Institute | Bidar | 2018 |
| Primary Research with Farming Communities: Collaborating with farmers in Gulbarga to document traditional farming practices, focusing on crops like Tur and Jowar. | Ethnographic Research and Community Engagement | This method involved engaging with farmers to document traditional knowledge and practices related to Tur and Jowar cultivation. Through interviews and discussions, the project captured the farmers' experiences, rituals, and stories, providing an understanding of their agricultural culture. The final output, a toolkit, facilitated these farmers to share their knowledge and experiences. | Radhika Motani, Vrutti (agricultural organization), local farmers, Bahubali Bhasme, Shahjah Begum and other local community members, Mentors of Srishti Institute, DEccan Studies, AKTC, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2018 |
| Secondary Research and Case Studies: Reviewing literature and case studies on traditional farming practices to contextualize the findings from the primary research. | Literature Review and Comparative Analysis | This method involved an in-depth review of existing literature and case studies on traditional farming. The research provided a theoretical backdrop to the practical insights gathered from the field. The findings were integrated into the toolkit, ensuring that the activities and discussions were informed by contemporary agricultural practices. | Radhika Motani, Vrutti (agricultural organization), local farmers, Bahubali Bhasme, Shahjah Begum and other local community members, Mentors of Srishti Institute, DEccan Studies, AKTC, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2018 |
| Toolkit Development and Facilitation: Designing a toolkit to encourage knowledge sharing and discussions among farmers, focusing on traditional agricultural practices and sustainability. | Educational Design and Knowledge Exchange | The toolkit was developed as a compilation of activities and discussion prompts designed to foster knowledge sharing among farmers. It provided a structured yet flexible platform for farmers to share their stories, discuss challenges, and learn from each other’s experiences. | Radhika Motani, Vrutti (agricultural organization), local farmers, Bahubali Bhasme, Shahjah Begum and other local community members, Mentors of Srishti Institute, DEccan Studies, AKTC, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2018 |
| Interactive Museum Design: The project explores reimagining the museum experience by creating interactive exhibits aimed at engaging visitors, especially young audiences, with the local heritage of Gulbarga. | Public Art and Community Engagement | This method emphasizes the use of interactive design to preserve and present local heritage in Gulbarga. It leverages local artefacts and modern museum practices to create an engaging, participatory space for learning about the region’s rich history. | Nidhi Nirmal Kulkarni, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Mentors of Srishti Institute, Anupama Gowda, Mr. Shivaprakash (Archeologist) and Mr. D. Shivappa, Aadhithya Kota, Team YUVAA, The Aga Khan Trust for Culture, and the Centre for Deccan Studies. | Bidar | 2018 |
| Community-Centric Heritage Preservation: This method focuses on reconnecting local artefacts with their places of origin and using mapping as an interactive tool to engage the community. | Community-Sourced Research | The approach uses the Government Museum of Gulbarga as a resource, enabling the collection and curation of local history through interactive installations that invite community involvement and pride in their cultural heritage. | Nidhi Nirmal Kulkarni, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Mentors of Srishti Institute, Anupama Gowda, Mr. Shivaprakash (Archeologist) and Mr. D. Shivappa, Aadhithya Kota, Team YUVAA, The Aga Khan Trust for Culture, and the Centre for Deccan Studies. | Bidar | 2018 |
| Experimental Prototyping: The final outcome aims to develop interactive installations, using a mix of physical and digital interfaces, along with an app, physical games, to present historical narratives. | Prototyping | The project's final phase involved prototyping, utilizing 3D design tools and material exploration to create a functional installation that will engage visitors through direct interaction, in the artefact based app and make your own hero stone. | Nidhi Nirmal Kulkarni, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Mentors of Srishti Institute, Anupama Gowda, Mr. Shivaprakash (Archeologist) and Mr. D. Shivappa, Aadhithya Kota, Team YUVAA, The Aga Khan Trust for Culture, and the Centre for Deccan Studies. | Bidar | 2018 |
| Mind Mapping and Narrative Structuring: Using mind mapping and sketching to organize and structure the collected narratives, identifying key themes and connections. | Concept Mapping and Narrative Structuring | This method focused on organizing the complex web of narratives through mind mapping and sketching. It helped in visualizing the relationships between different stories, identifying recurring themes, and structuring the narrative flow for the final artwork. The process facilitated a comprehensive understanding of how the narratives interact and evolve within the cultural context of the Dargah. | Priyanka Pachpande, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, and Other Mentors, Team YUVAA, Bidar; Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Geneva and Center for Deccan Studies, People at the Dargah | Bidar | 2018 |
| Oral Narrative Collection and Analysis: Engaging with visitors and caretakers at Khwaja Bande Nawaz Dargah to document the various versions of local narratives. | Ethnographic Research and Oral History | This method involved collecting oral narratives through interviews and conversations with visitors and caretakers at the Dargah. The project captured multiple versions of stories, such as those about Satimabi Sahiba, exploring how these narratives evolve and their significance to the community. The collected narratives were analyzed to understand the variations and their impact on cultural identity. | Priyanka Pachpande, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, and Other Mentors, Team YUVAA, Bidar; Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Geneva and Center for Deccan Studies, People at the Dargah | Bidar | |
| Audio-Visual Documentation and Artwork Creation: Developing a large-scale artwork integrated with audio recordings to map and narrate the stories associated with the Dargah’s tombs. | Mixed-Media Art and Interactive Installation | The artwork combined visual and auditory elements to provide a layered narrative experience. The 51x36 inch artwork mapped the tombs and embedded the collected stories within the visual and audio mediums. QR codes linked to audio recordings allowed viewers to listen to the stories while viewing the artwork. This immersive approach aimed to deepen the connection between the space and its narratives, encouraging viewers to engage with the cultural heritage of the Dargah in an interactive way. | Priyanka Pachpande, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, and Other Mentors, Team YUVAA, Bidar; Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Geneva and Center for Deccan Studies, People at the Dargah | Bidar | 2018 |
| Ethnographic Research and Interviews: Engaging with communities at Khwaja Bande Nawaz Dargah and Sharanabasaveshwara Temple to explore the intersection of religion and food culture. | Ethnographic Research and Oral History | This method involved conducting interviews with various community members, including Bawarchis at the Dargah and restaurant owners around the temple, to understand the impact of religious practices on food culture. The thesis captured narratives about the preparation and significance of communal meals like Langar and Dasoha. | Ayesha Punjabi, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, and other faculty of Srishti Institute, Shahaja mam, Bahuballi sir, Erum didi, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Data Categorization & Inventory Creation: Compiling contacts and setting up interviews with key stakeholders, including local families and restaurant owners, to gather rich qualitative data. | Inventory Management | This method involved categorising the data collected and creating an inventory of contacts and planning fieldwork to engage with individuals who play a significant role in Gulbarga's food culture. By preparing questionnaires and setting up interviews, the method aimed to gather in-depth insights into the culinary traditions and their significance. The final output was a well-organized database — OOTA MADI: An interactive website of food-related practices and narratives, which formed the basis for further analysis and storytelling. This preparation enabled a thorough exploration of food as a marker of identity and its role in the cultural and social fabric of Gulbarga. | Ayesha Punjabi, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, and other faculty of Srishti Institute, Shahaja mam, Bahuballi sir, Erum didi, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Field Research and Community Engagement: Engaging with both Buddhist and non-Buddhist communities in the Dakhan region to understand their perspectives on the Sannati archaeological site and Buddhist art. | Ethnographic Research and Oral History | This method involved engaging with local communities and scholars to collect narratives about the Sannati archaeological site and the tradition of Buddhist art. The research focused on understanding how the local and broader Buddhist community perceive their artistic heritage and its role in cultural identity. The final output included a public art intervention aimed at raising awareness about the historical significance of Sannati. | Ranjan Ghatak, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhatt, Rustam Vania, Vinay, Tathagat, Team YUVAA, Maha Bodhi Society, Mr. K P Poonacha, Srijan Mandal, Sajjat Shahid, Neelkanth Chhaya, Kazi Ashraf, Sudhir Desai, Ishita Shah, Mohan Bhagwat, Padmini Ray Murray, Arijit, Asha, AKTC, Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Public Art Development and Installation: Designing and planning a public art piece at Nalwar station to create awareness about the Sannati site, incorporating elements of Buddhist art and local history. | Public Art and Installation Design | This method focused on the development of a public art piece, potentially a 2D mural or 3D installation, to be placed at Nalwar station. The artwork aimed to connect the local population and travellers to the historical and cultural significance of Sannati. The process included decisions on material selection, site placement, and the logistics of installation, ensuring that the art piece resonated with the local environment and effectively communicated the richness of Buddhist art traditions. | Ranjan Ghatak, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhatt, Rustam Vania, Vinay, Tathagat, Team YUVAA, Maha Bodhi Society, Mr. K P Poonacha, Srijan Mandal, Sajjat Shahid, Neelkanth Chhaya, Kazi Ashraf, Sudhir Desai, Ishita Shah, Mohan Bhagwat, Padmini Ray Murray, Arijit, Asha, AKTC, Deccan Studies | Bidar | |
| Ethnographic Observation and Data Collection: Engaging with the Khwaja Bande Nawaz Dargah through observations, sketches, and interviews to explore the interaction between people and space. | Ethnographic Research and Visual Documentation | This method involved observing the Dargah's spatial dynamics, rituals, and cultural elements, combined with interviews and sketches to document the lived experiences of visitors and residents. The research focused on the interaction of open and closed spaces and how these shape perceptions and behaviors. The final output aimed to encapsulate these dynamics in an installation that reflected the shared experiences and cultural layers of the Dargah. | Shravan Rao, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Sudhir Desai, Ishita Shah, Professor Chhaya, Padmini Ray Murray, Sajjad Shahid, Kazi Ashraf, Vinay Malge, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Installation Art Creation: Developing a process-based installation that represents the layers of history, culture, and personal experiences associated with the Dargah. | Installation Art and Spatial Design | This method focused on creating a participatory installation that embodied the spatial and cultural narratives of the Dargah. The installation utilized materials and forms inspired by the Dargah’s architecture and rituals to create a sensory experience that invited reflection on shared urban spaces. The installation included elements like murals, paste-ups, and a bench connecting the outside and inside, symbolizing the transition between public and sacred spaces. | Shravan Rao, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Sudhir Desai, Ishita Shah, Professor Chhaya, Padmini Ray Murray, Sajjad Shahid, Kazi Ashraf, Vinay Malge, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Visual and Conceptual Exploration: Using visual mediums such as murals, drawings, and posters to communicate the layers of history and culture embedded in the Dargah. | Visual Art and Narrative Expression | This involved creating visual representations that explored the cultural and historical narratives of the Dargah. The murals and posters were designed to highlight the continuity and transformation of the space over time. The visual language drew from psychogeography and Sufism, aiming to evoke the spiritual and communal essence of the Dargah. | Shravan Rao, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Sudhir Desai, Ishita Shah, Professor Chhaya, Padmini Ray Murray, Sajjad Shahid, Kazi Ashraf, Vinay Malge, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), Centre for Deccan Studies | Bidar | 2018 |
| Story Collection and Archival: Gathering location-specific stories from Gulbarga’s historical sites through interviews, historical research, and archival exploration. | Oral History Documentation | This method involved collecting stories tied to Gulbarga’s heritage, focusing on locations like Gulbarga Fort and Khwaja Bande Nawaz Dargah. These narratives were gathered through interviews with locals and historical research. The process aimed to create a rich repository of oral histories that reflected the cultural and historical significance of the region. | Charvi Shrimali, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Vinay Malge, Sudhir Desai, Ishita Shah, Mohan Seetharam, Keshava Malagi, Naveen Bagalkot, Padmini Ray Murray, Professor Neelkanth Chhaya, Meenaxi Bale, Srijan Mandal, Sajjad Shahid, Kazi Ashraf, Rehman Patel, Mohammad Ismail, Prof. N Bari, Chakor Mehta, Mr. K.K. Khedkar, Jai Chamraj, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) | Bidar | 2018 |
| Toolkit Development: Designing a toolkit for children featuring elements of storytelling, such as characters and settings, to create interactive and personalized narratives. | Educational Toolkit Design | The toolkit was designed to engage children with Gulbarga’s history through interactive storytelling. It included mix-and-match elements based on local stories, enabling users to create their narratives. This approach aimed to make history accessible and engaging, fostering a deeper connection with the region’s heritage. The final output served as both an educational resource and a means to perpetuate the oral traditions of Gulbarga | Charvi Shrimali, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, Vinay Malge, Sudhir Desai, Ishita Shah, Mohan Seetharam, Keshava Malagi, Naveen Bagalkot, Padmini Ray Murray, Professor Neelkanth Chhaya, Meenaxi Bale, Srijan Mandal, Sajjad Shahid, Kazi Ashraf, Rehman Patel, Mohammad Ismail, Prof. N Bari, Chakor Mehta, Mr. K.K. Khedkar, Jai Chamraj, Team YUVAA, Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) | Bidar | 2018 |
| Visual Abstraction and Mixed-Media Art: Using the process of object abstraction, the thesis explored ancient artefacts by translating them into various forms such as print-making, mixed-media art, and surface design. | Creative Expression | The method celebrated the history and utility of the artefacts, emphasizing their imperfections and rusticity. The artworks aimed to bridge the gap between the ancient and the modern, encouraging viewers to see artefacts through a different, imaginative lens. This culminated in a series of mixed-media artworks that abstractly represented the narratives associated with the artefacts. These included print-making series and book art that preserved the aesthetic and historical essence of the artefacts while reimagining them for contemporary audiences. | Sneha Suresh, Shreyas Srivastav, Mahesh Bhat, Vinay Malage, Mr. Vijay Hagaragundigi, Ina Kaur, Manasee Jog, Geeta Chakradhar, Meera Curam, Prof. Chhaya, Ishita Shah, Padmini Ray Murray, Naveen Bagalkot, Sudhir Desai, Mohan Seetharam, Team YUVAA, Deccan Studies, AKTC | Bidar | 2018 |
| Artefact Analysis and Documentation: A detailed artefact analysis was conducted to examine the material, aesthetic, and interactive qualities of the artefacts. This phase involved cataloguing the history, composition, and patterns of the artefacts while documenting the visual culture of Gulbarga through sketches, notes, and photographs. | Documentation and Archival | The documentation provided an in-depth look at the artefacts' roles in the past, revealing insights into the cultural practices and daily life of the people of Gulbarga. The project generated a comprehensive visual bank of the artefacts, capturing their historical and cultural context. This included detailed documentation of inscriptions, motifs, and other elements of Gulbarga's visual culture — every object has a sequence of about 4–7 prints and an artist book each, that tell its story while exploring the form of the object. | Sneha Suresh, Shreyas Srivastav, Mahesh Bhat, Vinay Malage, Mr. Vijay Hagaragundigi, Ina Kaur, Manasee Jog, Geeta Chakradhar, Meera Curam, Prof. Chhaya, Ishita Shah, Padmini Ray Murray, Naveen Bagalkot, Sudhir Desai, Mohan Seetharam, Team YUVAA, Deccan Studies, AKTC | Bidar | 2018 |
| Film Documentation and Artistic Integration: A film capturing the ecological significance of bird species in Bidar, incorporating real-life footage of birds, artistic processes and narrative poetry. | Creative Expression | The film integrates various artistic practices, including live painting and calligraphy of poems, to create a narrative that highlights the importance of bird conservation. It aims to shift public perception by highlighting the interconnectedness of humans and the environment, using art as a medium to communicate ecological concerns. Output was a film showcasing the habitats and ecological role of birds in Bidar, accompanied by artistic depictions such as calligraphy and poetry. | R. Sarabhi Varshini, Mohammed Muqeeb, M.G. Deshpande, Muqtadar (Calligrapher), Sainath Kamal, Vinayak Vangapalli, Vivek Hallikhedkar, Dastagir, Abhishek Chintamani, Team YUVAA, Mentors of Srishti Institute, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, AKTC, Deccan Studies. | Bidar | 2018 |
| Cultural and Ecological Research: Research into the cultural associations of birds in Bidar, examining historical art forms like Deccani painting and calligraphy. | Ethnographic Research and Cultural Study | The collages aim to contemporize traditional art forms to represent environmental conservation. By drawing on historical art practices, the thesis connects past cultural expressions with present ecological challenges, creating a dialogue between tradition and modernity. These visual representations serve to demonstrate the importance of biodiversity and the role of birds in sustaining ecosystems. | R. Sarabhi Varshini, Mohammed Muqeeb, M.G. Deshpande, Muqtadar (Calligrapher), Sainath Kamal, Vinayak Vangapalli, Vivek Hallikhedkar, Dastagir, Abhishek Chintamani, Team YUVAA, Mentors of Srishti Institute, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mahesh Bhat, AKTC, Deccan Studies. | Bidar | 2018 |
| Secondary Research to Set Context: Students conducted extensive secondary research to understand Bidar's history, culture, and socio-economic background. | Contextual Analysis | This method provided a foundational understanding of Bidar’s heritage and contemporary dynamics, enabling students to imagine their inquiries effectively. | All the Students from the Project - Curating the City (2019), Shreyas Srivatsa, Padmini Ray Murray, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2019 |
| Master Class on Immersing in Context: Students attended master classes focusing on how to engage deeply with a new context through field ethics, participatory design, and speculative design. | Educational Workshop | To help students refine their methodologies and approach fieldwork with a nuanced perspective on local engagement. | All the Students from the Project - Curating the City (2019), Shreyas Srivatsa, Padmini Ray Murray, Team YUVAA, Paromita Bhathija, Eeshita Kapadia, Naveen Bagalgot, Ina Kaur, Gautam Benegril | Bidar | 2019 |
| Living Lab Network Approach: Introduction to Bidar through the Deccan Living Labs framework, which emphasizes co-learning and co-creation. | Collaborative Framework | This approach fostered a collaborative environment where students could engage with local stakeholders and network to understand the city's socio-cultural fabric. | All the Students from the Project - Curating the City (2019), Shreyas Srivatsa, Padmini Ray Murray, Team YUVAA, Deccan Living Labs, | Bidar | 2019 |
| Fieldwork at Various Sites: Students conducted field visits to gather primary data through observations, interviews, and participatory activities. | Field Research | Fieldwork allowing students to engage directly with the local populace, gaining insights through oral histories, observations, and community interactions. | All the Students from the Project - Curating the City (2019), Shreyas Srivatsa, Padmini Ray Murray, Team YUVAA, Deccan Living Labs, | Bidar | 2019 |
| Scenario Mapping and Historical Timeline Creation: Using collected data, students created scenario maps and historical timelines to visualize the socio-historical landscape of Bidar. | Data Visualization | This method helped in synthesizing all the data/information and understanding the evolution of Bidar’s cultural and historical context. | All the Students from the Project - Curating the City (2019), Shreyas Srivatsa, Padmini Ray Murray, Team YUVAA, Deccan Living Labs, | Bidar | 2019 |
| Participatory Design Activities: Activities like mapping, storytelling, and workshops were conducted with local communities to gather insights and co-create artefacts. | Participatory design | This facilitated deeper engagement and allowed students to incorporate local knowledge and perspectives into their thesis. | All the Students from the Project - Curating the City (2019), Shreyas Srivatsa, Padmini Ray Murray, Team YUVAA, Deccan Living Labs, | Bidar | 2019 |
| Sensory Mapping: Engaging deeply with Bidar's environment through the senses, documenting specific sounds, smells, and visual details to provide an intimate portrayal of the city's essence. | Sensory Ethnography | By capturing sensory elements, this method aimed to offer a nuanced view of Bidar’s lived experiences. The sensory data collected was essential in developing a layered narrative that reflected the city’s unique ambiance and cultural rhythms, leading to a more immersive and empathetic understanding of the space. | Aishwarya Jhawar, Shreyas Srivatsa, Padmini Ray Murray, Team YUVAA, Deccan Living Labs, Local Community Members | Bidar | 2019 |
| Interactive Installation: A physical installation that incorporates soundscapes, photographs, and tactile materials, designed to invite viewers into the juxtaposition of public and private spaces in Bidar. | Mixed-Media Installation | The installation was a culmination of sensory experiences, aiming to blur the boundaries between inside and outside spaces. By engaging multiple senses, the physical artefact - a spatial model; highlighted how people navigate and perceive space in Bidar, encouraging viewers to reflect on their spatial interactions and the socio-cultural dynamics of shared spaces. | Aishwarya Jhawar, Shreyas Srivatsa, Padmini Ray Murray, Team YUVAA, Deccan Living Labs, Local Community Members | Bidar | 2019 |
| Participatory Storytelling Workshops: Facilitating workshops with local women to collect stories and experiences related to social taboos, particularly around menstruation and sexuality. | Community Workshops | These workshops served as safe spaces for women to share their personal narratives. The stories gathered were pivotal in challenging existing taboos, providing a rich, authentic basis for the final artefacts, which aimed to represent these often-silenced voices. | Poojitha Lal, Team Yuvaa, Family Planning Association India (FPAI), Bidar, Shreyas Srivatsa, Naveen Bagalkot and Arzu Mistry, Shrinivas, Vijaylakshmi, and Mubeen ji, Dr. Sujata, Sangama warden, Asha worker- Mamta ji and Ms. Sanhchini, DLL | Bidar | 2019 |
| Illustrative Zine: A series of zines created to visualize the narratives collected, combining illustrations and text to convey stories around social taboos. | Creative Expression | The zines containing activity cards, flip books, question cards, change and care card among others were crafted as accessible, visually engaging artefacts that depicted the shared stories and served as educational tools to spark dialogue and awareness. The use of illustrations helped to soften difficult topics, making the content approachable and thought-provoking for a broader audience. | Poojitha Lal, Team Yuvaa, Family Planning Association India (FPAI), Bidar, Shreyas Srivatsa, Naveen Bagalkot and Arzu Mistry, Shrinivas, Vijaylakshmi, and Mubeen ji, Dr. Sujata, Sangama warden, Asha worker- Mamta ji and Ms. Sanhchini, DLL | Bidar | 2019 |
| Spatial Analysis and Oral History Collection: Conducting detailed spatial studies of key sites in Bidar, combined with collecting oral histories from local residents to uncover the socio-cultural narratives tied to these spaces. | Spatial Ethnography and Oral History | This method highlighted the interplay between physical spaces and the stories that imbue them with meaning. The collected oral histories enriched the spatial analysis, allowing for a multidimensional understanding of how spaces are lived and remembered, which was critical in shaping the project’s narrative. | Sanah Devika Rao, Shreyas Srivatsa, Padmini Ray Murray, Team Yuvaa, Vinay Malage, Supriya, Ataullah Siddiqui, Dr. Gaffer Chanda, Shah Mohammad Zainuddin Kunjenasheen Junaidi, Sajjada Nasheen, Abul Anwar Kunjenasheen, Sajjada Mutwali, Sayed Dunni Shah Kunjenasheen, Keerma Kunjenasheen, Khurad Kunjenasheen,Chand Pasha Shaik, DLL | Bidar | 2019 |
| Digital Interactive Platform: Developing a digital space that visualizes the spatial narratives, integrating text, audio, and visuals to provide an interactive exploration of Bidar’s key historical and cultural sites. | Interactive Digital Toolmaking | The platform served as a dynamic artefact, offering users a virtual journey through Bidar's layered history. It provided an educational and exploratory platform, making the narratives and spatial connections accessible to a wider audience. | Sanah Devika Rao, Shreyas Srivatsa, Padmini Ray Murray, Team Yuvaa, Vinay Malage, Supriya, Ataullah Siddiqui, Dr. Gaffer Chanda, Shah Mohammad Zainuddin Kunjenasheen Junaidi, Sajjada Nasheen, Abul Anwar Kunjenasheen, Sajjada Mutwali, Sayed Dunni Shah Kunjenasheen, Keerma Kunjenasheen, Khurad Kunjenasheen,Chand Pasha Shaik, DLL | Bidar | 2019 |
| Participatory Craft Exchange Workshops: Workshops facilitating direct interaction between Bidri artisans and Lambani embroiderers, enabling mutual learning and creative collaboration. | Participatory Action Research | These workshops created a space for different artisans to share techniques and collaboratively explore potential craft innovations. The sessions encouraged understanding and respect, helping to bridge cultural gaps and initiate new craft ideas. | Avantika Subramanian, Shreyas srivatsa, Team yuvaa, DLL, local artisans from Sindhol thanda, Shantabai, Dharmbai, Bhanabai; Bidri artisans and family, M.A.Rauf and wife, Abdul, Aashiya, Asfiya, Naseeb Patel | Bidar | 2019 |
| Immersion and Shadowing: In-depth engagement by living with and observing artisans in their daily practices, focusing on the nuances of craft production and cultural context. | Ethnographic Fieldwork | This method provided valuable insights into the artisans' techniques and socio-cultural environment. This slightly longer engagement built trust and allowed for more profound conversations about their craft’s future, challenges, and cultural significance. | Avantika Subramanian, Shreyas srivatsa, Team yuvaa, DLL, local artisans from Sindhol thanda, Shantabai, Dharmbai, Bhanabai; Bidri artisans and family, M.A.Rauf and wife, Abdul, Aashiya, Asfiya, Naseeb Patel | Bidar | 2019 |
| Collaborative Craft Products: Creation of mixed-media products that blend Bidriware with Lambani embroidery, symbolizing a cultural and artistic fusion. | Mixed-Media Craft Objects | The artefacts combined metal inlay work with textile designs, showcasing the synergy of two distinct craft traditions. They highlighted the potential for innovation within traditional crafts and served as a great example for a collaborative, culturally interwoven projects. | Avantika Subramanian, Shreyas srivatsa, Team yuvaa, DLL, local artisans from Sindhol thanda, Shantabai, Dharmbai, Bhanabai; Bidri artisans and family, M.A.Rauf and wife, Abdul, Aashiya, Asfiya, Naseeb Patel | Bidar | 2019 |
| Exhibition and Dialogue Platform: A public exhibition displaying the collaborative craft products and documenting the artisans’ stories, fostering community dialogue on cultural heritage. | Exhibiting | The exhibition featured the crafted products alongside multimedia narratives of the process, encouraging community engagement and discussion about the importance of preserving and innovating traditional crafts. It aimed to raise awareness about the value of cultural syncretism and the socio-economic benefits of collaborative artisan projects. | Avantika Subramanian, Shreyas srivatsa, Team yuvaa, DLL, local artisans from Sindhol thanda, Shantabai, Dharmbai, Bhanabai; Bidri artisans and family, M.A.Rauf and wife, Abdul, Aashiya, Asfiya, Naseeb Patel | Bidar | 2019 |
| Narrative Building through Visual Ethnography: Collection and documentation of personal stories, cultural practices, and everyday life in Osman Gunj through visual media such as photography, sketches, and audio recordings. | Visual Ethnography | This method allowed the student to create a rich, multidimensional portrayal of Osman Gunj’s cultural life. The resulting narrative highlights the unique and lesser-known aspects of the market, contributing to a deeper understanding of Bidar’s identity beyond its monuments. | Ishita Aggarwal, Shreyas Srivatsa, the people of Osman Gunj, Sayeed ul Hassan Quadri and Mr. Muqtadar, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2019 |
| Calligraphy Integration in Visual Culture: Study and application of traditional calligraphy styles in the visual design of a publication to emphasize the cultural significance of calligraphy in Osman Gunj. | Visual Communication Design | Integrating calligraphy into the publication design to preserve this art form and also to connect the visual narrative of the market with its historical and cultural roots. This fusion of traditional and contemporary visual elements as an effort in recognizing and revitalizing calligraphy in the market. | Ishita Aggarwal, Shreyas Srivatsa, the people of Osman Gunj, Sayeed ul Hassan Quadri and Mr. Muqtadar, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2019 |
| Illustration and Typography-Based Publication: Development of an illustrative and typographic book capturing the essence of Osman Gunj, including its people, stories, and cultural practices. | Publication Design | The publication of a book serves for the documentation and a promotional tool for Osman Gunj; bringing attention to the vibrancy of the market and fostering a broader cultural appreciation among locals and visitors. | Ishita Aggarwal, Shreyas Srivatsa, the people of Osman Gunj, Sayeed ul Hassan Quadri and Mr. Muqtadar, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2019 |
| Narrative Collection through Myths and Public Memory: Collection of myths and narratives surrounding Bidar’s monuments through interviews, conversations, and community engagement. | Narrative Ethnography | This method focuses on gathering intangible cultural heritage by capturing the stories and myths tied to the monuments of Bidar. These narratives reveal the personal and communal relationships between the residents and the historical structures, providing a multi-layered understanding of local identity. | Sneha Anand, Shreyas Sritvatsa, Team YUVAA, DLL, Local Communities around Mahmud Gawan Madrasa | Bidar | 2019 |
| Spatial Analysis and Mapping of Historic Sites: Utilization of spatial design techniques such as site mapping, behavior observation, and daily pattern tracking to understand the interaction between people and monuments. | Spatial Documentation | This approach involves documenting the physical and social dynamics of Bidar’s historic sites. By mapping the use and significance of these spaces, the project explores how they have evolved over time and how they are integrated into the daily lives of the surrounding community. | Sneha Anand, Shreyas Sritvatsa, Team YUVAA, DLL, Local Communities around Mahmud Gawan Madrasa | Bidar | 2019 |
| Interactive Media and Physical Collectibles: Development of interactive media archive and physical objects that embody the stories and cultural essence of the Bidar monuments. | Interactive Design | The digital archive creates an immersive experience for users, allowing them to engage with the cultural narratives of Bidar, communicates the layered narratives and spatial connections of Bidar in an engaging format. It helps understand the gap between past and present, making the history accessible and relatable to contemporary audiences. | Sneha Anand, Shreyas Sritvatsa, Team YUVAA, DLL, Local Communities around Mahmud Gawan Madrasa | Bidar | 2019 |
| Community Mapping and Spatial Understanding: Mapping the Bidri artisans, bamboo weavers, and pottery community to understand their spatial locations, community structures, and workspace dynamics. | Community Mapping Charts | This method visualized the distribution of artisan communities across Bidar, highlighting their clustering patterns, spatial challenges, and links to cultural practices. These maps served as tools for planning interventions and fostering collaborations with the artisans. | Aashish Anand, Shreyas Srivatsa, Bidri artisans, Bamboo Weavers, Pottery Artisans, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2019 |
| Collaborative Prototyping for Livelihood Spaces: collaborating with artisans to prototype multi-use stalls and design spaces that integrate crafts into public spaces, inspired by heritage and functionality. | Prototypes of Multi-Use Artisan Stalls | Prototypes involved temporary and semi-permanent designs for artisan stalls, using locally sourced materials like bamboo and masonry. These were tested with artisans to ensure usability and showcased the crafts’ significance to promote their livelihoods. | Aashish Anand, Shreyas Srivatsa, Bidri artisans, Bamboo Weavers, Pottery Artisans, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2019 |
| Participatory Workshops and Field Engagements: Participatory workshops were conducted with Bidri artisans to understand their perspectives on the craft, its challenges, and opportunities for innovation. | Community Workshops | The workshops provided a space for artisans to share their stories and challenges, while collaboratively ideating solutions. The process facilitated mutual learning and strengthened the artisans' sense of ownership over proposed solutions. | Nithya Balakrishnan, Shreyas Srivatsa, Rashid Quadri, Mohammad habib, Abdul Hakim, Shahida Begum and M.A.Rauf, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2019 |
| Making as a Research Method: Prototyping and co-designing new designs with artisans to explore traditional aesthetics with contemporary market demands. | Product Prototypes | This method allowed the student and artisans to co-experiment with new design forms such as cardholders, cufflinks, and USB covers while maintaining the traditional Bidri aesthetic. It also explored ways to make the craft more accessible to modern consumers. | Nithya Balakrishnan, Shreyas Srivatsa, Rashid Quadri, Mohammad habib, Abdul Hakim, Shahida Begum and M.A.Rauf, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2019 |
| Craft Branding and Identity Design: Developed branding materials, including a logo and catalogues, to create a distinct form for Bidriware and its artisans, emphasizing their connection to local heritage and craftsmanship. | Branding | The branding kit was co-designed to explore the craft's heritage and think for ways for the artisans to reach wider audiences. The process included educating artisans about the importance of G.I. tags, storytelling in branding, and consistent visual representation of their craft to attract more buyers. | Nithya Balakrishnan, Shreyas Srivatsa, Rashid Quadri, Mohammad habib, Abdul Hakim, Shahida Begum and M.A.Rauf, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2019 |
| Participatory Observation and Site Mapping: The project began with studying Bidar's cultural and ecological landscape through site visits to locations like Jahaj Ki Bawdi, combined with mapping community interactions with natural resources. | Illustrated Maps and Site Documentation | This method provided a visual representation of how cultural practices and ecological resources overlap, identifying key sites and patterns of misuse (garbage accumulation). The maps served as awareness tools and input for designing interventions. | Kriti Bhogal, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Dilip, Praveen, Ruben Ashirvadam, Agastya Foundation, Tinkering Labs, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2019 |
| Garbage Repurposing Experiments: Workshops and hands-on experiments with repurposing plastic waste into functional or decorative objects, promoting recycling and altering perceptions of waste as "useless." | Recycled Product Prototypes | The artefacts created during these workshops included decorative objects and functional prototypes for waste reuse. This hands-on engagement aimed to imagine with the communities to rethink garbage as a resource rather than waste. | Kriti Bhogal, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Dilip, Praveen, Ruben Ashirvadam, Agastya Foundation, Tinkering Labs, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2019 |
| Environmental Sensitization Workshops: Engaging local communities, especially children, through workshops that educate about plastic's ecological impact and promote sustainable practices like recycling and mindful garbage disposal. | Educational Modules and Interactive Prototypes | Interactive sessions raised awareness among children and communities about plastic's role in ecosystems and the need for recycling. Educational artefacts like simple prototypes for recycling and models for beautifying polluted spaces were created. | Kriti Bhogal, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Dilip, Praveen, Ruben Ashirvadam, Agastya Foundation, Tinkering Labs, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2019 |
| Participatory Waste Audits and Public Life Studies: Conducted studies to understand waste patterns in Bidar, particularly around bawadis and karez systems. Tools like waste categorization and spatial mapping were used to identify problem areas and hotspots. | Waste Mapping and Public Life Studies | This method involved auditing garbage accumulation in historically significant sites like Jahaz-ki-Bawadi. It provided critical data to design interventions that addressed waste disposal, helping visualize the waste lifecycle and locate opportunities for upcycling and rejuvenation of water systems. | Aditi Boggaram, Shreyas Srivatsa, Team YUVAA, SAAHAS, Tinkering Labs, Locals in Lumbini Nagar and Naubaad | Bidar | 2019 |
| Prototyping Upcycled Solutions: Collaborated with Team YUVAA and SAAHAS to prototype solutions like upcycled products, repair cafes, and waste management systems around the bawadis. | Upcycled Product Prototypes | Prototypes such as functional and decorative items crafted from waste materials demonstrated the potential of upcycling to the community. Repair cafes were conceptualized to prolong the life of items, reduce waste generation, and inspire a culture of reuse, encouraging awareness and participation. | Aditi Boggaram, Shreyas Srivatsa, Team YUVAA, SAAHAS, Tinkering Labs, Locals in Lumbini Nagar and Naubaad | Bidar | 2019 |
| Community Engagement and Awareness Campaigns: Organized clean-ups, workshops, and awareness sessions involving locals to think along with them about waste management and upcycling practices. | Workshops Awareness Modules and Toolkits | This method focused on engaging local communities through hands-on activities, including cleaning drives and workshops on waste segregation and upcycling. Educational toolkits —- roopantara (entire structure is made of plastic and glass bottle walls) and campaigns were developed to promote sustainable waste management and the rejuvenation of historic water systems like the karez and bawadis. | Aditi Boggaram, Shreyas Srivatsa, Team YUVAA, SAAHAS, Tinkering Labs, Locals in Lumbini Nagar and Naubaad | Bidar | 2019 |
| Architectural and Oral History Documentation: Detailed mapping of old residences in Bidar using architectural tools like sketching, photo documentation, and AutoCAD, coupled with oral histories gathered through interviews with residents. | Architectural Documentation and Oral History Archive | This method involved combining architectural analysis (measuring tools, sketches, condition assessments) with oral narratives to document the architectural and cultural heritage of identified residences. Stories and historical insights provided by the owners and tenants were integrated into the documentation. This formed the basis for proposing interventions such as homestays or interpretation centers. | Ishita Jain, Shreyas Srivatsa, Team YUVAA, DLL, Residents of Old Residences, Contractor Samad Sir | Bidar | 2019 |
| Experiential Spatial Design Prototyping: Developed spatial design concepts using digital tools (AutoCAD, SketchUp) for repurposing old residences into experiential spaces such as homestays, interpretation centers, and craft hubs, integrating architectural heritage with community-based tourism. | Spatial Prototypes for Adaptive Reuse | This method focused on creating functional designs for adaptive reuse of historic residences. By incorporating traditional architectural elements, experiential spaces were designed to reflect Bidar’s cultural identity while imagining economic opportunities for residents. The prototypes included spaces for homestays and community engagement centers, enabling tourists to learn about Bidar’s history and daily life through immersive experiences. | Ishita Jain, Shreyas Srivatsa, Team YUVAA, DLL, Residents of Old Residences, Contractor Samad Sir | Bidar | 2019 |
| Cultural and Tourism Impact Mapping: Conducted an analysis of tourism trends in Bidar, focusing on the gaps between its cultural significance and tourist engagement. This included secondary research on cultural tourism models and other case studies. | Impact Assessment Reports | To try mapping the disconnect between Bidar’s rich cultural heritage and its tourism potential. Insights from case studies informed strategies for increasing tourist engagement while preserving cultural and architectural heritage. The findings shaped proposals for integrating cultural tourism with local community benefits, including designing spaces for storytelling and experiential learning in historic residences. | Ishita Jain, Shreyas Srivatsa, Team YUVAA, DLL, Residents of Old Residences, Contractor Samad Sir | Bidar | 2019 |
| Cycling Trails and Spatial Programming: Designed cycling trails divided into heritage and ecology routes, connecting various sites like Bagh-e-hamam and Papnash Lake. | Spatial Programming & Trails Design | This method focused on linking key ecological and heritage sites through immersive cycling trails. The ecology route emphasized birdwatching and ecological appreciation, while the heritage route connected historically significant spaces. Tactical urbanism and adaptive reuse principles informed the design, ensuring minimal environmental impact and promoting sustainability. | Vallabhi Jalan, Mr. Samad (Restoration Contractor), Mr. Vivek (Bird Photographer), Team YUVA, Shivnagar Residents, Farmers, Local Stakeholders | Bidar | 2019 |
| Tactical Urbanism for Adaptive Reuse: Utilized tactical urbanism to transform Bagh-e-hamam into a multi-functional space, including an awareness center for the Karez system and a recreational spot for visitors. | Adaptive Reuse and Awareness Center Design | This method adapted the historical Bagh-e-hamam for dual purposes: as an interpretive center educating visitors about the Karez system and as a recreational area. The design reflected a balance between functional utility and historical preservation, promoting both learning and leisure. | Vallabhi Jalan, Mr. Samad (Restoration Contractor), Mr. Vivek (Bird Photographer), Team YUVA, Shivnagar Residents, Farmers, Local Stakeholders | Bidar | 2019 |
| Narrative Product Development: Designed products and features, inspired by the stories, biodiversity, and cultural practices around Bagh-e-shahi. | Narrative-Based Products for Awareness | This method translated the intangible narratives of Bagh-e-shahi into tangible artefacts such as interpretive displays, merchandise, and storytelling tools. These products highlighted the interplay of cultural, ecological, and historical narratives. The collaborative approach ensured that the artefacts resonated with local knowledge while also appealing to tourists. | Vallabhi Jalan, Mr. Samad (Restoration Contractor), Mr. Vivek (Bird Photographer), Team YUVA, Shivnagar Residents, Farmers, Local Stakeholders | Bidar | 2019 |
| Collaborative Oral History and Recipe Collection: Conducted interviews with local households, ayurvedic and homeopathic doctors, and practitioners to document culinary practices. | Oral History Documentation | This method focused on gathering narratives and practices unique to Bidar's communities. By interviewing a wide range of actors, the project mapped out diverse culinary traditions, emphasizing their cultural, healthcare, and environmental significance. | Tanvi Khandelwal, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay, Dilip, Supriya, Vaishali, Pratibha, Mohan Seetharam, Local Households, Ayurvedic/Homeopathic Doctors, SAAHAS, Women & Child Health Department, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2019 |
| Participatory Design with Healthcare NGOs: Collaborated with NGOs and local health programs to integrate traditional culinary health practices into existing healthcare systems. Explored ways to make these practices accessible and actionable for broader community benefit. | Collaborative Campaign Design | The method aimed to understand the gap between traditional practices and modern healthcare frameworks. By involving practitioners and NGOs, the project explored how traditional remedies could complement government health schemes. This approach prioritized co-learning, ensuring that the artefact (a campaign, a guide toolkit) spread awareness to reclaim and validate their practices as part of a larger healthcare narrative. | Tanvi Khandelwal, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay, Dilip, Supriya, Vaishali, Pratibha, Mohan Seetharam, Local Households, Ayurvedic/Homeopathic Doctors, SAAHAS, Women & Child Health Department, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2019 |
| Visual Mapping of Culinary Practices: Used mapping tools to create a creative visual representation of the collected practices, highlighting the connections between ingredients, rituals, geography, and family dynamics. | Interactive Visual Map | This method translated complex information into an engaging visual artefact. By mapping out the interconnected nature of culinary practices, the artefact highlighted the role of geography, ecology, and family dynamics in shaping these traditions. It served as both an educational guide book and artistic tool, fostering awareness while celebrating Bidar's rich culinary heritage. | Tanvi Khandelwal, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay, Dilip, Supriya, Vaishali, Pratibha, Mohan Seetharam, Local Households, Ayurvedic/Homeopathic Doctors, SAAHAS, Women & Child Health Department, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2019 |
| Speculative Design for Monument Interpretation: Explored speculative design as a tool to create alternative visions for monuments, focusing on integrating multiple heritage layers (history, environment, people, practices) and rethinking preservation through virtual museums or cultural mapping. | Virtual Museum/Cultural Mapping | By using speculative design, this method reimagined how monuments like Bidar Fort could be perceived and interacted with in the future. The virtual museum presented heritage through a blend of tangible and intangible aspects, using visual storytelling and digital tools to create engaging experiences for both locals and tourists. Cultural mapping highlighted the connections between physical spaces and their social narratives, making heritage accessible in innovative ways and encouraging new discussions about preservation. | Shreya Mehta, Samad Bharti, Basappa Ningoji, Umesh, Mohammed Shujauddin, Mohammed Santarash, Prof. Vidya Patil, Prof.Dehspande,Prof. Srinivas Reddy, Prof. Bheem Shah, Ramchandra Dattappa Teli, Moinyaar Khan, Hande Maharaj and Shambhulinga Waldodi, Team YUVAA, Local Communities. | Bidar | 2019 |
| Interactive Storytelling and Gamification: digital storytelling, gamification, and community-based narratives to create engaging interactions around Bidar's heritage and narratives. | Participatory Digital Tool Development | The multilingual app blended oral histories, folklore, and heritage into interactive experiences. Features like a treasure hunt guided users through monuments and community spaces, performing characters brought cultural figures to life, and pamphlets extended the narratives offline. The story repository acted as a digital archive for public memory, increasing accessibility and engagement with Bidar's heritage. | Shreya Mehta, Samad Bharti, Basappa Ningoji, Umesh, Mohammed Shujauddin, Mohammed Santarash, Prof. Vidya Patil, Prof.Dehspande,Prof. Srinivas Reddy, Prof. Bheem Shah, Ramchandra Dattappa Teli, Moinyaar Khan, Hande Maharaj and Shambhulinga Waldodi, Team YUVAA, Local Communities. | Bidar | 2019 |
| Oral History Documentation: Conversational Interviews and Field Recordings as oral history tools — interviews were conducted with individuals who experienced or inherited memories of Operation Polo to document lived experiences, cultural implications, and societal impacts of the Police Action in Bidar. | Participatory documentation | The oral history documentation has been used as a central method to understanding multi-layered, lived experiences of Bidar's Police Action. This participatory approach captures multiple voices and memories omitted in institutionalized history. Participants contributed personal narratives, family accounts, and communal memories, resulting in a collection of transcribed and audio-recorded interviews. | Shreeparna Mitra, Local participants and families, Srijan Mandal, Indira Bharadwaj, Indira Chowdhury, Dr. Sajjad Shahid, Quazi Arshad Ali, Abdul Kareem, and Liyakath Ali Khan, Shreyas Srivatsa, Team YUVAA, Rishikesh Bahadur Desai, Abdul Quadeer | Bidar | 2019 |
| Community Archive Development: A proposed outcome of the project was the development of a community archive—both digital and physical—that curates the collected oral histories, images, documents, and mapped narratives from Bidar’s Police Action period. | Community archive and exhibition design | The archive preserves multi-perspective narratives, centering lived experiences as valid and essential historical sources. Featuring transcribed interviews, scanned documents, site maps, and curated images, the archive curates existing historiography. This platform aims to make history accessible to both researchers and the public. Ethical curation is emphasized, ensuring contributors' consent and respecting sensitivities around sharing. | Shreeparna Mitra, Local participants and families, Srijan Mandal, Indira Bharadwaj, Indira Chowdhury, Dr. Sajjad Shahid, Quazi Arshad Ali, Abdul Kareem, and Liyakath Ali Khan, Shreyas Srivatsa, Team YUVAA, Rishikesh Bahadur Desai, Abdul Quadeer | Bidar | 2019 |
| Oral Histories and Culinary Documentation: conducted interviews and observations with local households in Bidar to document traditional and forgotten culinary practices. | Participatory documentation | This method involved engaging with families across different communities to document lost recipes and ingredients, like the Chamkura leaf, that are no longer widely used. By documenting traditional culinary knowledge, the project highlights how landscapes influenced Bidar's food culture and how urbanization has altered these relationships. | Swetha Ramachandran, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vailshali, SUpriya, Prathibha, local households and community members, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2019 |
| Illustration and Recipe Development: Visualizing Culinary Narratives through visual storytelling to represent the oral histories through an illustrated cookbook, capturing both the recipes and the stories behind them. | creative documentation | This method transformed collected oral histories into an accessible and engaging illustrated cookbook. The use of illustration as a medium enabled storytelling beyond textual limitations, making the narratives more evocative and relatable for broader audiences. | Swetha Ramachandran, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vailshali, SUpriya, Prathibha, local households and community members, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2019 |
| Ecological Data Collection and Knowledge Sharing: Collaboration with forest officials and naturalists to collect data on bird species, vegetation, and ecological changes around Papnash Lake. | Data collection and community education | This method involved gathering ecological data from Papnash Lake, information on bird species and vegetation was documented and analysed to highlight the interdependence of ecological systems. The curated knowledge was then prepared for dissemination to children in collaboration with the Agastya Foundation. | Shraddha Rastogi, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mr. Vivek, Mr. Dastagir, Agastya Foundation; Sainath, Vinayak, local community members, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2019 |
| Activity Design for Children: Designing educational activities and games that simplified ecological concepts for school children, encouraging curiosity about biodiversity and local environmental systems. | Educational tools | Educational tools were developed based on the ecological data gathered. These included games, observation activities, and group discussions designed to explain ecological interdependence in simple terms. Activities were tested in schools to gauge children's understanding and interest. For instance, children were encouraged to connect bird species to specific vegetation and food chains. | Shraddha Rastogi, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mr. Vivek, Mr. Dastagir, Agastya Foundation; Sainath, Vinayak, local community members, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2019 |
| Localized Naming and Narrative Building: Collaboration with local bird photographers and experts to identify and document bird and tree species by their local names, making the content culturally resonant. | Cultural contextualization of ecological knowledge | To ensure the educational material resonated with the local community, local names of bird and tree species were incorporated into the project. The narratives built around these names were used to create stories and examples that highlighted the importance of biodiversity and ecological balance in a simpler way. | Shraddha Rastogi, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mr. Vivek, Mr. Dastagir, Agastya Foundation; Sainath, Vinayak, local community members, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2019 |
| Photography as a Tool for Cultural Documentation: To capture lesser-known narratives of Bidar’s markets and everyday spaces. Through collaborative photo walks, images were taken to document generational value, cultural heritage, and hidden aspects of the city beyond its monumental history. | Ethnographic Visual Inquiry | The method of photography was used as a documentation tool, and as a participatory method to engage local communities. By introducing an interactive approach, the project sought to challenge dominant narratives of heritage that focus solely on tangible monuments. The collected images and narratives were curated into a larger storytelling framework, creating visual ethnographies of daily life. | Priyanka Shah, Vinayak Vangapalli, Aryan Bhairwagdi, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Ali Baba, Supriya Nandgouli, Sainath Sharma, Chandpashaji, The Kheni Family, The Maalani family, Kwality Bakery, Feroze Talkies, Ishwar, The Blacksmiths at Hotel, Azad, M.D Ali, Mohammed Moinuddin, Umakant Tondchire, Radhabai Dhunde, Abdul Hakim, Old Ganpati sweets, Shambhulinga sir and the team of Muharram Padagalu, Madan Singh, Rajkumar bed shop, Geeta photo studio, Deccan Living Labs, Team Yuvaa | Bidar | 2019 |
| Photo Crossovers and Participatory Storytelling: A community-based storytelling technique where photographs taken in one part of the city were shared with people from another locality to build cross-narratives. | Co-creative Visual Mapping | This approach helped look for hidden perspectives on Bidar’s cultural and social landscapes. The juxtaposition of different images through community discussions allowed people to rediscover their own environments through an outsider’s gaze, leading to the co-creation of new heritage narratives. | Priyanka Shah, Vinayak Vangapalli, Aryan Bhairwagdi, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Ali Baba, Supriya Nandgouli, Sainath Sharma, Chandpashaji, The Kheni Family, The Maalani family, Kwality Bakery, Feroze Talkies, Ishwar, The Blacksmiths at Hotel, Azad, M.D Ali, Mohammed Moinuddin, Umakant Tondchire, Radhabai Dhunde, Abdul Hakim, Old Ganpati sweets, Shambhulinga sir and the team of Muharram Padagalu, Madan Singh, Rajkumar bed shop, Geeta photo studio, Deccan Living Labs, Team Yuvaa | Bidar | 2019 |
| Curated Photography Quarterly and Digital Archive: Establishing Untold Bidar - Quarterly, a collaborative photojournal that documents everyday stories of Bidar through thematic photography issues. | Community-driven Knowledge Archive | The Untold Bidar - Quarterly was intended to be an evolving platform for visual storytelling, providing a structured yet flexible medium for local photographers and researchers to document the city’s cultural landscape. Each issue is curated with a unique theme, integrating self-exploratory photography, collaborative photo walks, and community-driven narratives. The physical editions act as collectible archives, while the digital platform ensures accessibility to a broader audience. | Priyanka Shah, Vinayak Vangapalli, Aryan Bhairwagdi, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Ali Baba, Supriya Nandgouli, Sainath Sharma, Chandpashaji, The Kheni Family, The Maalani family, Kwality Bakery, Feroze Talkies, Ishwar, The Blacksmiths at Hotel, Azad, M.D Ali, Mohammed Moinuddin, Umakant Tondchire, Radhabai Dhunde, Abdul Hakim, Old Ganpati sweets, Shambhulinga sir and the team of Muharram Padagalu, Madan Singh, Rajkumar bed shop, Geeta photo studio, Deccan Living Labs, Team Yuvaa | Bidar | 2019 |
| Illustrated Storytelling and Interactive Knowledge Sharing: A comic book visually narrating the transformation of the Chitguppa weavers’ livelihoods. It highlights their shift from saree weaving to plain cloth production, showcasing how socio-economic and systemic changes affect traditional crafts. | Cultural Documentation, Illustrated Narrative | The comic book serves as a medium to communicate the craft’s transition to a wider audience, including policymakers, craft enthusiasts, and younger generations. By illustrating the challenges faced by artisans, it preserves their narratives and invites reflection on the need for cultural sustainability. | Rhea Shanghvi, Shreyas Srivatsa, Dilip Patil, Vinay Malge, Chitguppa Weavers and Local Families, Team Yuvaa, Department of Handloom | Bidar | 2019 |
| Digital Documentation and Open-source Knowledge Platform: A website prototype designed as an interactive digital archive where users can explore stories, photographs, audio and video interviews, and research on Chitguppa’s weavers. | Archiving, Product Prototypes | The website functions as an evolving knowledge platform, encouraging ongoing engagement with the craft and its practitioners. By integrating multimedia elements it provides an immersive experience for users interested in textile heritage. The open-source model invites both researchers and the public to contribute, ensuring that documentation remains collaborative and community-led. | Rhea Shanghvi, Shreyas Srivatsa, Dilip Patil, Vinay Malge, Chitguppa Weavers and Local Families, Team Yuvaa, Department of Handloom | Bidar | 2019 |
| Participatory Street Art and Performance-Based Storytelling: A collaborative initiative where students, commercial artists, and performers co-created wall mural art interventions exploring gender norms in Bidar. | Community-driven Street Art | The project reimagines street art as a form of public pedagogy, making gender discourse visible in everyday urban spaces. It also aimed to reposition art as a legitimate form of education in Bidari society. It created a multi-sensory engagement with audiences, challenging conventional modes of learning. | Yastika Shetty, Team YUVAA, Deccan Living Labs, Natural Fine Art College (Bidar), Yogesh Chitrakala Mahavidyalaya, Shaheen School, Shreyas Srivatsa, Anil Raj Artist, Michael Artist, Omkar Artist, Joshua Ajay Artist, Santosh Appe, Pavan Biradar, Prashant B. Kante, Sunilkumar R. Kanaji, Wisdom College, Mushaira poets | Bidar | 2019 |
| Illustrated Children’s Book and Gender Education through Visual Narratives: An illustrated book designed for children, integrating myths, contemporary street culture, and gender awareness through visually compelling narratives. | Illustrated education tool | The book extends the street art initiative into a format accessible to children, helping embed open conversations about gender at an early age. By introducing local myths with contemporary interpretations, it makes abstract concepts tangible and relatable. | Yastika Shetty, Team YUVAA, Deccan Living Labs, Natural Fine Art College (Bidar), Yogesh Chitrakala Mahavidyalaya, Shaheen School, Shreyas Srivatsa, Anil Raj Artist, Michael Artist, Omkar Artist, Joshua Ajay Artist, Santosh Appe, Pavan Biradar, Prashant B. Kante, Sunilkumar R. Kanaji, Wisdom College, Mushaira poets | Bidar | 2019 |
| Ecological Data Collection and VR Documentation: Integrating urban patch dynamics, plant and water sampling, and veterinary insights to document the blackbuck ecosystem in Bellura-Zamistanpur. Virtual reality (VR) was used to create immersive documentation. | Participatory documentation | The VR documentation tried in understanding the urgency of grassland preservation. By collecting detailed samples and mapping changes, the project provided tangible evidence of ecosystem degradation and proposed sustainable management interventions. | Prerana Shinde, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Dilip Patil, Vaishali, Supriya, Sainath Sharma, Vivek, Satish Ghondhe, Chintaharan Ghosh, Shiv Kumar Rathod, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2019 |
| Augmented Reality Conservation Apk and Public Engagement through Art: An AR-based interactive experience placed digital models of black bucks in specific Bidar locations. | Interactive Conservation Tool | The game provided an educational and speculative futures approach to conservation, allowing users to visualize their impact on the black buck habitat. By merging technology with local knowledge and artistic engagement, the project sought to create an emotional and cognitive connection between users and biodiversity loss. | Prerana Shinde, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Dilip Patil, Vaishali, Supriya, Sainath Sharma, Vivek, Satish Ghondhe, Chintaharan Ghosh, Shiv Kumar Rathod, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2019 |
| Ecological and Cultural Storytelling: Documenting Water Conservation by gathering oral histories, mapping, and ecological research to document cultural water practices | Ethnographic Study and Environmental Documentation | The project examined Bidar’s fragile water ecologies, focusing on the Karez system, Papnash Lake, and Jaahaz-e-Bawari. Oral histories from locals and interviews with conservationists helped reconstruct the historical role of water conservation. Mapping exercises analysed human-water interactions across different landscapes, establishing water conservation as a cultural and environmental imperative. | Anala Tanmaya Rao, Shreyas Srivatsa. Alibaba, Shraddha Patel, Team YUVAA, DLL, Other local communities | Bidar | 2019 |
| Illustrative Knowledge Transmission: Communicating Environmental Histories through Visual illustrations and storytelling to make conservation knowledge accessible to younger audiences. | Creative Expression | The artefact was an illustrated children’s book narrating the significance of Bidar’s water systems through engaging visual metaphors. By incorporating traditional stories, local myths, and ecological facts, the book served as an accessible learning tool, fostering awareness among young readers. | Anala Tanmaya Rao, Shreyas Srivatsa. Alibaba, Shraddha Patel, Team YUVAA, DLL, Other local communities | Bidar | 2019 |
| Urban Ecological Mapping: Analyzing Birdlife and Vegetation in Urban Spaces by observing bird species, recording micro-ecosystems, and mapping their interaction with human spaces in Shiva Nagar. | Ecological Documentation and Spatial Analysis | Conducted an extensive study of bird populations in Shiva Nagar by mapping nesting sites, food chains, and habitats within urban plots. The data collection process involved tracking species behaviour, understanding plant-bird interdependencies, and documenting how human modifications affected biodiversity. The ecological survey also examined ‘empty’ urban plots, revealing their potential as thriving bird habitats. | Arianth Tejas Belliraj, Shreyas Srivatsa, Local residents of Shiva Nagar, Forest Department, Agricultural College, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2019 |
| Speculative Ecological Futures: Designing Inclusive Environments for Human and Non-Human Coexistence by exploring sustainable spatial configurations that integrate bird-friendly urban design. | Speculative Design and Environmental Planning | The project proposed speculative designs envisioning an urban future where birdlife and human infrastructure co-exist. Outputs included mapped interventions, urban forest patches, and strategies for maintaining non-human inclusivity in development plans. Techniques such as urban transects, topographic overlays, and environmental simulations helped in developing blueprints. | Arianth Tejas Belliraj, Shreyas Srivatsa, Local residents of Shiva Nagar, Forest Department, Agricultural College, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2019 |
| Participatory Public Memory Curation: Facilitating participatory storytelling through interviews, postcards, and oral histories to document public memory. | Narrative Inquiry | This project documented personal and public memories of Bidar through a participatory approach. Oral histories were collected from shop owners and residents, revealing how urban transformation affected their lives and businesses. Students from PU College participated in an activity to reflect on their idea of home and heritage, generating insights into their personal connections to Bidar. The project highlighted the contrast between gendered ways of storytelling—female students expressed personal stories, while male students tended towards generic descriptions. The collected stories formed an informal yet significant archive of the city’s overlooked histories. | Shruti Tiwari, local residents of Bidar, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mr. Naseer Ahmad, Mr. Zahib Qadri, students at PU College, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2019 |
| Interactive Digital Storytelling: Developing a mobile application for exploring and archiving local histories, integrating user-generated memories and narratives. | Interactive Digital Toolmaking | The Down the Memory Lane app was designed as an interactive city archive, allowing users to explore Bidar’s hidden histories through self-guided tours. It enabled locals and tourists to contribute their experiences via text, audio, or drawings, thereby broadening the scope of public memory documentation. By providing access to lesser-known narratives, the app aimed to democratize the archival process. | Shruti Tiwari, local residents of Bidar, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mr. Naseer Ahmad, Mr. Zahib Qadri, students at PU College, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2019 |
| Experiential Learning through Design Interventions: Using postcards and guided tours to engage communities in storytelling and place-making. | Ethnographic Documentation | The project introduced creative public engagement tools like illustrated postcards, which participants used to share memories and personal stories about Bidar. These postcards became artefacts of everyday life, highlighting how people relate to their surroundings. A self-guided tour model was also proposed, where visitors could engage with historical locations through firsthand narratives. | Shruti Tiwari, local residents of Bidar, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mr. Naseer Ahmad, Mr. Zahib Qadri, students at PU College, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2019 |
| Speculative & Inquiry-Based Learning: Integrating speculative design to reimagine agricultural futures | Speculative Design | Uses speculative design as an approach to shift perspectives on agriculture. By incorporating design fiction and future scenario-building, students engage with 'what-if' questions to reimagine the field beyond traditional notions of farming. This method aligns with critical making, encouraging to question and reshape narratives around agricultural occupations. | Aradhana Venkat, Shreyas Srivatsa, Dr. Bhavani Kammar, Dr. Sunil Kumar and Dr. Mallikarjun from Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Agastya Foundation, Mr. Channabasawa Hede, Charmaine Sah, Yash Kamat, Deccan Living Labs | Bidar | 2019 |
| Field Immersion & Local Knowledge Mapping: Integrating farmers’ narratives into student learning | Ethnographic Research & Place-Based Learning | The thesis incorporates oral histories and local knowledge systems into classroom discussions, bridging the gap between academic learning and lived agricultural experience. By engaging farmers as knowledge-holders, the project reframes them as educators, allowing students to critically analyse the economic, cultural, and technological shifts affecting agriculture in their communities. | Aradhana Venkat, Shreyas Srivatsa, Dr. Bhavani Kammar, Dr. Sunil Kumar and Dr. Mallikarjun from Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Agastya Foundation, Mr. Channabasawa Hede, Charmaine Sah, Yash Kamat, Deccan Living Labs | Bidar | 2019 |
| Toolkit and Curriculum Development: Designing adaptable teaching resources for sustained impact | Educational Framework & Curriculum Design | The outcome is a creative education toolkit that schools and educational institutions can use to sustain learning about agriculture beyond the intervention period. The toolkit is structured around design thinking exercises, speculative storytelling prompts, and interactive workshops, enabling teachers to integrate agricultural discourse into their curricula dynamically. | Aradhana Venkat, Shreyas Srivatsa, Dr. Bhavani Kammar, Dr. Sunil Kumar and Dr. Mallikarjun from Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Agastya Foundation, Mr. Channabasawa Hede, Charmaine Sah, Yash Kamat, Deccan Living Labs | Bidar | 2019 |
| Reviving Cultural Practices through Calligraphic Illustration: Translating Moharram Padagalu songs into Urdu calligrams | Visual Documentation & Cultural Preservation | This project employs Urdu calligraphy and illustrations as a medium to preserve and reinterpret Moharram Padagalu, a unique musical tradition in Bidar. By integrating calligrams—where Urdu script visually forms figures and objects—the project ensures that both oral and written traditions are archived creatively. | Vaibhav Vidhyadhar, Mr. Muqthdar Khan (Calligrapher), Mr. Shambhuling Waldhoodi, Shreyas Srivatsa, Moharram Padagalu singers, Team Yuvaa | Bidar | 2019 |
| Revitalizing Calligraphy through Illustrated Narratives: A collaborative process of structuring calligrams and preserving oral traditions | Experimental Typography | This project integrates Moharram Padagalu’s oral traditions with Urdu calligraphy by developing calligrams—where lyrical scripts form visually compelling figures. The process is iterative, involving song selection, visual template creation, and calligraphic adaptation with expert calligraphers. The final outcome is an illustrated book that serves as both a pedagogical tool—reviving interest in hand-drawn calligraphy—and a culturally immersive artefact. | Vaibhav Vidhyadhar, Mr. Muqthdar Khan (Calligrapher), Mr. Shambhuling Waldhoodi, Shreyas Srivatsa, Moharram Padagalu singers, Team Yuvaa | Bidar | 2019 |
| Ethnographic Immersion and Oral History Collection: Capturing narratives of Moharram Padagalu performers and calligraphers | Archival Research | Using interviews and observational research, the project documents oral narratives from Moharram Padagalu singers and Urdu calligraphers, tracing the history and evolution of these art forms. The process involves sketching performers and spaces in real-time, to capture the spontaneity and communal spirit of these traditions. | Vaibhav Vidhyadhar, Mr. Muqthdar Khan (Calligrapher), Mr. Shambhuling Waldhoodi, Shreyas Srivatsa, Moharram Padagalu singers, Team Yuvaa | Bidar | 2019 |
| Mapping Human Narratives and Community Networks: Focused on mapping the cultural and social fabric of Bidar by identifying significant individuals and communities, documenting their expertise, and integrating them into a structured network that could facilitate organic interactions between locals and visitors. | Participatory Mapping and Network Visualization | This method conceptualized a human landscape of Bidar, shifting the focus of tourism from historical monuments to people-driven narratives. It involved a detailed mapping of artisans, musicians, and storytellers and designed a system where visitors could meaningfully engage with them. A key aspect was the creation of a website platform and networking system that facilitated connections between travellers and local experts. The mapping process involved identifying lesser-known individuals and communities whose expertise represented Bidar’s cultural identity. The mapped network was visualized through a digital interface, allowing visitors to explore profiles of individuals and arrange for interactions based on shared interests. | Aisswaria L. Zacharias, Team YUVAA, individual cultural practitioners in Bidar (Bidri artists, calligraphers, historians, oral storytellers, musicians, and folk artists), Shreyas Srivatsa | Bidar | 2019 |
| Speculative Design for Sustainable Tourism: To employ speculative design principles and envision new models of people-centric tourism that encourage cultural exchange and sustainable engagement with local communities. | Speculative Design Framework | This method sought to create an alternative tourism model that prioritizes cultural exchange over commercial exploitation. Using speculative design, it tries to understand existing tourism structures and proposed a network-based tourism framework that connects visitors with local experts while maintaining ethical engagement. | Aisswaria L. Zacharias, Team YUVAA, individual cultural practitioners in Bidar (Bidri artists, calligraphers, historians, oral storytellers, musicians, and folk artists), Shreyas Srivatsa | Bidar | 2019 |
| Transdisciplinary Collaboration and Co-Development: Interdisciplinary teams collectively designed research methods and co-developed artefacts to understand conservation and development across micro-contexts. | Participatory Research | This method fostered co-learning between students, local knowledge holders, and the community. It enabled cross-sectoral research in areas such as water conservation (Karez system revival), urban ecology (mapping biodiversity in informal green spaces), and sustainable waste management (tracking plastic flows in religious sites). Community members became active participants rather than passive subjects in research | Students of SOS: Support Over Solve Studio, Team YUVAA, Shreyas Srivatsa, Pooja Sashtri, Local communities of Bidar | Bidar | 2022 |
| Learning Artefacts and Experimental Research Tools: Custom research tools were created to engage with local communities and document knowledge. | Ethnographic Inquiry | This method involved developing participatory tools for immersive engagement. Transparent overlays were used to map the evolution in the Naubad Karez, enabling layered visual analysis of change over time. Students contributed to 'living maps' by drawing significant features. Soil compositions were catalogued to connect landscape change with community practices. Other examples include geotagged site documentation, and botanical sample collections. | Students of SOS: Support Over Solve Studio, Team YUVAA, Shreyas Srivatsa, Pooja Sashtri, Local communities of Bidar | Bidar | 2022 |
| Fieldwork-based Immersion and Shadowing: Observing and engaging with communities in their everyday practices to document informal and formal systems such as waste management, water conservation, and urban biodiversity. | Immersive Field Study | Students engaged in extended site visits, shadowing local actors such as farmers practicing indigenous water harvesting, waste pickers navigating informal recycling circuits, and temple caretakers managing ritual waste. Ethnographic sketches and photo documentation helped visualize hidden aspects of these everyday practices | Students of SOS: Support Over Solve Studio, Team YUVAA, Shreyas Srivatsa, Pooja Sashtri, Local communities of Bidar | Bidar | 2022 |
| Geospatial Mapping and Geo-Tagging: Mapping the interconnections between physical sites, social dynamics, and environmental interactions. | GIS and Spatial Analysis | Data layers were created to examine overlaps between ecological degradation and social access to resources. For example, in the Naubad Karez study, geo-tagging was used to pinpoint encroachment patterns on ancient water channels. Similarly, mapping of Bidar’s urban peripheries revealed relationships between industrial waste dumping, shifting agricultural practices, and informal labour routes | Students of SOS: Support Over Solve Studio, Team YUVAA, Shreyas Srivatsa, Pooja Sashtri, Local communities of Bidar | Bidar | 2022 |
| Narrative and Story-based Inquiry: Engaging oral history, calligraphy, and food memories to uncover cultural and ecological narratives. | Oral Histories and Cultural Mapping | This approach emphasized how cultural heritage and ecological change are interwoven. Through food memory mapping, elders recalled the fading culinary traditions tied to drought-resistant crops. Calligraphic documentation of Urdu poetry connected to Moharram songs highlighted the embedded social histories of Bidar’s multilingual communities. Likewise, oral history archives were assembled with firsthand accounts of how the Karez system shaped livelihoods over generations. | Students of SOS: Support Over Solve Studio, Team YUVAA, Shreyas Srivatsa, Pooja Sashtri, Local communities of Bidar | Bidar | 2022 |
| Participatory Design through Speculative Futures: Students facilitated discussions and role-playing exercises in speculative scenarios to rethink agricultural futures, ecological conservation, and urban sustainability. | Speculative Design | Futures-thinking workshops enabled students and local farmers to co-create speculative scenarios for Bidar’s agricultural landscape. Role-playing exercises co-imagined alternative futures where drought-resistant seeds, decentralized composting systems, and AI-powered water-sharing mechanisms could reshape food security. Through dioramas and concept sketches, these possibilities were visualized. | Students of SOS: Support Over Solve Studio, Team YUVAA, Shreyas Srivatsa, Pooja Sashtri, Local communities of Bidar | Bidar | 2022 |
| Workshops and Action-based Learning: Field-based sessions with students, waste pickers, and conservation groups to collaboratively generate knowledge. | Action Research | Interactive role-play games were used to make waste segregation more tangible to school children, where they enacted the daily lives of waste pickers to understand labour hierarchies. Documentation from these workshops formed the basis for educational toolkits on sustainable urban practices. | Students of SOS: Support Over Solve Studio, Team YUVAA, Shreyas Srivatsa, Pooja Sashtri, Local communities of Bidar | Bidar | 2022 |
| Relief Printing and Material-Based Documentation: Using printmaking and stencil techniques to translate field research into visual storytelling. | Visual Ethnography | This method transformed research data into artistic expressions. Lino-cut stencils depicted Bidar’s layered histories, using relief printing to illustrate eroding built heritage. Cyanotype prints captured traces of disappearing flora in urban zones. Printing techniques were integrated into public engagement exercises, where community members were invited to contribute their lived experiences to a collectively designed mural. | Students of SOS: Support Over Solve Studio, Team YUVAA, Shreyas Srivatsa, Pooja Sashtri, Local communities of Bidar | Bidar | 2022 |
| Mapping Shared Boundaries: Spatially analysing economic, agricultural, and ecological boundaries around Karanja Reservoir. | Spatial Analysis | Mapped the interdependencies between Karanja Reservoir and surrounding ecosystems, showing how industrial, agricultural, and domestic use affects water quality and biodiversity. Included overlays of various boundaries and land-use patterns. | Gurjyot Kaur Bindra, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mr. Maheep Thapar, Vivekanand Baburao, Abhishek Chintamani, Pooja Sashtri, Ekta Rohra Jafri, Local Communities in Bidar and Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2022 |
| Biodiversity and Ecological Surveys: Documenting bird, fish, and plant species to assess the reservoir’s health. | Ecological Documentation | Conducted field studies on migratory bird species, fish populations, and flora surrounding Karanja Reservoir. Used species documentation to understand environmental impacts and water quality indicators. | Gurjyot Kaur Bindra, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mr. Maheep Thapar, Vivekanand Baburao, Abhishek Chintamani, Pooja Sashtri, Ekta Rohra Jafri, Local Communities in Bidar and Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2022 |
| Water Quality and Affluent Tracking: Investigating pollution sources and water quality monitoring through testing and mapping. | Scientific Inquiry | Collected water samples to identify pollutants from industrial effluents, agriculture run off, and domestic waste. Analysed water health indicators to advocate for conservation measures. | Gurjyot Kaur Bindra, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mr. Maheep Thapar, Vivekanand Baburao, Abhishek Chintamani, Pooja Sashtri, Ekta Rohra Jafri, Local Communities in Bidar and Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2022 |
| Governance and Policy Review: Understanding the fragmented governance of wetlands and reservoirs. | Policy Analysis | Studied policies governing water bodies, wetlands, and shared governance structures. Identified gaps in management responsibilities across multiple departments and proposed integrative conservation strategies. | Gurjyot Kaur Bindra, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mr. Maheep Thapar, Vivekanand Baburao, Abhishek Chintamani, Pooja Sashtri, Ekta Rohra Jafri, Local Communities in Bidar and Team YUVAA, Assistant Commissioner, DCFO, Karnataka College of Art, Science and Commerce, Fishermen at Sirsi | Bidar | 2022 |
| Shared Boundaries: A Collaborative Framework for Mapping the Karanja Reservoir – Developed a structured, evolving framework to map the socio-ecological complexities of the reservoir. Integrated multiple methodologies, research tools, and participatory documentation techniques. | Framework Development & Policy Mapping | Created as an adaptable mapping system to document Karanja Reservoir’s interdependencies: ecological, economic, and human settlements. The framework clarifies governance fragmentation by identifying key governmental departments, facilitating smoother research navigation. Designed to incorporate ongoing research, local knowledge, and institutional collaborations to deepen understanding of shared boundaries and conservation needs. | Gurjyot Kaur Bindra, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mr. Maheep Thapar, Vivekanand Baburao, Abhishek Chintamani, Pooja Sashtri, Ekta Rohra Jafri, Local Communities in Bidar and Team YUVAA, Assistant Commissioner, DCFO, Karnataka College of Art, Science and Commerce, Fishermen at Sirsi | Bidar | 2022 |
| The Unseen Meenkar: Mapping the Fishing Community and Their Practices in Karanja – Ethnographic research on the fishing community, fish species, and fishing practices in the reservoir. | Ethnographic Documentation & Participatory Research | Created the first volume in a proposed "Shared Boundaries" series, combining visual mapping (MEEN ELLI?), policy analysis proposal (Systems & Structures.gov), and participatory research (Card Sorting as a Data Collection Tool). Provides a blueprint for future researchers to engage with the fishermen community, study fishing practices, and assess their socio-economic and ecological impact. The cartographic mapping captures seasonal fishing zones and spatial activities, while interactive tools enable community-driven knowledge-building. | Gurjyot Kaur Bindra, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mr. Maheep Thapar, Vivekanand Baburao, Abhishek Chintamani, Pooja Sashtri, Ekta Rohra Jafri, Local Communities in Bidar and Team YUVAA, Assistant Commissioner, DCFO, Karnataka College of Art, Science and Commerce, Fishermen at Sirsi | Bidar | 2022 |
| The Karez Show: A Podcast Documenting Everyday Experiences of Communities around Naubad Karez. An an audio storytelling platform to archive personal narratives, ecological concerns, and socio-cultural practices connected to the Karez. | Digital Archiving | The podcast is part of "Bidar Tales", a dual-platform initiative hosting regional stories. Designed to increase accessibility to local knowledge, it functions as an evolving repository for lived experiences. Episodes in Kannada covered issues such as organic farming, water dependency, land awareness, and waste disposal. It also contributes to research, governance, and community awareness, allowing stakeholders, researchers, and policymakers to engage with ground realities through firsthand narratives. | Poorvi Prabhakar Garag, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vivekanand, Medha, Sujit, Shankar Chonde, Ravindra Reddy, Girish Kumar, Prahlad Kumbar, Omkar Swami, Nilgiri Mandi, Rahima, Prashant Supur, Prabhuling Swami and Santosh Biradar (KSRTC), Vinod, Chandramma and Adarsh Swami, Prabhulinga Swami, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2022 |
| Call for Action: A Participatory Form for Community Stakeholders – Designed physical and digital forms in English and Kannada for citizens to register complaints, suggest improvements, and demand changes in the management and maintenance of the Karez. | Participatory Policy Co-Design | This form serves as an interface between citizens and policymakers, creating a citizen-driven mechanism for governance. It enables direct public participation in decision-making, offering a scalable model for involving communities in water resource management and policy advocacy. | Poorvi Prabhakar Garag, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vivekanand, Medha, Sujit, Shankar Chonde, Ravindra Reddy, Girish Kumar, Prahlad Kumbar, Omkar Swami, Nilgiri Mandi, Rahima, Prashant Supur, Prabhuling Swami and Santosh Biradar (KSRTC), Vinod, Chandramma and Adarsh Swami, Prabhulinga Swami, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2022 |
| Commons Awareness through Visual Information Design: Created A3 posters, flyers, and infographics explaining the concept of Commons, its application to Naubad Karez, and ecological interdependencies. | Public Knowledge Dissemination & Advocacy | This visual strategy bridges research and public engagement, making academic discourse on Commons theory, water governance, and environmental conservation more accessible. The posters were placed in community centres and educational institutions to encourage dialogue on sustainable practices. | Poorvi Prabhakar Garag, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vivekanand, Medha, Sujit, Shankar Chonde, Ravindra Reddy, Girish Kumar, Prahlad Kumbar, Omkar Swami, Nilgiri Mandi, Rahima, Prashant Supur, Prabhuling Swami and Santosh Biradar (KSRTC), Vinod, Chandramma and Adarsh Swami, Prabhulinga Swami, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2022 |
| Geotagging & Interactive Google Earth Project: Mapped specific locations along the Karez, linking them to historical significance, land use changes, water quality, and local narratives. QR codes were embedded in research materials for an interactive digital archive. | Digital Cartography & Open Data Mapping | This method allows spatial visualization of the Karez system, connecting its historical and contemporary uses. By integrating geotagged oral histories and environmental data, the project creates a multi-layered digital archive, accessible to both local communities and researchers for future planning and conservation efforts. | Poorvi Prabhakar Garag, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vivekanand, Medha, Sujit, Shankar Chonde, Ravindra Reddy, Girish Kumar, Prahlad Kumbar, Omkar Swami, Nilgiri Mandi, Rahima, Prashant Supur, Prabhuling Swami and Santosh Biradar (KSRTC), Vinod, Chandramma and Adarsh Swami, Prabhulinga Swami, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2022 |
| Masterclass Series: Learning Speculative Design, Research Through Design, and Theatre as Research. | Knowledge Exchange System | These sessions served as foundational learning spaces for students to refine their research approaches, design methodologies, and interaction techniques. They explored using speculative tools, research through theatre for embodied experiences, and revisiting historical systems for sustainable design solutions. The masterclasses also emphasized ethical engagement with communities, balancing subjective interpretation with critical inquiry, and experimenting with alternative forms of documentation and expression. | Naveen Bagalkot, Varun Thautam, Varun Venugopalan, Anna Olgartha, Students of SOS Studio, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2022 |
| Interdependency Mapping: Studying Rituals, Water Structures, and Ecology – Mapping how Mailar Malanna Temple, its water structures (kunda), and the surrounding ecosystem | Ethnographic and Spatial Mapping | This method involved understanding cross-cultural interactions, belief systems, and historical narratives around the kunda and temple, observing daily rituals and tracing the environmental impacts of these water structures. Veerthi mapped stakeholder relationships, documented oral histories, and studied how kunda influenced settlements, microclimates, and spiritual practices. The insights contributed to understanding water conservation within the cultural framework of the community. | Veerthi Jain, Shreyas Srivatsa, Jaysimha, Siddhartha, Diya Thakur, Local devotees, Mailar Mallanna authorities, ritual performers, Khanapur villagers, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2022 |
| Thematic Visual Documentation: Sketching, Photo Journaling & Motif Analysis – to document motifs, symbols, and design elements in temple architecture and water structures. | Illustrative Documentation & Material Culture Analysis | By using sketches, relief printing, and motif extraction, the process recorded architectural patterns, spiritual iconography, and decorative elements on temple walls and kunda structures. These motifs were archived for potential use in branding and textile-based storytelling, connecting material culture with local myths and beliefs. | Veerthi Jain, Shreyas Srivatsa, Jaysimha, Siddhartha, Diya Thakur, Local devotees, Mailar Mallanna authorities, ritual performers, Khanapur villagers, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2022 |
| Participatory Sensory Engagement: Drawing & Relief Printing Workshops – Conducted interactive community-led drawing sessions where locals depicted their perceptions of the kunda, rituals, and surroundings. | Community Co-creation | Through freehand drawing exercises, collecting objects like flowers and turmeric, and tactile engagement using haldi paste, participants expressed their spiritual and daily interactions with the kunda and temple. The drawings were curated as a collective archive of community memory and cultural symbolism. | Veerthi Jain, Shreyas Srivatsa, Jaysimha, Siddhartha, Diya Thakur, Local devotees, Mailar Mallanna authorities, ritual performers, Khanapur villagers, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2022 |
| Embodied Research: Ritual Immersion for Understanding Myth and Practice – Experiencing rituals and oral storytelling through active participation in bathing ceremonies, turmeric offerings, and Sunday temple gatherings. | Immersive Ethnography | By participating in temple practices and documenting oral narratives, the student gained firsthand insights into the embodied relationships people had with the kunda. She observed how devotees performed purifying rituals, engaged with natural elements, and associated spiritual meanings with water usage. These insights helped contextualize the kunda’s sacred significance and ecological role. | Veerthi Jain, Shreyas Srivatsa, Jaysimha, Siddhartha, Diya Thakur, Local devotees, Mailar Mallanna authorities, ritual performers, Khanapur villagers, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2022 |
| Material Exploration & Print-based Narrative Mapping: Created screen prints, lino prints, and fabric explorations that depicted the ecological, spiritual, and agricultural elements of Mailar Malanna Temple and the kunda. | Experimental Printmaking | Developed prints inspired by observed rituals, step well structures, seasonal cycles, and offerings at the temple. Her prints visualized the connection between landscape, belief systems, and community practices. Using lino printing, screen printing, and site-based material explorations, she translated oral narratives into tactile, visual representations, integrating motifs from temple architecture, crops, and ritual objects like turmeric-coated coconuts. | Veerthi Jain, Shreyas Srivatsa, Jaysimha, Siddhartha, Diya Thakur, Local devotees, Mailar Mallanna authorities, ritual performers, Khanapur villagers, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2022 |
| Food System Mapping: Understanding Agricultural and Culinary Interdependencies – Tracing the connections between food cultivation, water availability, dietary practices, and cultural food narratives in the villages of Vollokoti and Hamilapur. | Ethnographic & Spatial Mapping | This method mapped how water sources (stepwells, lakes, borewells) influenced agricultural cycles, shaping the seasonality of diets and culinary traditions. It examined how market forces, climate change, and governmental policies have led to a shift from subsistence to intensive farming, altering nutrition, self-sufficiency, and household food security. | Anchitha Kaul, Shreyas Srivatsa, People of Waldodi, People from Vollokoti, Hamilapur, ASHA Workers, Local doctors, nurses, Ms. Vijaylakshmi, Mr. Sinivas and the students of Masters of Social Work of FPAI, Team YUVAA, | Bidar | 2022 |
| Food Catalogue & Narrative Documentation: Collecting Ingredients, Recipes & Local Knowledge – Developing a catalog of local ingredients, their nutritional and medicinal value, and traditional recipes from the region. | Community Knowledge Archive & Food Ethnography | Through interviews, recipe collection, and participatory food-sharing sessions, the process documented seasonal eating habits, food adaptation strategies, and oral histories around food. The catalogue functioned as a dynamic tool for understanding food security, local health perceptions, and generational shifts in dietary habits. | Anchitha Kaul, Shreyas Srivatsa, People of Waldodi, People from Vollokoti, Hamilapur, ASHA Workers, Local doctors, nurses, Ms. Vijaylakshmi, Mr. Sinivas and the students of Masters of Social Work of FPAI, Team YUVAA, | Bidar | 2022 |
| Interactive Performance & Storytelling as Research Method – Conceptualized "Bitter Sweet," an interactive performance where audience engaged with stories of food, scarcity, and self-sufficiency in a dramatized format. | Applied Theatre | Inspired by folk narratives and local storytelling traditions, Kaul’s performance followed Mala, a young girl navigating food scarcity in a changing agricultural landscape. The play featured live cooking, with food being served to the audience, transforming the performance into a multi-sensory exploration of food systems, economic shifts, and climate change. | Anchitha Kaul, Shreyas Srivatsa, People of Waldodi, People from Vollokoti, Hamilapur, ASHA Workers, Local doctors, nurses, Ms. Vijaylakshmi, Mr. Sinivas and the students of Masters of Social Work of FPAI, Team YUVAA, | Bidar | 2022 |
| Speculative & Participatory Ideation: Developing Alternative Food Futures – Used lotus bloom ideation, "What If" scenarios to imagine alternative narratives of food resilience, adaptation, and survival strategies. | Speculative Design | This facilitated co-design sessions where participants explored "what-if" futures of food in Bidar, asking questions like "What if seasonal foods disappeared?" or "What if market forces completely dictated diets?" These discussions informed the student’s performance and challenged assumptions about sustainability, modern farming, and self-sufficiency. | Anchitha Kaul, Shreyas Srivatsa, People of Waldodi, People from Vollokoti, Hamilapur, ASHA Workers, Local doctors, nurses, Ms. Vijaylakshmi, Mr. Sinivas and the students of Masters of Social Work of FPAI, Team YUVAA, | Bidar | 2022 |
| Citizen Monitoring & Community-Based Data Collection: Engaging villagers, farmers, and Gram Panchayat members to actively document plastic waste generation and disposal patterns. | Participatory Research | Instead of relying solely on external researchers, selected community members were co-worked together to track waste accumulation in wells, temple grounds, and public spaces. This provided local perspectives on waste management, shifting responsibility from an imposed system to a community-driven one. | Sachi Dhingra, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mr Paul, Mr Srijan Mandal and Ms Pooja Shastri, Zilla Panchayat Engineer, Mr Guru Prasad, Udamnalli Gram Panchayat, the Sarpanch, Mr Mahebab, the Karaknelli school team, Mr Vithal Reddy, Team YUVAA, Mr Shankar an Ex-SAHAAS worker | Bidar | 2022 |
| Speculative Futures & Scenario Building for Waste Systems: Using speculative design tools to imagine alternative waste management strategies for Karaknelli, such as a future without plastic, a scenario where borewells become defunct, or a barter-based recycling economy. | Speculative Design | By conducting future-mapping exercises, the process facilitated conversations on how waste disposal and water use would evolve over time. This uncovered community fears, aspirations, and resistance to imposed urban-style waste segregation models, leading to more contextually relevant waste solutions. | Sachi Dhingra, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mr Paul, Mr Srijan Mandal and Ms Pooja Shastri, Zilla Panchayat Engineer, Mr Guru Prasad, Udamnalli Gram Panchayat, the Sarpanch, Mr Mahebab, the Karaknelli school team, Mr Vithal Reddy, Team YUVAA, Mr Shankar an Ex-SAHAAS worker | Bidar | 2022 |
| Waste & Water Mapping: Understanding Material Lifecycles in Karaknelli – Creating illustrated maps of the village that traced waste generation, water contamination, and disposal routes. | Illustrative Mapping | Maps visualized the movement of plastic waste from temples, markets, and farms into wells and open spaces. By working collaboratively with villagers, the mapping process made visible hidden systems of waste management, including burning, informal dumping, and repurposing for household use. | Sachi Dhingra, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mr Paul, Mr Srijan Mandal and Ms Pooja Shastri, Zilla Panchayat Engineer, Mr Guru Prasad, Udamnalli Gram Panchayat, the Sarpanch, Mr Mahebab, the Karaknelli school team, Mr Vithal Reddy, Team YUVAA, Mr Shankar an Ex-SAHAAS worker | Bidar | 2022 |
| School-Based Awareness & Business Model for Plastic Waste Recycling: Developing an educational toolkit and a proposal for a small-scale plastic collection business run by local women. | Applied Design | The method helped to co-design a plastic waste collection system within the village, along with an activity booklet, a toolkit, and an awareness video ensuring sustainability. The model also trained two local women to collect, segregate, and sell recyclable plastics to Hyderabad-based recyclers, linking rural waste economies to larger urban markets. | Sachi Dhingra, Shreyas Srivatsa, Mr Paul, Mr Srijan Mandal and Ms Pooja Shastri, Zilla Panchayat Engineer, Mr Guru Prasad, Udamnalli Gram Panchayat, the Sarpanch, Mr Mahebab, the Karaknelli school team, Mr Vithal Reddy, Team YUVAA, Mr Shankar an Ex-SAHAAS worker | Bidar | 2022 |
| Glossary: Local Words & Meanings: compiled a context-specific glossary of local words, phrases, and terminologies relevant to their research micro-contexts. | Linguistic Documentation | The glossary served as a tool for deeper engagement with the local communities. It captured indigenous terminologies, agricultural and culinary lexicons, ritualistic language, material vocabularies, and ecological terms. The glossary also functioned as a translation aid, making interviews and research discussions more inclusive and participatory. | Students of SOS: Support Over Solve Studio, Team YUVAA, Shreyas Srivatsa, Pooja Sashtri, Local communities of Bidar | Bidar | 2022 |
| Lino Printing and Relief Printing Workshop: Designed and conducted a relief printing workshop with children in Khanapur Village, introducing them to block printing techniques using lino sheets and natural materials. | Creative Documentation and Material Exploration | The workshop became a participatory learning tool where children engaged in tactile exploration of their local environment. The motifs created in the workshop were inspired by Gangavva-Gauravva Chitra drawings, local flora, and ritual objects used at the kunda. The workshop also acted as an entry point for co-creation with the community. | Sinari, Shreyas Srivatsa, Women of Khanapur VIllage, Temple authorities and devotess of Mailar Mallanna, Students of Khanapur village school, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2022 |
| Gangavva-Gauravva Chitra Documentation: Ethnographic study of a traditional folk drawing practice performed during Gauri Hunnime. | Ethnographic Field Study | The project documented the symbolism, materials, and process of creating these drawings using natural dyes from laterite rock (Jajja) and lime (Chuna). The project traced how motifs represent family structures, water sources (bawdi), life cycles (concentric circles), and religious beliefs. This became a crucial learning artefact that connected oral traditions with visual storytelling. | Sinari, Shreyas Srivatsa, Women of Khanapur VIllage, Temple authorities and devotess of Mailar Mallanna, Students of Khanapur village school, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2022 |
| See-Think-Wonder-Collect and Make: Used an iterative fieldwork method to document stakeholder movements and interactions around the Teppada Kunda, identifying spatial relationships, water rituals, and ecological changes over time. | Speculative Inquiry | This approach helped deconstruct how the Mailar Malanna temple rituals, kunda usage, and ecological changes interact. By layering observations, reflections, and stakeholder inputs, the project created thick descriptions of socio-religious practices linked to the kunda. | Sinari, Shreyas Srivatsa, Women of Khanapur VIllage, Temple authorities and devotess of Mailar Mallanna, Students of Khanapur village school, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2022 |
| Surface Design and Textile Translation of Kunda Narratives: Developed site-responsive textile prints inspired by the oral myths, temple motifs, and ritual practices of the Mailar Malanna temple. | Design Research and Cultural Preservation | The final prints showcased motifs such as ripple effects from the kunda, marigold garlands (Genda Phool), Neivedyam offerings, and sacred geometry. These were printed on satin scarves, cotton shirts, and velvet cushion covers, translating cultural narratives into contemporary artefacts. | Sinari, Shreyas Srivatsa, Women of Khanapur VIllage, Temple authorities and devotess of Mailar Mallanna, Students of Khanapur village school, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2022 |
| GIS Map Referencing for Contextual Analysis: Used satellite maps to geographically understand stakeholder interactions, ecological patterns, and land use changes. | Geo-Spatial Mapping | The GIS maps provided a visual reference for discussions with government officials, farmers, and researchers. This method helped validate oral narratives with topographical and environmental data, strengthening the accuracy in understanding wetland transformations, water flow patterns, and ecosystem shifts. | Abraham (18SBD050), Shreyas Srivatsa, Vivekanand Baburao, Team YUVAA, DLL, Other local stakeholders in Bidar | Bidar | 2022 |
| Audio-Visual Documentation of Karanja’s Ecosystem: Used video documentation and audio recordings to capture environmental soundscapes, interviews, and daily life around the Karanja wetlands. | Ethnographic Film | This method explored the dynamic interactions between human and non-human life at Karanja. Audio recordings captured bird calls, water sounds, and agricultural activity, while video footage documented seasonal changes, biodiversity. These materials formed the basis of a short documentary film to communicate ecological concerns and interdependencies visually. | Abraham (18SBD050), Shreyas Srivatsa, Vivekanand Baburao, Team YUVAA, DLL, Other local stakeholders in Bidar | Bidar | 2022 |
| Institutional and Policy Mapping: Conducted stakeholder research and governance mapping to understand the bureaucratic complexities of wetland management. | Stakeholder & Governance Analysis | This method identified government institutions and their role in the conservation and exploitation of the reservoir. Through conversations with officials and document reviews, this mapping created a reference document for future conservationists and researchers. It highlighted institutional gaps, policy overlaps, and missing ecological governance. The research also proposed potential Ramsar site recognition for Karanja, identifying legal and administrative pathways for wetland conservation. | Abraham (18SBD050), Shreyas Srivatsa, Vivekanand Baburao, Team YUVAA, DLL, Other local stakeholders in Bidar | Bidar | 2022 |
| Photo-Narrative Journal on Coexistence: Developed a visual storytelling format combining photography and ethnographic narratives to explore the coexistence of agriculture and wetlands into a short-docu film | Visual Storytelling | The journal contained photographic evidence of changing landscapes, farming cycles, bird migrations, and water quality variations. Accompanied by descriptive narratives, this method bridged quantitative ecological data with lived experiences, offering aesthetic and analytical insights into the balance between human activity and natural ecosystems. | Abraham (18SBD050), Shreyas Srivatsa, Vivekanand Baburao, Team YUVAA, DLL, Other local stakeholders in Bidar | Bidar | 2022 |
| Oral History Archival for Water Conservation Narratives: Conducted oral history interviews with Team YUVAA members, local conservationists, and policymakers to document overlooked grassroots contributions to water conservation efforts in Bidar. Created an archive of narratives for future research. | Oral History & Narrative Documentation | This method focused on unearthing lesser-known narratives of conservation efforts and contextualizing them within broader environmental histories. The archive aimed to bridge gaps in existing documentation of Bidar’s water bodies by amplifying grassroots voices often overshadowed in mainstream conservation discourse. | Medha Agarwal (18SBD142), Shreyas Srivatsa, Vivek, Shankar, DIlip Patil, Vinay Malge, Zubair, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Transcription & Overlapping Histories Timeline: Designed a structured transcription template to streamline interviews, highlighting key points, timestamps, and follow-up questions. Used a timeline mapping approach to correlate personal stories with larger socio-political and environmental events. | Ethnographic Data Structuring | The timeline mapping approach connected personal oral histories to significant historical events, revealing patterns in environmental governance, policy shifts, and grassroots interventions. This method enabled a comparative analysis of narratives, identifying critical turning points in water conservation efforts. | Medha Agarwal (18SBD142), Shreyas Srivatsa, Vivek, Shankar, DIlip Patil, Vinay Malge, Zubair, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Reflective Journal & Consent-Based Storytelling: Maintained a daily reflective journal to document field experiences, emotional responses, and evolving research directions. Developed an ethical oral history consent framework, ensuring interviewees retained agency over their narratives. | Ethical Research Practice | This method enhanced research accountability, ensuring sensitive handling of oral histories. The consent process encouraged participants, allowing them to dictate how their stories were recorded, shared, or archived. The reflective journal captured researcher subjectivity, acknowledging how biases and interactions shaped the research process. | Medha Agarwal (18SBD142), Shreyas Srivatsa, Vivek, Shankar, DIlip Patil, Vinay Malge, Zubair, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Podcast as a Medium for Social Advocacy: Developed an oral history podcast, Change Makers, as a publicly accessible platform for disseminating grassroots conservation stories. | Audio Documentary & Public Engagement | The podcast used voice recordings, ambient sounds, and structured narratives to contextualize lived experiences in water conservation. The podcast format translated dense research into an accessible medium, fostering community engagement and knowledge-sharing. | Medha Agarwal (18SBD142), Shreyas Srivatsa, Vivek, Shankar, DIlip Patil, Vinay Malge, Zubair, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Narrative Exchange & Personal Reflection – A structured letter-writing program was set up with villagers, including students and other community members, over three months. | Participatory Narrative Inquiry | This method acted as both a data collection tool and a catalyst for engagement, allowing villagers to articulate their evolving relationships with water. Participants were encouraged to develop personal insights, design experiments, document observations, or even craft fictional narratives. Field workshops at local wells prepared participants to engage with wells in a literary sense before starting their correspondence. | Agarwal (1170110171), Shreyas Srivatsa, Guruprasad, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Social & Political Mapping – Conducted group discussions around wells to surface conflicts and power dynamics related to access, maintenance, and social interactions. | Ethnographic Conflict Mapping | Through a mix of casual conversations and structured focus groups, the project uncovered daily tensions—ranging from domestic disputes about water collection to caste-based restrictions on access. By locating water-related grievances within broader socio-cultural forces, this method highlighted micro-politics of resource sharing and power imbalances in rural water systems. | Agarwal (1170110171), Shreyas Srivatsa, Guruprasad, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Digital Knowledge Sharing: A participatory digital platform was created to document well ecologies, allowing community members and researchers to contribute multimedia content (images, stories, artwork, and maps). | Digital Archiving | The repository collected well-specific socio-ecological data, including flora and fauna documentation, historical references, and community narratives. The platform was designed for multi-user contributions, allowing an evolving digital archive of local water knowledge. The selection of the platform (between HumHub and Known) was based on its ability to accommodate diverse media types and enable easy content sharing | Agarwal (1170110171), Shreyas Srivatsa, Guruprasad, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Creative Knowledge Production & Embodied Learning: Art-based engagements such as painting, mural-making, and a participatory visual encyclopaedia were used to translate water narratives into community-generated artefacts. | Co-Creative Visual Storytelling | The project used aesthetic representation as a research method, transforming oral histories into visual storytelling. Paintings captured caste-based water discrimination, ritualistic engagements with wells, and personal and mythological narratives. Murals, collaboratively designed with villagers, were intended as long-term knowledge markers. Additionally, a community-generated encyclopaedia of well-associated flora and fauna was initiated with students and artisans, incorporating both scientific identification and local cultural knowledge. | Agarwal (1170110171), Shreyas Srivatsa, Guruprasad, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Digital Animation & Storyboarding: Iterative development of an animated narrative through storyboard creation and digital animation software | Storytelling and Visual Narratives | Transforms ecological and cultural data from Vilaspur Tank into a dynamic visual story. The method emphasizes iterative storyboarding and digital refinement to articulate environmental dynamics and historical context of the place. | Neha Kakatkar, Shreyas Srivatsa, Team YUVAA, Harsha, Dilip, Sumant, Vivek, Vinay, Bhavana Vipparthi, Pooja Sastry, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Iterative Character Design: Creation and refinement of animated characters representing ecological elements. | Character-Driven Animation | Personifies elements of the ecosystem to create a relatable narrative to the place. This method helps to humanize ecological data, reflecting cultural symbolism and environmental interconnections. | Neha Kakatkar, Shreyas Srivatsa, Team YUVAA, Harsha, Dilip, Sumant, Vivek, Vinay, Bhavana Vipparthi, Pooja Sastry, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Style Frame and Visual Aesthetic Development: Experimentation with visual language via digital style frames to establish mood and tone | Aesthetic Framework Creation | Establishes a consistent visual tone and mood for the animation. The process involves testing various visual styles that highlight cultural nuances and atmospheric qualities of the environment. | Neha Kakatkar, Shreyas Srivatsa, Team YUVAA, Harsha, Dilip, Sumant, Vivek, Vinay, Bhavana Vipparthi, Pooja Sastry, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Collaborative Reflective Dialogue: Facilitating structured interviews and dialogues to capture collective visions and personal reflections on development. | Participatory dialogue documentation | Emphasizes reflective and qualitative inquiry into community dreams and aspirations, grounding future development ideas in lived experiences. | Ruchita M Pania, Settlers of Gautam Buddha Nagar, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge and Team YUVAA, Tarun Kumar Verma, Paul George Anthony, Naveen Bagalkot, Gaurav Singh, Abhishek Patil, Dilip, Harshawardhan Rathod, Pashabi, Rita, Vithaldas, Ambika, Razina, Sudeep, Priyanka, Preeti, Arpita, Pragati, Tayabba, Begam Aapi, Preetam, Mahesh, Sana, Kallappa, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Spatial Storytelling & Narrative Mapping: Utilizing digital storytelling and mapping tools to visually represent community narratives and spatial experiences. | Digital narrative map | Brings together visual design with narrative inquiry to illustrate how people relate to their spaces, creating a collaborative space for shared cultural memory. | Ruchita M Pania, Settlers of Gautam Buddha Nagar, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge and Team YUVAA, Tarun Kumar Verma, Paul George Anthony, Naveen Bagalkot, Gaurav Singh, Abhishek Patil, Dilip, Harshawardhan Rathod, Pashabi, Rita, Vithaldas, Ambika, Razina, Sudeep, Priyanka, Preeti, Arpita, Pragati, Tayabba, Begam Aapi, Preetam, Mahesh, Sana, Kallappa, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Participatory Co-creation Workshops: Organizing workshops that invite local residents to ideate and co-design potential development interventions. | Workshop-based co-creation process | Co-working an inclusive, hands-on engagement with stakeholders to co-develop actionable design strategies and nurture ownership of local change. | Ruchita M Pania, Settlers of Gautam Buddha Nagar, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge and Team YUVAA, Tarun Kumar Verma, Paul George Anthony, Naveen Bagalkot, Gaurav Singh, Abhishek Patil, Dilip, Harshawardhan Rathod, Pashabi, Rita, Vithaldas, Ambika, Razina, Sudeep, Priyanka, Preeti, Arpita, Pragati, Tayabba, Begam Aapi, Preetam, Mahesh, Sana, Kallappa, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Illustrated Mapping Documentation: Producing hand-drawn maps with annotations to record the physical and ecological characteristics of Vilaspur Tank. | Contextual Mapping & Data Gathering | Emphasizes direct observation and sketching as a primary data-capturing technique that documents Vilaspur tank’s natural and cultural details. | Priyal Patki, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Harshwardhan Rathod, Team YUVAA, DLL, Locals of Bidar | Bidar | 2022 |
| Digital Spatial Analysis: Employing digital tools (like Google Earth Pro, QGIS) to create base maps and conduct GIS-based analysis of the tank’s spatial context. | Spatial Documentation | Integrates digital data with field observations to systematically analyse spatial patterns and environmental dynamics of the reservoir. | Priyal Patki, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Harshwardhan Rathod, Team YUVAA, DLL, Locals of Bidar | Bidar | 2022 |
| Participatory Field Observation and Affinity Mapping: Conducting group observations and discussions to identify spatial affinities and connections among ecological and social elements. | Participatory Research and Tool Design | Combines qualitative field data with group synthesis to elucidate the interrelationships among the tank’s ecosystem, agricultural practices, and human activities. | Priyal Patki, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Harshwardhan Rathod, Team YUVAA, DLL, Locals of Bidar | Bidar | 2022 |
| Learning Artefacts: See–Think–Wonder & Symbol Lexicon | annotative reflection | This method was used to capture the cultural narratives of Basavakalyan. By employing the See–Think–Wonder routine alongside a symbol lexicon, the student recorded visual cues and spontaneous reflections during field visits. The artefact allowed them to document local myths, rituals, and symbolic gestures related to water and historical sites, providing a rich, layered dataset that informed later analysis and creative outputs. | Sree Tej (18SBD088),Shreyas Srivatsa, People of Basavakalyan, Team Yuvaa, Bidar, Bhalki, Humnabad, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Multi-layered Timeline Mapping: Non-linear timeline to map cycles | Contextual Mapping & Data Gathering | Developed a multi-layered, non-linear timeline to map overlapping historical, seasonal, and agricultural cycles in Basavakalyan. The timeline artefact visually shows crop cycles, festival dates, and water management practices, capturing dynamic changes over time. This method contextualized the interplay between historical events and current local practices, and it served as a basis for further reflective research and narrative synthesis. | Sree Tej (18SBD088), Shreyas Srivatsa, People of Basavakalyan, Team Yuvaa, Bidar, Bhalki, Humnabad, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Affinity Mapping & Fieldwork Diary: Recording interactions and Observations | Field Research | By maintaining a detailed fieldwork diary and creating affinity maps, the method systematically helps in recording interactions, observations, and emergent themes from field visits. This method helped synthesize qualitative data from diverse local encounters, revealing patterns in cultural practices and water usage. The affinity diagrams later guided the formation of research questions and the design of subsequent creative interventions in the Basavakalyan context. | Sree Tej (18SBD088),Shreyas Srivatsa, People of Basavakalyan, Team Yuvaa, Bidar, Bhalki, Humnabad, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| System Mapping & Geospatial Analysis: Mapping the spatial distribution of water channels | Contextual Mapping & Data Gathering | This employed geospatial analysis to generate a detailed map of the Naubad Karez system. By integrating satellite imagery with field-collected data, this method provided a visual representation of the spatial distribution and condition of the water channels. The map served as a baseline for understanding hydrological connectivity and informed later phases of data collection and stakeholder interviews, thereby linking technical water management with its socio-cultural dimensions. | Sujit (18SBD006), Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Vivek, Dilip Patil, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Semi-Structured Interviews & Oral Histories | Narrative Ethnography | Through semi-structured interviews, the student gathered oral histories and personal narratives concerning the Naubad Karez. This method captured diverse viewpoints on the historical use, cultural significance, and technical challenges of the karez. The collected data was used as the project’s qualitative dimension and provided context to the system mapping by revealing how local stakeholders interact with and perceive this water infrastructure. | Sujit (18SBD006), Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Vivek, Dilip Patil, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Participatory Mapping using the Locus App: Recording karez outlets and vents. | Geo-Spatial Mapping | Using the Locus app, the student conducted participatory mapping to record the precise locations of karez outlets and vents. This hands-on method involved local stakeholders directly in data collection, which increased the accuracy of spatial information and fostered community engagement. The digital maps, annotated with photographs and field notes, not only documented the current state of the karez system but also provided a basis for future revisiting. | Sujit (18SBD006), Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Vivek, Dilip Patil, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Biodiversity Survey & Species Identification | Biodiversity Inventory | The student conducted systematic biodiversity surveys at Vilaspur Tank to record and identify dragonfly species. Using standard entomological techniques and field guides, this method resulted in an annotated species inventory that forms the backbone of the field guide. The data provided quantitative insights into species diversity and distribution and linked the health of the water ecosystem to the presence of specific dragonfly populations. | Diya Thakur, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Vivek, Dilip Patil, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Photographic Documentation & Digital Illustration: Visual documentation of dragonflies in Vilaspur tank | Visual Archive | This method involved capturing high-quality photographs of dragonflies in situ. These images were digitally processed and enhanced through illustration software to produce detailed, annotated images for the field guide. This process of photography and digital illustration allowed for precise visual documentation of morphological features, helping in accurate species identification and providing also an aesthetic dimension that enhances the guide’s usability as both a scientific and design artefact. | Diya Thakur, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Vivek, Dilip Patil, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Field Recording & Behavioural Observation: Documenting different interactions of dragonflies. | Situated Observations | By employing audio and video recording techniques along with detailed observation logs, the student documented the behaviour and ecological interactions of dragonflies. This method captured dynamic aspects such as mating, foraging, and perching behavior, linking these activities to broader ecosystem functions at Vilaspur Tank. The recorded data was used as the descriptive content of the field guide and illustrated the role of dragonflies as bio-indicators within the waterbody’s ecosystem. | Diya Thakur, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Vivek, Dilip Patil, Team YUVAA, DLL | Bidar | 2022 |
| Patch-Based Field Analysis: Dividing landscape into ecological zones | Systematic Observation & Field Analysis | The method conducts a patch analysis of the Vilaspur Tank region by dividing the landscape into smaller ecological zones for focused study. Each patch was examined for biodiversity, interspecies interactions, and environmental changes. This method helped identify areas of habitat fragmentation and degradation due to invasive species and human interventions. The approach enabled a detailed ecological understanding, influencing conservation recommendations and awareness initiatives. | Reeya Vyas, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Dilip Patil, Sumant, Vivek, Team YUVAA, DLL, Karnataka Forest Department | Bidar | 2022 |
| Citizen Science Mapping: Engaging students in biodiversity documentation | Participatory Research & Community Engagement | Inspired by the Chinnara Vana Darshan program, this method involved school students in mapping biodiversity around Vilaspur Tank. The process involved designing worksheets and mapping exercises that allowed students to document flora and fauna interactively. | Reeya Vyas, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Dilip Patil, Sumant, Vivek, Team YUVAA, DLL, Karnataka Forest Department | Bidar | 2022 |
| Layered Mapping Frameworks: Developing visual tools for tracking ecological change | Cartographic Documentation & Visual Representation | The student designed a multi-layered mapping framework to systematically document biodiversity, human activities, and environmental transformations around Vilaspur Tank. The framework included species distribution maps, habitat interaction diagrams, and human impact assessments, making it a replicable tool for long-term ecological monitoring. | Reeya Vyas, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Dilip Patil, Sumant, Vivek, Team YUVAA, DLL, Karnataka Forest Department | Bidar | 2022 |
| Visual Interdependence Documentation: Sequential art for illustrating ecological relationships | Narrative-Based Documentation | Using sequential art and illustrated storytelling, this method is helpful in visually documented ecological relationships at Vilaspur Tank. This approach captured interdependencies between flora, fauna, and human activities, making scientific observations more accessible. The method also served as a creative engagement tool. | Reeya Vyas, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Dilip Patil, Sumant, Vivek, Team YUVAA, DLL, Karnataka Forest Department | Bidar | 2022 |
| Historic Mapping and Visual Documentation: Created measured drawings and photographs of bawadis. | Participatory Mapping and Multimedia Documentation | The project involved systematically mapping various bawadis across Bidar using measured drawings and photographs. This method helped document spatial arrangements, material usage, and transformations over time. By comparing historical references with present conditions, the research highlighted changes in water conservation practices and urban development’s impact on these step-wells. | Bhanumathi V.V, Jigna Desai, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Dilip Patil, Harshawardhan, Samad, Jaffer, Team YUVAA, Locals of Bidar. | Bidar | 2022 |
| Community Narratives and Oral Histories: Conducted interviews with residents and stakeholders. | Ethnographic and Oral History | Through interviews with local community members, conservation workers, and religious authorities, this method captured undocumented histories and perceptions of bawadis. The narratives were about cultural practices associated with these water structures, reasons for their decline, and possibilities for revival. These oral histories were essential in understanding how community values around water conservation evolved. | Bhanumathi V.V, Jigna Desai, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Dilip Patil, Harshawardhan, Samad, Jaffer, Team YUVAA, Locals of Bidar. | Bidar | 2022 |
| Material Analysis and Construction Techniques: Studied local materials used in bawadi construction. | Technical and Structural Analysis | The study analyzed the use of laterite and basalt in bawadi construction, assessing their sustainability and structural endurance. It documented how these materials influenced water retention and how changes in material availability have impacted recent conservation efforts. The research also examined traditional engineering techniques that ensured the longevity of these structures. | Bhanumathi V.V, Jigna Desai, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Dilip Patil, Harshawardhan, Samad, Jaffer, Team YUVAA, Locals of Bidar. | Bidar | 2022 |
| Comparative Study with Other Water Systems: Compared Bidar’s bawadis with Karez and other step-well systems. | Comparative Spatial Analysis | The study placed Bidar’s bawadis within the broader context of South Asian step-well traditions. By analyzing functional similarities with other water systems like the Karez, it explored how different water conservation methods adapted to regional geographies. This comparison provided insights into why some traditional systems remain functional while others fall into disrepair. | Bhanumathi V.V, Jigna Desai, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Dilip Patil, Harshawardhan, Samad, Jaffer, Team YUVAA, Locals of Bidar. | Bidar | 2022 |
| Collaborative Prototyping: Testing new workflows with Bidri artisans | Participatory design | The student co-designed a series of experiments with artisans to test new workflow arrangements in the Bidri-making process. This involved adjusting workspaces, testing new alloys, and refining polishing techniques, for a shared learning experience between the student and artisans. | Parvati Poduval, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Harsha, Dillip, Geeta, Supriya and Sushil, Saatvika Pancholi, Bidri Artisans, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2023 |
| Intergenerational Knowledge Mapping: Understanding the transmission of Bidri craft techniques | Ethnographic research | This method focused on tracking how knowledge is passed from senior artisans to younger apprentices. Through interviews, observations, and timeline mapping, the student documented generational shifts in learning, skill transmission, and challenges in sustaining Bidri craftsmanship. | Parvati Poduval, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Harsha, Dillip, Geeta, Supriya and Sushil, Saatvika Pancholi, Bidri Artisans, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2023 |
| Tactile Archive Creation: Documenting the feel and finish of Bidri surfaces | Practice-based research | The student created an archive of Bidri surfaces, documenting the material's tactile properties at different stages of the crafting process. This involved physical rubbings, microphotography, and comparative analyses of finishes, highlighting how touch plays a crucial role in the craft. | Parvati Poduval, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Harsha, Dillip, Geeta, Supriya and Sushil, Saatvika Pancholi, Bidri Artisans, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2023 |
| Alternative Market Mapping: Exploring new avenues for Bidri craft | Economic research | Through participatory research, the student worked with artisans to identify potential new markets for Bidri work. This involved mapping existing sales channels, analyzing market trends, and discussing collaborative business strategies to expand the visibility of Bidri craft beyond traditional markets. | Parvati Poduval, Shreyas Srivatsa, Vinay Malge, Harsha, Dillip, Geeta, Supriya and Sushil, Saatvika Pancholi, Bidri Artisans, Team YUVAA | Bidar | 2023 |
| Ethnographic Documentation and Architectural Analysis: Conducted fieldwork in three phases, reconnaissance, facade documentation, and in-depth housing study, to examine the evolution of the doddi typology in Bidar. | Ethnographic and Archival Research | The study integrates oral histories, architectural documentation, photographic surveys, and participatory engagement with the Komti community. The built fabric of doddis is analyzed through measure drawings, archival research, and spatial mapping. | Richa Bihari, Dilip Patil, Vinay Malge, Harshavardhan Rathod, Team Yuvva, Bidar Heritage Archive, Shreyas Srivatsa,Sharanamma, Manjula (Bamboo Weaving Community), Rajkumar & Rakesh Nageshwar, Abdul Rauf (Bidri Community), Anjali Surampalli, Bharati, Satish Baccha (Komti Community), Residents of the old city of Bidar | Bidar | 2022 |
| Food Market Exhibit Workflow | Event and Content Preparation Guide | Purpose: Structured workflow for finalizing content and preparing products for a community food market. Process: Individual work review, content finalization sessions on Jan 10-11, with the main exhibit and sales event on Jan 17, showcasing local products. | Geeta, Kushwah | Channapatna | 2024 |
| Food Market Multimedia Content Development Timeline | Community-Driven Publication Workflow (Pamphlets Videos Photo Essays Songs and Blogs) | Objective: Create, refine, and publish multimedia content to promote local food products at a community exhibit. Timeline: Dec 19 - Jan 11. Activities: 1. Group activities to select content type and audience 2. Content creation (pamphlets, zines, reels, photo essays, audio, blogs) in groups of 3-4. 3. Scheduled reviews and uploads on shared drives, with refinement feedback on Jan 3-4. 4. Finalized content published digitally and physically by Jan 10. 5. Tools: Canva, Google Meet for collaboration, with group prompts guiding production. | HNs participants, lead facilitators - Geeta, Kushwah | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Millet Mama Handmade Poster Template | Illustrated Food Exhibition Poster | Purpose: Template for a hands-on food exhibition poster, integrating text, illustrations, and product info. Features: A4 sheet, folded to include sections for product tagline, name, price, recipe, and health benefits, with a freestyle rangoli border for a traditional touch. | Mangalamma B (artist), HNs participants | Channapatna | 2024 |
| Visual Storytelling and Drive Management Training | Photography Digital File Management and Storytelling Workshop | Objective: Enhance participants' skills in photography, digital content management, and storytelling through hands-on practice and prompts. Process: 1. Drive Management: Participants learned to create folders, upload, and manage files on Google Drive, navigating challenges like internet connectivity, phone settings, and login issues. 2. Photography Basics: Introduction to framing, lighting, depth, and composition, with practical demonstrations and feedback on photos taken in various scenarios (e.g., lighting angles, subject placement, abstract close-ups). 3. Storytelling Prompts: Participants practiced expressing emotions and relationships through staged photo prompts (e.g., friendship, conflict) to capture mood and narrative visually. | Kushwah, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Listening and learning — Numun Budget and Content Creation Planning | Budgeting Strategic Planning and Content Creation Workshop | Budget Planning Overview: Naveen introduced the 2024 budget plan, focusing on three primary tracks for Numun’s growth: 1. Producer Company Development: Operationalizing the producer company with revenue-generation goals, led by Ramakka and supported by Geeta. 2. Content Production and Monetization: Streamlining content creation using the Google AI project grant to fund software development and experimentation in monetization. 3. Local Maintainer Training: Finalizing the curriculum and outputs from 2023 tracks to initiate a training/fellowship program for network maintainers. Discussion and Feedback: HNs were invited to share their thoughts on health navigator activities and strategies to mainstream the producer company. The session highlighted that future honoraria for HNs will shift to a pay-for-produce model. Content Creation Activities: Review and Reflection: Kushwah led a discussion on previous video creation activities, with participants sharing and reviewing short videos created in two groups. Peer Feedback: Group members provided feedback on each other’s videos, identifying strengths and areas for improvement. Technical Skills Training: Geeta conducted a session on Google Drive uploading and downloading to reinforce content management skills. | Naveen, Kushwah, Geeta, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Healthy Habits Video Creation | Digital Storytelling and Health Education | Objective: To create a short, informative video on healthy daily habits rooted in local knowledge systems, using the InShot video editor. 1. Scriptwriting: Each group discussed and drafted a script outlining healthy habits for a productive day. 2. Content Creation: Participants filmed enactments, captured relevant footage and photos, and recorded audio segments. 3. Video Editing: Each group combined their video clips, audio recordings, and photos using InShot, learning to synchronize media for a cohesive video. Outcome: The groups completed videos demonstrating local perspectives on health, emphasizing the value of traditional knowledge. | Geeta, Kushwah, HNs Group Geeta (Manjula, Anitha, Bettada Mangalamma, Thriveni), Group Naveen (Shweta, Rajalakshmi, Zohra, Saraswati) | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Content Sharing and Producer Company Strategy Discussion | Strategy Development and Capacity Building | 1. Outline strategies for sharing content created by HNs in digital formats, identifying platforms and distribution methods. 2.Discuss the functionality and operational model of the producer company, including key roles, product sourcing, and market engagement. 3.Review and plan the funding approach for the second year of the Numun Fund, aligning it with project goals and community needs. | Geeta, Kushwah | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Dal Recipe Storytelling and Media Documentation | Educational Workshop and Media Documentation | Process: Recipe Storytelling and Visual Aids: 1. Began with a live reading of a toor dal recipe created with HNs on Dec 5, emphasizing how the same steps could be expressed with different emotions. 2. Used quick sketches on A4 sheets to illustrate utensils, ladles, and kitchen tools, helping HNs visualize and connect with familiar cooking items. 2. Media Documentation Demonstration: - Demonstrated video and photo shooting techniques, showing them how to capture each step of the recipe, highlighting essential angles and focus points. 3. Drive Organization and File Transfer: - Geeta led the explanation on creating individual and group folders within Google Drive for structured storage. - Provided hands-on practice in transferring files: photos and videos, from phones to Google Drive, emphasizing file management skills for digital documentation. Outcomes: HNs developed an understanding of expressive narration, were introduced to basic media documentation, and practiced uploading and organizing digital files on Drive. | Geeta, Kushwah, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Zine Creation and Media Documentation for Recipe Sharing | Interactive Workshop on Visual Storytelling and Media Skills | Process: 1. Participants were asked to take at least five photos of anything they found interesting in their daily lives and make two videos (minimum 1-minute each). Follow-Up Plan: - Next session involves transferring the media to a desktop, evaluating the content, identifying improvements, and compiling it into a shareable document. Outcomes: Participants practiced collaborative media documentation, explored personal and cultural expression through zine making, and gained hands-on experience in planning and creating visual content. Skills Practiced: Zine creation, drawing and illustration, group coordination, phone-based photography and videography, digital media review, and documentation. | Kushwah, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Community-Driven Learning | Network Infrastructure and Learning Computer Program | Program Goals: 1. Establishing Network Infrastructure: Focus on setting up a sustainable network infrastructure to support community connectivity and digital learning, tailored to local needs. 2. Development of Learning Modules: Creation of a curriculum focused on digital literacy, computer use, and network maintenance for community members, empowering them to be self-sufficient. 3. Local Maintainer Training: Provide in-depth training for local maintainers to manage and troubleshoot network and computer systems, ensuring long-term sustainability. Project Components: - Network Setup: Detailed steps for implementing Wi-Fi and other networking systems tailored to remote or underserved areas, including challenges and solutions specific to rural regions. - Digital Literacy Modules: Curriculum and workshops to help participants understand computer basics, internet use, content creation, and digital skills required for employment and education. - Hands-on Training: Practical sessions for maintaining network infrastructure, such as setting up routers, troubleshooting common issues, and managing community access to shared resources. - Capacity Building: Through hands-on training and mentorship, participants develop skills to independently manage network systems and to train others within their communities. Expected Outcomes: - Increased digital literacy and self-reliance in network management among community members. - Establishment of locally managed network systems that provide access to educational resources and digital tools. - Empowerment of local individuals to become digital leaders and mentors within their communities. | LLN CoLab team, community network leaders | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Using Google Drive for Collaborative Story and Content Creation | Digital Workflow | Designed to train HNs in using Google Drive for storing and sharing files to ensure easy access across devices. Method includes logging into Gmail, accessing Google Drive, creating Google Docs, voice-to-text entry in Kannada, and sharing links via Gmail and WhatsApp. This setup fosters digital literacy and story-sharing across devices and platforms. | HNs (Health Navigators), guided by Geeta | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Testing Meeting Setup and Equipment for Remote Connection | Digital Setup | Method tested mic, speaker, and camera functionality for remote meetings in the CHL Centre to support connectivity for events such as Numun fund meetings. Multiple computers tested; laptop used as a backup due to inconsistent performance with desktop systems. Equipment setup proved essential for remote collaboration and feminist technology discussions. | Anitha, Saraswathi, Geeta | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Data/File Transfer and Content Creation (Gmail and Drive Integration) | Digital Training Session | Training session on file transfer and management via Gmail and Drive, emphasizing mobile-to-computer data flow, email etiquette, and cloud storage access. The session also included teaching speech-to-text features in Kannada using mobile applications for those with limited typing skills. | Anitha, Bengaluru Team, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Peer-assisted Learning and Troubleshooting (Gmail Account Creation) | Digital Training Session | Peer-assisted learning method used for creating Gmail accounts. HNs who had already learned the process (Saraswati and Shweta for the first batch, Manjula and Rajalakshmi for the second) helped others by troubleshooting errors via video calls. | Geeta, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Remote Troubleshooting and Technical Setup for Media & Data Transfer | Technical Setup Session | Remote troubleshooting and setup session, focused on resolving audio-video playback and internet connectivity issues with the support of Abhiram. This included learning basic command-line operations (e.g., Ctrl+Alt+T for terminal access) and installing VLC Media Player through remote assistance. The COWKI CPU was also transported to Bangalore for data cleaning by Abhiram at DB office. | Naveen Kushwah, Abhiram | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Practical Learning and Troubleshooting | Digital Training Session | Introduction to email setup and data transfer between devices, with troubleshooting for Ubuntu-based system limitations. Hands-on practice with remote guidance helped HNs learn adaptive strategies to handle technical obstacles. Creative improvisation used (e.g., a kitchen tool for assembly) for resource management in assembling additional practice systems. | HNs (Health Navigators), Shreyas (online) Geeta | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Guided typing practice | Digital Training Session | While in Kundapura, Geeta assigned typing tasks through WhatsApp to maintain engagement with the HNs in practicing LibreOffice Writer. Due to language limitations and difficulty in generating content, HNs initially spent time on social media but resumed focused practice once specific text was provided. This approach reinforced typing skills with directed assignments. | HNs, Geeta, Anitha | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Structured Skill Practice with Designated Workspace Allocation | Digital Training Session | HNs engaged in structured practice with LibreOffice Writer, LibreOffice Calc, and connecting to Google Meet for online meetings. Morning and afternoon practice groups were established, with duplicate center keys and assigned computers to ensure continuity of practice on the same systems. Each computer was labeled with specific HN names and operational instructions to facilitate independent practice and efficient power management. | Geeta, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Technical Infrastructure Setup and Remote Support Training | Technical Setup Session | The activity involved diagnosing and resolving internet connectivity issues through antenna adjustments, cable replacements, and router updates. With Sid’s support, a stable connection was established, and a new Wi-Fi network ("CHL") was configured. Two computers were equipped with webcams and microphones to facilitate independent practice and remote support. HNs received training on using Google Meet and Zoom for virtual meetings, including joining with a meeting code. The setup allows HNs to practice video conferencing autonomously in preparation in absence. | HNs, Geeta, Bill from SA | Channapatna | 2023 |
| System Setup and Practice-based Learning | Digital Literacy and Software Familiarization | This session involved setting up six computing systems with unique identifiers (COWKI, CHL1 to CHL6) for organized use. Each system was labeled with its administrator username for easier tracking and retrieval of saved work. HNs practiced using LibreOffice Writer on each machine, with an emphasis on reinforcing muscle memory for basic commands and functions. Despite limited internet access, the session focused on foundational digital skills to encourage retention through repetitive practice. Extended hours of use allowed HNs to become more comfortable with the systems. | HNs, Geeta | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Hardware Setup and Troubleshooting | Computing System Setup for Community Learning | Six systems were set up, including a ThinkCentre, a Pi 4, and four Pi 400s, with each system assigned unique names (COWKI, CHL1 to CHL6). The process revealed unexpected issues with equipment, requiring troubleshooting across various components (keyboards, monitors, SD cards). Issues with monitor sleep settings and recurring login errors due to lingering user data on SD cards were addressed, and the Raspberry Pi Imager was used to re-burn Ubuntu OS on problematic cards. The setup allowed HNs to observe and learn basic hardware setup, including HDMI, adapters, and wireless connections. Stationery and supplies were organized for documentation and future reference. | Geeta, Sid | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Skill building and iterative digital literacy | Browser Navigation Data Handling and Document Management Workshop | HNs engaged in a structured activity combining browser navigation, text selection, and document management, practicing copy-paste and local saving processes. Although challenges with mouse control persist, HNs showed enthusiasm for ongoing practice, reinforcing the importance of continuous access to computer systems. The conversation with Ramakka and Naveen explored solutions to maintaining open access while managing sensitive side business items stored at the center, potentially resolving concerns through renting an additional upstairs flat. Abhiram supported testing for file upload functionality on the PAPAD system. | Geeta,HNs,Ramakka,Naveen,Abhiram | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Data Collection and Community Engagement Strategy | Data Workshops for Trust Building and Community Involvement | The discussion centered on improving the process of data sharing with community members. HNs shared their current practice of gaining trust by showing recorded content from other members. Workshop planning involved small group sessions at local levels to accommodate the community's needs, especially given the challenges older women face in traveling. Ramakka suggested alternative venues like open spaces or common areas (school/aanganwadi) to ease concerns about home visits, particularly involving caste differences. The conversation highlighted the importance of HNs taking ownership of workshops to build trust with the community. The B.D. colony was identified as an ideal location for the first workshop, with existing audio recordings from Asma and Zoheera Jabeen providing valuable content. | Geeta, HNs, Ramakka | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Data Annotation and Reflection on Creative Processes | Annotations Reflection and Creative Process in Family Planning Data | The day's activities revolved around uploading and annotating family planning-related audios on PAPAD. The group engaged with annotation forms, reflecting on their different approaches to the creative process. There was a notable emergence of different work styles: some participants focused on writing questions, others on descriptions or annotations first. This pattern highlighted the dynamic and flexible nature of the group’s creative flow. The process revealed a non-linear approach to working, breaking traditional linear design thinking, allowing for more organic and enriched outcomes. The flexibility of the creative process fostered deeper and more meaningful user case exploration, showing potential for enhancing the PAPAD interface. | Geeta, HNs, Ramakka, PAPAD team | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Co-designing Data Practices and Community Engagement Models | Framework Development for Responsible Data Practices in CHL | The plan focuses on creating a comprehensive track for data/information governance within the community, positioning CHL as a subset within a larger ecosystem of data-related projects. Potential collaborations with TCLP and Rekhta were identified, aiming to develop a hyperlocal app with a worker-led server backend. CHL's priorities were defined with a focus on consensus building for data donor communities, creating protocols for data practices, and designing frameworks for engaging with community data. The pilot test involves sharing 5-10 cleaned audio/videos on a local PAPAD instance to gather feedback, map consensus models, and co-design workflows for future data practices. | CHL team, TCLP (Community Library), Rekhta (for worker-led app), Padmini, Geeta, PAPAD developers | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Infrastructuring: Network and computer learning set-up in CHL | Field Note | CHL used as a learning space to familiarize HNs with computer infrastructure, hardware, and operations. Discussions focused on usage expectations, including educational support, livelihood opportunities, English learning, and paperwork facilitation at home. | Geeta, Sid | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Community Dialogue and Reflection on Gendered Audio Content Collection | Audio recordings group discussions and gendered content | The session began with a discussion on the recordings for SHRH focused on family planning. Ramakka noticed a gender imbalance in the content, with nearly all the recordings coming from women, and very few from men. This led to a discussion about the challenges of engaging men on sensitive topics like family planning and reproductive health. The HNs expressed that men are often uncomfortable discussing such matters. Ramakka shared personal anecdotes about the success of open discussions during the pregnancy care project, which encouraged the HNs to try to engage more men in recording their perspectives. Most of the HNs had recorded content for the week, and the session emphasized overcoming gendered barriers in health-related discussions. | Geeta, Ramakka, HNs, inputs from Naveen | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Participatory Inquiry: Mapping HNs’ expectations and goals | Discussion Summary | Questions targeted the purpose and desired outcomes of HNs' interaction with computer setups, including digital documentation, children's education, English practice, and the integration of income-generating tools like printers and Xerox machines to maximize infrastructure utilization. | HNs, Ramakka | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Hands-On Learning: Assembling and setting up PI 400 and ThinkCentre | Equipment Walkthrough | Sid guided the setup of three computer stations with varied OSs to support subsequent training sessions. HNs also expressed their interest in applying skills for both personal and professional enhancement. | Geeta, Sid | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Need Assessment: Identifying supplemental equipments | List of requirements | Equipment such as an extension box and mouse pads were identified as necessities. The initiative emphasized preparation for sustained infrastructure engagement, scheduled for subsequent basic computer skills training sessions starting on September 21 | Geeta, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Scheduled Sessions: Basic computer learning sessions for HNs | Session planning | Two introductory computer skills sessions were planned to cover essential computer operations, with the first session set for September 21 and the second, tentatively for September 22, allowing for continuity and reinforcement of the infrastructure's educational and practical benefits. | Geeta | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Collaborative Engagement and Data Protocols: Co-creating content, ensuring data safety, and visual mapping using Kumu | Activity Log & Security Guidelines | Involved HNs in selecting relevant audio content, fostering ownership. Addressed data sensitivity through established security protocols. Visual mapping in Kumu with a traffic light system helped categorize readiness and highlight critical points in the project for easy tracking and management. | Geeta | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Feasibility and Infrastructure Planning: Evaluating and selecting alternatives to PAPAD, network setup, and pilot testing | Project Planning Notes | Explored alternatives to PAPAD software, considering usability, timescale, pilot testing, and securing funding and developers. Plan included establishing a mesh network for decentralized connectivity among HNs, aimed at improving accessibility and system usability in community settings. | Geeta | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Co-Design and Pilot Testing: Establishing community data practices, consensus models, and responsible data protocols | Project Planning Notes | Larger data track aims to co-design responsible data practices and governance structures in collaboration with TCLP and Rekhta. CHL serves as a subset to explore consensus-based protocols for data donor communities, prioritizing conversations on consensus models, protocol creation, and checklist development for community-centered frameworks. Pilot tests will involve sharing audio and video samples via PAPAD to gather feedback from data donors, build a framework for community data practices, and refine workflows. | Geeta | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Participatory Workshop and Speculative Design: Data Perception, Privacy, and Governance with HNs | Data Cycle Sketches, Field Notes, Speculative Scenarios (Hypothetial cases discussed) | A workshop focused on data perception, privacy, and governance with HNs, involving revisiting ethical protocols, co-sketching the data cycle, and introducing the data management track under the NUMUN fund. HNs discussed privacy using real-life analogies, the concept of consent vs. permission, and explored data accessibility scenarios. Planned participatory and speculative design activities helped identify and assess potential harms of data sharing and impact on community members. Observations reveal that HNs value protocols as tools for effective interviewing and demonstrate commitment to seeking consent and protecting client data. | Geeta, Sid, Ramakka, Padmini | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Reflective Session on Content Creation | Field Note Audio Annotations | Discusses HNs’ reflections on creating detailed scripts, refining content based on client needs, and summarizing data using Papad. Observations indicate that HNs tend to rely on known information rather than consistently referencing Papad for details, suggesting a need to formalize this step. Next Steps: Plan another reflective session focused on listening to audios, categorizing, summarizing, and assessing the link between their content and Papad data. Questions Raised: 1) Did HNs refer to their annotations for summarizing? 2) What was the backends’ role in connecting audio and client information? 3) How did HNs categorize content from Papad? 4) Were audios reviewed individually or collaboratively? Additional Considerations: Design team’s perception of “Pickle” as a content creation tool; potential roles in content production from summarization to final output; options for content draft storage, clip management, and reference sharing. | Geeta, SId, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Content Creation Session & Reflective Practice | Field Note Videos (Group Dramas on Health Topics) Edited Videos Weighing Scale BP Machines Figma File (Structured Questions) | Show edited videos; conduct a 15-minute group activity with constraints (choose a new health topic and form other than song/story); discuss planning and executing content creation. Outcomes: Two groups chose “heart attack” and enacted dramas, recorded on video. Reflections: While showing video first, followed by reflection and then activity, would have better supported content creation structure comprehension, future sessions could follow this approach. Insights on Structure: Initial structure steps (e.g., content creation stages) should be set as flexible building blocks, allowing progression over time as familiarity grows. This structure aims to foster HNs' leadership in content planning. Follow-ups: Planned to ask remaining reflective questions with HNs over the phone; forgot to discuss potential shift to Thursday sessions and interest in cchange project. | Geeta, Siddhant Shinde, Jabeen Taj, Thriveni, Saraswati, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Reflective session on drama creation and video-making process | Field Notes | Reflective session focusing on the process of content creation, scriptwriting, and video-making. Participants discussed their approach to creating drama scripts on health-related issues and the integration of detailed script writing. Children engaged with the technology for drawing and gaming. | Geeta, ruchita, Sid, Malini, Jabeen Taj, Ramakka, Shilpa, HN's | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Collaborative Learning: Video Editing and Cultural Documentation | Video Editing Software (Kdenlive) Written Script Photographic Documentation | Group formation for video editing and pregnancy care. Kdenlive used to teach basic video editing (drag-and-drop, cut footage). Pregnancy care group shifts from song to written content and a timetable. Discussion on local jaatre practices and potential documentation. | Geeta, HNs, Ramakka | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Song Creation, Rhythmic Collaboration & Field Documentation of Local Knowledge | Video Footage Song Lyrics Field Notes | Collaboration on song lyrics and rhythmic patterns using clapping and drums. Zohra Jabeen practiced with her family and explored local plant knowledge, including medicinal uses. Insights into language switching (Urdu & English) and creative song edits. Potential to develop local plant knowledge into a content resource. | Mariyh, ruchitha, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| video recording and collaborative content creation | video audio recording iPad sketches | The method involves a collaborative, family-engaged video recording and content creation process, where music and performances are created, edited, and shared by the participants. Technology (iPads and phones) is used for interactive engagement and content creation, with a focus on community involvement and reflection on technological access. | Mariyh, ruchitha, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Community video shooting and sharing process | Video content | The session focused on reshooting videos with visible faces for increased trust within the community. Discussions included sharing real clips and the importance of face visibility in videos. The process helped in planning for upcoming shoots. | Naina, HNs, Jabeen Taj, Naveen | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Conversational Knowledge Exchange on Digital Technologies and Health | Video content, videos | A knowledge exchange session on digital technologies, video production, and health practices. The session included discussions about improving video content by incorporating face visibility, introducing client names for credibility, and addressing issues in healthcare technologies like mobile apps. The session inspired critical reflection and improvement in video production and content-sharing strategies. | Naina, Ramakka, Jabeen Taj, Ruchita, Mangalama, CHL team | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Facilitation and Content Co-creation: song editing and video sequencing | Videos iPad external microphone song lyrics | In a facilitated session, Jabeen Taj led Anita and Saraswati in editing song lyrics, preparing shot lists, and shooting videos. List-making aided in sequencing shots, with distinctions for indoor and outdoor captures, improving session organization. Voice exercises helped enhance sound quality, although an external mic was noted as necessary for future recordings. Jabeen Taj, gaining confidence with camera setup, identified well-lit areas for shooting. Informal interactions, including tea and family engagement, strengthened relational ties, facilitating comfort in the field. The list-making mechanism emerged as a model for structured content creation in community projects. | ruchitha, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Directorial Role & Video Editing Process | Video content | During a visit to Jabeen Taj's, Mariah engaged in exploring directorial skills and creative video editing. Jabeen Taj showed interest in video making after observing her son edit videos on Instagram. Ruchita introduced her to using animation features, demonstrating with Urdu writing in videos, sparking Taj's motivation to engage further in content creation. The session included teaching Jabeen Taj’s children creative functions on Procreate with an iPad, where they learned drawing gestures and colouring techniques, showing quick adaptability. Mariah collaborated with Anita and Jabeen Taj to record Anita’s song, experimenting with lighting and staging, including Jabeen Taj’s input in creating a shot list. This encouraged mutual learning as they used visual props (trees, claps) for rhythmic effects and Anita began to confidently suggest ideas, later comfortably acting out pain and hair fall scenarios. Similar sessions were conducted with Saraswati’s song video, utilizing a vessel as a musical accompaniment, guided by Jabeen Taj’s son in camera handling, reinforcing the importance of reusability of visuals and efficient storytelling. Reflections included observing widespread Urdu use in local signage, raising questions about incorporating multilingual accessibility within Pickle, especially through translation features. | mariah, ruchitha, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Fieldwork-based Participatory Media Capture and Feedback Process | Video Photos Song Refinement Reflective Notes | HNs shared media captured over the week, allowing for review and refinement.Group 1 collaborated on song production, experimenting with beats using various objects; Group 2 curated dietary content for pregnant women to be adapted into a song.Challenges emerged with language barriers, as Urdu lyrics led to exclusion concerns, highlighting the need for inclusivity strategies.Shilpa and Anita’s participation in video shooting expanded skills in media capture, fostering engagement.Reflective feedback underscored the benefit of team involvement, suggesting more collaborative sessions to combat isolation in content creation. | naveen, ruchitha, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Collaborative Content Creation: Informal Community Dialogues, Technological Adaptation Support, Content Ownership, Knowledge Creation Interface Analysis | Video/song planning notes Papad interface mobile device setup reflections | HNs led a video/song creation project, guided by Jabeen Taj, demonstrating ownership and decision-making in content production. Informal community dialogues opened space for discussions on relationships and parenting, strengthening bonds. Observations highlighted CHL as a safe space for HNs to tackle tech challenges, such as setting up security features with Ruchita’s support, while also mentionning the limitations of the Papad interface in bundling and organizing content, suggesting the need for a more adaptable tool like Pickle. | Jabeena, Rucjitha, HNs, Shilpa | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Collaborative Content Creation: Community Engagement, Video Production Assistance, Outdoor and Indoor Filming, Cultural Exchange | Video footage planning notes photo story list recipe notes recorded music mixed video samples | During fieldwork in Mangalammas village, content creation sessions with Jabeen Taj revolved around shooting video segments based on a curated list of symptoms and food. Segments like pouring salt and oil were shot indoors, while outdoor clips were captured with vendor permission. The session also included a cultural exchange, with Jabeen Taj and her family preparing chicken biryani, adding depth to the day. Challenges included managing time constraints, but one-on-one collaboration with Jabeen Taj proved effective. Future sessions will involve re-strategizing content creation, possibly with HNs producing custom beats for video integration. | jabeen taj, Ruchita, Sid, Thriveni, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Video Editing Demo, Content Refinement, Group Collaboration | Video demo refined content drafts | A demonstration of Kdenlive, an open-source video editing software, was conducted for the HNs. The session aimed to demystify video editing by working on a dummy video with stock images. The demonstration helped HNs understand the different layers in video editing (audio, images, videos, and text), which was crucial for them to refine their projects. The HNs were able to add more specificity to their generated content, such as identifying images and videos for their songs and photo essays. Group 1 expressed interest in exploring drama (nataka) as part of their next project, while a video shoot and music creation with equipment are planned for the upcoming Saturday. Some HNs were absent, and further refinement is expected next week. | ruchitha, Naveen, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Field session with group formation and media content creation : focused on health-related themes (Thyroid, BP+Sugar). | Song (Audio) Photo Essay (Visual) Journalistic Story Piece (Written). | The field session involved creating multimedia content such as songs, photo essays, and a journalistic story piece by different groups. Groups were formed based on previous attendance and health themes (Thyroid, BP+Sugar). Language barriers, particularly with Asma and Zohra Jabeen, and group dynamics (Saraswati’s hesitation) were noted. Zohra Jabeen was active in creating a song using real-life images. Saraswati and Jabeen Taj focused on a thyroid-related song. Asma struggled with tasks due to language difficulties, suggesting visual modes for future sessions. Mangla worked on a photo essay, planning to involve her child for image selection. The session emphasized the need for tailored engagement, especially addressing literacy and language challenges, with a potential focus on intergenerational collaboration. | ruchitha, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Community Engagement, Participatory Learning Session | Videos (PAPAD) Voice Recordings Contact Information Logbook | This community session led by Ramakka introduced CHL to bidi workers, homemakers, and other women attendees, with a focus on health education through practical remedies. Videos about health practices were shown, sparking an interactive discussion on "gharelu nuskes" (home remedies). Triveni recorded participant-contributed remedies and demonstrated the benefits of sadabahar (Catharanthus roseus) leaves for controlling blood sugar. Jabeen Taj circulated a contact log for follow-up, ensuring participant interest was captured. This session highlighted the community's active engagement, with future suggestions for improvement, including bringing sample materials to enrich the learning experience. | Ruchitha, Ramakka, Jabeen Taj, Triveni, ZohraJabeen, Asma, Saraswati, MAYA Office Team | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Content Co-Design Workshop | Media Content Samples Analysis Worksheets Group Discussion Prompts | A co-design workshop to encourage creative autonomy among HNs in health content creation. Activities included Media Analysis, where participants selected and analyzed their favorite media based on appeal, and Content Application, where insights were adapted into health topics through formats like songs, stories, and photo essays. Feedback indicated enhanced enjoyment and imaginative thinking, with immersive activities helping to deepen content understanding and creativity. | Ruchitha, Naveen, Final Year Thesis Students, Varun, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Content Analysis and Co-Creation for Health Narratives | Audio-Video Snippets Digital Pattern Tables Open-source Media Editing Tool | The workshop focused on content creation and pattern identification within audio-video snippets related to specific health issues (Blood Sugar & Diabetes, B.P., Thyroid Issues, Pregnancy, Mother & Child Care). Participants reviewed 6-8 snippets per team, identifying patterns such as common symptoms and unique personal experiences. The HNs collaborated across language and religious barriers (Dakkhani-Kannada) to facilitate translations and enhance understanding. Key outcomes included developing a digital pattern table linked to the Papad database, selecting an open-source media editing tool for future content creation, and planning to establish an editing studio for content production. Future exploration involves leveraging translation as an annotation layer and exploring multimedia forms for content presentation. | Ramakka, Ruchita, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Content Selection and Categorization for PICKLE Interaction Skeleton | Topic Lists Content Categories | In this session, HNs formed their own groups to choose a topic they wanted to create content for, contributing to their annotation workflow and aiding in the design of the interaction skeleton for the PICKLE platform. The groups were divided based on thematic areas: Blood Pressure & Sugar (Ramakka, Sarasamma, Shilpa), Pregnancy & Uterus (Zohra Jabeen, Aasma, Jabeen Taj), and Thyroid (Mangla and Manglamma). The process involved skimming through the PAPAD database, populating a list of chosen topics, categorizing the topics, and brainstorming content possibilities. Each participant employed their own methods for organizing the information, ensuring active engagement and a diverse approach to the task. | Ramakka, Ruchitha, HNs | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Interactive session with Bidi Workers and women participants on health-related home remedies | video and audio recording | he session started with Ramakka introducing CHL to Bidi Workers and other women, followed by Jabeen Taj, Triveni, Joherajabeen/Zohra Jabeen, Asma, and Saraswati sharing their knowledge. Jabeen Taj showcased videos on PAPAD and explained the importance of home remedies, focusing on sugar control. Thriveni and Jabeen Taj engaged the group in a lively discussion about various home remedies, with Thriveni recording a participant’s remedy suggestion. A live demonstration with sadabahar phool-patte (plant leaves) showed how the leaves could help control insulin levels, which the group attentively observed and passed around for a closer look. The session shifted from a talk to an interactive exchange of knowledge. To wrap up, Jabeen Taj circulated a book for participants to share their contact information, encouraging future involvement. | Ramakka, Jabeen Taj, Ruchita | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Software Demonstration and Content Refinement Workshop | Video Editing Demo Photo Essay Song Journalistic Story Piece Drama | A hands-on workshop was conducted to introduce HNs to Kdenlive, an open-source video editing software, focusing on overcoming abstract concepts in video editing. Participants collaborated to create a dummy video using stock images, with detailed guidance on audio, image, video, and text layers in Kdenlive. This experience facilitated a clearer understanding and refined their content, including specific images and videos for their respective photo essays, songs, and story pieces. HNs worked in groups, refining their generated content and adding specificity to each project. Notably, some participants expressed interest in exploring nataka and were encouraged to experiment with beat-making equipment for musical projects in the next session. Future plans include a video shoot to capture custom footage. | Ruchitha, Jabeen Taj, Shilpa, Anita, Saraswati, Sarasamma, Mangalamma, ZohraJabeen, Mangala, Naveen | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Group Formation & Content Creation Facilitation | Field Notes Recorded Songs Photo Essays | The session involved facilitating group formation based on previous attendance and thematic alignment (health-related topics such as BP, Sugar, and Thyroid), while also addressing language compatibility. Each group chose a storytelling medium (song, video, or photo essay), visualized content, and mapped out elements for their stories, emphasizing either photo or song formats. Participants engaged in real-time recording sessions; however, challenges with language barriers impacted collaboration, notably for Aasma and Manglamma. Individual walkthroughs and group discussions improved workflow clarity, and visual aids were suggested for enhanced engagement. Observations included interest in intergenerational collaboration, with some participants planning to involve their children for photo story inputs. | Ruchitha, Thriveni, Shilpa, Anita, Saraswati, Jabeen Taj, Aasma, Sarassama, Manglamma, Zohra Jabeen, Mangla | Channapatna | 2023 |
| Annotating: Translating, tagging, and testing audio annotation methods with HNs; aiding file location and upload processes on devices. | Prototyping | Assisted HNs with file uploads, redefined annotation, and prototyped new annotation methods to enhance audio documentation. | Ruchika, HNs | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Co-Designing: Initial redesign of PAPAD’s UI with Abhiram, field-testing annotations UI, and evaluating culturally aligned terminology. | Engaging and Distributing | Explored annotation UI redesign with minimal results, prompting consideration of user-centred, culturally resonant terminology. | Abhiram, Naveen, Health Navigators, and Ruchitka | Channapatna | 2022 |
| Situated Observation and Documentation: The Makkala Sabha was attended and carefully documented, with attention to how the event unfolded. | Situated Mapping | The Sabha served as a platform for knowledge exchange and civic education. Children were engaged on topics like 1098 and 108 helplines, digital habits, addiction, public safety, and access to welfare schemes. Officials responded with explanations, guidance, and encouragement. The presence of institutional representatives lent credibility, while the involvement of children as anchors and participants enabled dialogue. | Vandse Government School children, - Vandse GP President, Vandse GP Vice President, Vandse GP Ward Member, Police Head Constable, Namma Bhoomi representative, Arogya Ilakka representative, PDO, Uday Shetty | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Collective Voicing of Demands by Children in a Public Forum: Children were invited to express their needs and concerns openly. | Ethnographic Assemblage | They raised issues such as broken infrastructure, absence of a high school, lack of playground facilities, water scarcity, and inadequate garbage management. Requests were presented verbally and through handwritten letters. The segment revealed varying degrees of confidence, with some children repeatedly speaking up and others relying on peers to voice their concerns. The Mahila Sabha that followed saw low participation and little engagement, prompting concern about the withdrawal of older women from such civic platforms. | Vandse Government School children, - Vandse GP President, Vandse GP Vice President, Vandse GP Ward Member, Police Head Constable, Namma Bhoomi representative, Arogya Ilakka representative, PDO, Uday Shetty | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Iterative Project Introduction and Local Mobilisation: Fellowship team revisited Sanjeevini Sangha members to reintroduce the revised project through informal, relational engagements. | Community-led orientation and relationship-building | During a visit to Idur Kunjadi, the team met with Bagyarathi and Nethravathi at the Panchayat premises, where ongoing administrative work shaped the rhythm of the meeting. Despite Bagyarathi’s willingness, her multitasking due to workload created barriers to a focused conversation. Nethravathi, though familiar with similar programs like Namma Bhoomi, was hesitant about her sons’ participation due to concerns around commuting. The session revealed systemic pressures faced by women leaders, and the importance of designing low-commute, village-based engagements to enable participation. | Shruthi, Bagyarathi, Nethravathi, Sangeeta | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Sensory Encounter and Place-based Rapport Building: Engaging with community members in domestic and agricultural settings to foster trust and explore shared interests. | Participatory field immersion | At Anuja’s home in Keradi, the team was invited indoors where hospitality was extended through a kokum drink. Anuja’s interest in the herbal garden and local storytelling projects emerged organically during conversation. The visit expanded into a stroll through her areca and vegetable garden, where embodied experience and dialogues. Anuja also offered to introduce potential student participants from the local PU college, reflecting her comfort and willingness to mobilize locally. Observations about extended school hours revealed community attitudes toward schooling and childcare in remote areas. | Shruthi, Bagyarathi, Nethravathi, Sangeeta, Anuja | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Navigating Gatekeeping and Local Endorsements: Attempt to mobilize fellows through an institutional ally at the community library | Relational field strategy | During a visit to the community library, Suresh greeted the team warmly but expressed hesitation when asked to connect them with youth for the restructured fellowship idea. Although he appreciated the idea, especially the Daiva Stories project, he offered institutional alternatives like school visits and Makkala Sabhas instead of personal introductions. The session reflected the limits of allyship. Casual gendered comments during the conversation also revealed implicit cultural attitudes around mobility and women’s presence in public space. | Shruthi, Suresh (Library Coordinator), Sangeeta | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Informal Networking and Community-led Referrals: Leveraging household visits to activate local social networks and informal referrals through trusted acquaintances. | Social network mapping | In Hemmadi, a visit to Geetha’s home evolved into a relaxed veranda conversation while she completed chores. Geetha expressed limited direct involvement due to her sons' ages but extended support by calling a local art teacher. Despite his initial reluctance, Geetha negotiated a meeting on the team’s behalf. This interaction illustrated how everyday domestic settings can serve as key moments of informal negotiation and how trust within social networks enables new connections, even when initial resources seem unavailable. | Geeta, Shruthi, Suresh (Library Coordinator), Sangeeta | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Trust-Building through Familiar Channels: Revisiting familiar local actors, sharing restructured briefs and posters to reintroduce the project with cultural sensitivity. Emphasis was on not calling it a fellowship and instead framing it as documentation of traditional knowledge. | Participatory Orientation and Reframing | Revisiting community actors who have institutional or relational influence helped reintroduce the project using a softer, knowledge-easy language. Suresh acknowledged the potential of Daiva stories. Geetha, although unsure initially, took an active step by connecting the team with an art teacher. | Suresh, Geeta, Sangeeta, Shruti | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Door-to-Door Relationship Mapping: Conversations at homes were strategically oriented to seek introductions, not recruitment, allowing for community-led pathways of identifying fellows. | Community Mobilisation | The method relied on relational mapping finding ‘who knows whom’ rather than direct recruitment. The call with the art teacher, though initially uncertain, opened a thread to more meaningful future interactions. The slow and situational negotiation allowed for soft introductions without overwhelming participants. | Shruti, Sangeeta, Geeta | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Ground-Up Consent Building: Visiting children's homes with them, explaining the projects to parents in-situ, giving printed briefs, and co-framing conversations as a way to preserve knowledge and explore creativity. | Participatory Ethnographic Engagement | This method created a shared space between children, parents, and facilitators. The setting (doorsteps, verandas) allowed for fluid, respectful conversation. Shruthi’s role in listening and explaining helped establish credibility. Spatial contrasts (small rented homes) also revealed socio-economic nuances affecting participation. | Shruthi, Sangeeta, Suresh, Sonakshi, Manaha, Shoba (mother), Shabana (mother), Surjith, Sajith, Shivkumar, other families, | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Shared Accountability with Local Anchor: Suresh offered to take responsibility for hesitant parents, expressing personal faith in the children’s talents and offering to mediate. | Collaborative Community Facilitation | the team acknowledged hesitation and used local anchors to take shared responsibility. Suresh’s offer to mediate reflects the strength of long-term relationships and community trust built around the library. His support extended to showcasing existing creative outputs (drawings, videos), reinforcing the library’s role. | Suresh, Sangeeta, Shruti | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Collective Resource Kit Distribution: The fellowship kit was shared as a single, common resource rather than individual kits, recognising that the children were working as a group. | Situated Infrastructure Building | The material distribution reinforced shared ownership and collaborative working. Children’s engagement with materials (like feeling the thickness of paper) demonstrated how sensory interaction with tools can evoke joy and curiosity. This act of shared distribution deepened the commitment to collective work. Suresh’s enthusiastic involvement strengthened local anchoring. | Shruthi, Suresh, Children, Sangeeta | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Facilitated Group Division and Role Assignment: Suresh divided the children into two working groups, one for History of Hemmadi and one for Daiva stories. | Situated Participatory Structuring | The group division was pragmatic but also revealed underlying social and gender dynamics. Girls were more drawn to local history; boys to Daiva stories. The facilitator noted pre-existing squabbles between the genders and considered experimenting with mixed-gender groups in summer school. | Suresh, Children, Sangeeta, Shruti | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Relational Grounding Through Panchayat Dialogue: An unstructured but intentional visit was made to Alooru to meet GP President Prathima and Rajesh Devadiga. | Relational Mapping | The visit allowed for understanding both spatial transitions (relocation of GP to community hall) and political undercurrents (hesitancy around discussing SC communities). The mention of Koraga families in Narkali and Harkur offered entry points into land marginalisation and potential topics for health equity. Discussions also signaled possible resistance and silence around caste, requiring sensitive and patient navigation. | Vidya, Shruthi, Rajesh Devadiga, GP staff, PDO, Alooru | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Re-introduction of Artefacts and Posters: project briefs and posters were shown again, prompting enthusiasm for the Daiva stories project. | Dialogic Engagement through Artefacts | Artefacts like the sunboard and digital posters became narrative devices that facilitated project re-entry. Children’s reactions created ease and affirmed familiarity with the local context. The facilitator’s role as a guide (almost like a school teacher) helped translate ideas into interest. Suresh played a pivotal role in selecting children and narrating the project | Shruthi, Suresh, Adolescent Children, Sangeeta | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Informal Anchoring via Local Women Leaders: The visit to Hakladi’s Sanjeevini office allowed for a relational check-in with Krishi Sakhi Sashikala and Nagarathna. | Feminist Inquiry | The space of the Sangha office enabled a warm, care-based dialogue signified by the updates about ongoing local events. Sashikala’s narrative about selling Ayush products opened up reflections on how women's labour and networks get entangled with commerce, stigma, and technology (online vs offline trust). Though no immediate leads were confirmed, the meeting reinforced relational trust and offered insight into layered social geographies.The conversation moved fluidly across topics from children’s availability, family dynamics, previous Ayush product selling experiences, to perceptions of safety in nearby areas like Jatkal and Bhatkal. | Shruthi, Nagarathna, Sashikala, Sangeeta | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Visual Identity Making and Collective Mapping: The children had started creating a logo for Hemmadi GP with drawings of mosque, temple, and church, reflecting a symbolic unity. | Participatory Visual Research | The visual artefacts (logo) and experiential learning (Panchayat visit) reveal how early immersion, symbol-making, and shared imagination work together. The GP logo, with its syncretic symbols, becomes a subtle and powerful gesture toward collective belonging and pluralism, emerging organically from the children’s own expressions. | Suresh, Hemmadi Library Children, Shruthi, Sangeeta | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Adaptive Field Navigation through Shifting Priorities and Local Constraints: Despite interruptions caused by tab synchronization work, limited transport, and extreme heat, the plan to visit fellows in Keradi was carried through. | Responsive Reframing | Across the day, the group moved between logistical demands and deepening engagements with fellows. The materiality of kits, emotional temperatures, and acts of hosting shaped how conversations unfolded. Resistance to identifying elders for history-sharing also exposed how social memory is unevenly distributed or selectively withheld. Meanwhile, Chaaya’s readiness already having written about her ‘devaru’ temple showed how self-initiated knowledge is powerful even before facilitation. | Shruthi, Anuja, Nidhitha, Chaaya, Chaaya’s grandfather, Sangeeta | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Reconfirming Rhythms of Participation at Hemmadi Library: Despite earlier messages about exam-time limitations, an in-person visit to Suresh at Hemmadi library led to renewed possibilities. | Situational Opportunity-Making and Support | This interaction shows how physical presence and informal tone (rather than formal follow-ups) can revive momentum. By physically showing up, trust was reaffirmed, space was visualized anew, and ideas expanded. Rather than waiting for ideal conditions, the fellowship adapted to rhythms of exams, parental consent, and infrastructural possibilities. | Children, Sangeeta, Shruti, Suresj | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Situated Participatory Mapping with Girl Students in Hemmadi: A loosely guided mapping exercise using chart paper and local prompts helped initiate spatial memory work among children. | Participatory Spatial Memory Mapping | Beginning with a few anchor locations (library, school, panchayat), the session allowed children to add places meaningful to them such as the milk dairy, clinic, houses, and bus stand rather than only formal institutions. Attempts to include government buildings were gently declined, revealing a gap between formal infrastructures and lived experiences. The session demonstrated how local mapping can function as both a spatial and emotional cartography. The confusion at the start shifted into enthusiasm when mapping began with familiar references. | Shruthi, Suresh, Hemmadi Library Girl Students (5 children), Sangeeta | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Contextual Story Reading with Local Language Digital Archives: A Kannada story reading session using a Raspberry Pi device loaded with folk and children’s stories. | Embedded Oral and Digital Pedagogies | Children read together in a group, starting with curiosity and interest. While the session began with participatory reading, it shifted into a more rigid format due to adult intervention, as Suresh insisted on louder reading and modelled aspirational writing (IAS, English-medium dreams) which the children then copied. Despite this, the story on dreams sparked an opening for future creative exercises. Though the facilitator's controlling presence limited imagination, the session demonstrated the children’s receptivity to layered storytelling, setting the ground for future dream-mapping or self-narrative work. | Abhiram (tech setup), Suresh, Shruthi, Fellowship Children, Sangeeta | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Collaborative Herbarium-Making through Locally Known Medicinal Leaves: A guided garden walk and collection activity facilitated by Anuja. | Situated Ethnobotanical Documentation | This activity combined material exploration, local ecological knowledge, and visual documentation. Anuja’s role was vital as a local expert, guiding the fellows and anchoring the activity in lived health practices. By listening, documenting, and experimenting with leaf printing, the session made links between art, science, and storytelling. The process was bodily, relational, and speculative, relevant to the fellows’ interest in health and herbal traditions. | Shruthi, Anuja, Niditha, Chaaya, Sangeeta, Suresh | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Home-based Ethnobotanical Printing and Oral History with Family Elders: Conducted a second round of herbarium work with Chaya’s family in Bellala. | Intergenerational Oral Knowledge Gathering | This included experimenting with oil paint leaf prints on black paper and recording traditional knowledge shared by her grandfather and mother. As they discussed the significance, use, and sourcing of medicinal and festive leaves, they offered names and contexts of plants not available in their garden. The grandfather shared practices like drinking a ground leaf decoction during Deepavali. The session blended artistic documentation with oral traditions. | Shruthi, Chaya, Chaya’s mother and grandfather, Sangeeta | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Collaborative Story Listening and Family Interview Mapping: The session began with a recorded Kannada story played on a laptop, followed by a reading and discussion facilitated by Eshwari. | Oral history Mapping | The method blended language learning, reading comprehension, and relationship mapping through peer-led discussions. The comparison of dialects and written Kannada created space for critical reflection on local language and culture. Though the session was briefly disrupted by non-participating children being added without context, core fellows remained engaged. The family tree exercise supported interviewing skills and structured storytelling, while the homework extended the method beyond the library into their homes. | Fellows from Hemmadi and Keradi, Eshwari, Shruti, Sangeeta | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Field Immersion and Observational Study: Visit to the SLRM (Solid and Liquid Resource Management) Unit in Vandse to understand decentralized waste management systems | Situated Fieldwork | The field visit helped understand the evolution of a zero-budget grassroots waste management initiative into a large-scale, government-supported, cooperative-registered model. The method allowed for tracing material flows (55-category segregation, zero-waste goals), innovations (biogas, black soldier fly composting), and social dynamics (worker dignity, community buy-in). Conversational and reflective documentation supported this ethnographic observation. | Uday Kumar Shetty, Vidya, SLRM | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Participatory Public Health Mapping: Multi-pronged approach combining health education, oral histories, community committee revitalization, and volunteer-led interventions to activate local community health networks. | Participatory Action Research | Methods included home visits, SHG and youth group mobilization, and health camps to co-develop a grassroots palliative care model. This initiative focused on recognizing community-specific health issues such as Endosulfan-related conditions, and strengthening healthcare accessibility in interior forested areas. Cultural practices, food, geography, and spiritual beliefs were all considered as intersecting factors in shaping local health systems. The artefact represents a locally-grounded, holistic care framework embedded in palliative thinking and neighborhood-based service models. | Vidya, Naveen Bagalkot, Local Health Institutions, Sanjeevini Sanghas, Lions Club, Rotary, SHG members, Gram Panchayats of Alooru, Iduru Kunjadi, Chittoor | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Collaborative Health System Co-Design: A planning meeting was held to structure the CPC Sabhe (Community Palliative Care Sabhe) sessions. | Participatory Co-Design Session | This meeting was foundational in creating a locally adapted facilitation structure for CPC Sabhe, a series of sabhes for community co-design session focused on patient identification, care implementation, and service systems. It outlined component-specific prompts and grouped participants to work toward consensus-driven action plans. Emphasis was placed on participatory planning, collective decision-making, group-based problem-solving, and contextual translation of health governance models. Sessions were divided into Nirnaya (decision), Vimarshe (deliberation), and Karya Yojane (action planning), each enabling layered engagement. | Uday Kumar Shetty, Asha Acharya, Dr. Swaroop N, Shreyas Srivatsa, Naveen Bagalkot, Vidya H.P, Abhiram Jois, Mallika Bidappa | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Distributed Implementation Planning through Multi-Level Health Governance Dialogue: The CPC Sabhe representatives from the Health & Family Welfare Department, Panchayati Institutions, grassroots women’s collectives, palliative care specialists, and other teams to deliberate and co-decide on key operational components of the community palliative care program in Vandse. | Community Governance Workshop | This sabhe finalized the structure of the CPC Need Assessment process and anchored its implementation in local governance. The meeting produced a cross-sectoral plan involving digital tools, capacity-building, and decentralized teams. It formalized the use of health cess for CPC budgeting pending ZP CEO approval and initiated steps toward forming a local Palliative Care Trust. The use of ward-level and GP-level actors, including Asha and MBK workers, positioned community actors as primary agents in this care model. | Uday Kumar Shetty, Dr. Swaroop, Mallika, Dr. Keerthinath Ballal, Shreyas Srivatsa, Naveen, Aruvu SA Team, Asha workers, CHO, PCHO, GP Presidents and PDOs, MBKs (Sanjeevini Sangha), Pallium India, KHPT, KMC | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Institutional Alignment and Capacity Mobilisation: Stakeholder meeting facilitated to formalise institutional roles, gain alignment on pilot goals, and commit human and infrastructural resources for a palliative care needs assessment in 7 Gram Panchayats under Samagra Arogya. | Participatory Planning | MAHE agreed to depute 3 doctors, 6 nurses, and 3 MPH students to conduct the needs assessment; training will be led by Dr Naveen Salins. MAHE offered to provide free hospice referrals and support caregiver course design. A non-financial MoU will be signed between KHPT, MAHE, 7 GPs, and RDPR CEO. The session clarified ASHA’s supporting role, with the assessment led by trained teams. This meeting was a pivotal step in activating resource and policy alignment for the pilot. | Dr Sharath K Rao, Dr Padmaraj Hegde, Dr Judith Noronha, Dr Cherian Varghese, Dr Avinash Shetty, Dr Naveen Salins, Dr Ashwini Kumar, Dr Kirthinath Ballal, Mr Uday Kumar Shetty, Mohan HL, Dr Swaroop N, Aruvu team | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Collaborative Planning and Resource Allocation: Pre-assessment task force meeting to finalise patient lists, delegate ASHA roles, plan routes, and align on budget, volunteer teams, and MoU terms. | Participatory Planning | The TF meeting scheduled for 9th Jan 2025 aims to finalise volunteer names, budget needs (vehicle, food), MoU considerations, and members of the Needs Assessment and guiding teams. The guiding team will be trained and assigned ward-wise responsibilities. A key step includes preparing a list of patients to assess, which enables logistical planning and prior intimation by ASHAs. The team also discussed using tools like QField or OSM for route mapping, potentially supported by Adhavan and Abhiram. This stage builds the foundation for systematic and inclusive rollout of the NA across the 7 GPs. | KHPT team, Aruvu team, CPC Trust members | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Iterative Coordination and Public Integration for CPC Groundwork: Ongoing review and follow-up of institutional, logistical, and community-level actions for operationalizing CPC. | Stakeholder Process Design | The discussion covered unresolved tasks such as finalizing the MoU, securing full patient data from PHCs, collecting volunteer lists, and reinforcing responsibility among PDOs. It also talked of the creation of public awareness campaigns through ward members and health task force committees, and the need to involve diverse community groups in Samagra Arogya. Concerns about gender representation in the CPC trust were raised. Steps to compile ASHA/CHO contact lists and collaboratively create route maps were initiated. | Vidya, Uday Kumar Shetty | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Formal Institutional Deliberation for CPC Systems: District and Taluk-level officials, Panchayat leadership, health workers, and partners reviewed CPC progress, finalized MoUs, discussed incentive models, and endorsed legal formalization through society registration. | Policy Design and Strategic Consensus Building | This meeting brought together all institutional stakeholders in the Vandse cluster to collectively shape the CPC framework. They reviewed need assessment tools, finalized financial incentives for ASHA workers (₹50 per household + TA/DA from KHPT), and agreed to split the MoU into two documents, one specific to CPC society and another covering broader Samagra Arogya goals. The CPC MoA draft was reviewed and slated for legal finalization. | CEO (Zilla Panchayat Udupi), DHO, DVBD officer, THO, NCD consultant, EO (Tq Panchayat), Senior Health Inspector, Presidents, VPs & PDOs of 7 Vandse GPs, CPC Task Force, Aruvu Collaboratory, KHPT, MAHE team | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Observational Re-orientation and Environmental Sensing: Walking through the hamlet to gauge shifts in mood, dynamics, and physical environment. | Sensory and Environmental Mapping | Observations of children’s hesitation, absence of usual greetings, silent spaces, and a dried-up lake revealed seasonal and emotional transitions in the community. The walk helped reorient to a changing place and informed a shift in tone for later engagements. | Archit, Sangeetha, Abhiram, children of Hara; Sri Lakshmi’s family | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Immersive Demonstration and Deployment: Revisiting the community with updates on the offline mesh, demonstrating content on physics simulations, Kannada Wikipedia, storybooks, and videos through the Sanchari Pi. | Demonstration and Installation | The visit reintroduced the Sanchari local setup with new resources, presented through live interactions using laptops and a Pi server. The demonstration became a mode of mutual testing and reflection, inviting children's responses and evaluating the continuity of trust. Sangeetha led storytelling with digital books, while others interacted with simulations. The community made conceptual links between local climate (evaporation of lake water) and physics simulations, showing embodied understanding. | Archit, Sangeetha, Abhiram, children of Hara; Sri Lakshmi’s family | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Ground-Up Infrastructure Setup Using Minimal Tech Stack: The team assembled and installed a minimal Raspberry Pi-based desktop terminal in one home in Hara. This included setting up a monitor, Raspberry Pi 4, keyboard, mouse, SD card, adapters, and peripherals. A second Pi (sanchari.local) was configured to host locally stored repositories (Kannada Wikipedia via Kiwix, toy-making videos, and pHet simulations). | Infrastructuring, Prototyping | This marked the first working implementation of the broader mesh network plan. The setup allowed the team to test offline resource access via local networking. Browser-related issues during setup were resolved on-site. The successful deployment of sanchari.local showed the feasibility of a lightweight, reproducible infrastructure design. | Abhiram, Archit, Shruthi, Vidya, Vibha, People of Hara | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Relational Consent Building through Situated Conversations: The setup process involved seeking permissions and explaining the vision of a shared, public-access terminal to Sri Lakshmi and Sri Manya’s parents. | Situated Learning Infrastructure | Initial hesitations around technology and shared responsibility were gently navigated. Sri Lakshmi’s mother expressed willingness to support children's access and requested a contact number in case of issues. Peripheral conversations around healthcare needs and mobility sparked new ideas. The team reflected on concerns of accountability in case of damage and the need for clearer consent from surrounding houses. | Abhiram, Archit, Shruthi, Vidya, Vibha, Sri Lakshmi’s family, Subramanya | Kundapura | 2025 |
| On-the-spot Troubleshooting and Ethical Grounding: Upon discovering the SD card was missing, the team conducted careful, non-confrontational inquiry | Distributed Responsibility | This event highlighted vulnerabilities of small hardware deployments and the friction that can arise in community tech setups. The team’s approach showed care in navigating speculation, managing relational dynamics, and maintaining momentum without rupture. | Archit, Shruthi, Sri Lakshmi’s family, Kirana, Abhiram | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Prototyping through Test Deployments: Before going to Hara, multiple rounds of test networking were done at YNC and Zed Collective. | Speculative Infrastructure Design | These speculative testing are a vital to reflect collaborative thinking and iterative prototyping. The AC mesh devices were preferred for their wireless meshing capability in short-range scenarios, making them ideal for dense clusters. The team grounded their design in both terrain knowledge and field observations from earlier visits. | Naveen, Abhiram, Vidya, Shruthi, Archit, Anagh, Kirana | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Community-led Reframing of Infrastructure: Jalaja’s family refused to host a mesh node, citing concerns of responsibility, lack of use, and the need for familial approval. A key insight emerged around anxieties tied to forest regulations, installing visible devices could invite questioning from officials. | Risk-sensitive relational redesign | The team responded to the resistance not with persuasion, with empathetic reframing. They decided to scale back and redraw a 6-house mesh topology based solely on houses with existing rapport. This led to a leaner, less visible network. The event also seeded the idea for a printed info-kit or booklet to support community articulation in regulatory encounters. | Jalaja and family, Shruthi, Archit, Abhiram, Prajwal, Srivatsa, Naveen, Anagh | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Oral Place-based Mapping with Children: Using OSMAnd on two phones, children guided Archit and Adhavan through their yard and surroundings, identifying trees and plants using local names, sharing culinary and medicinal uses, and offering personal anecdotes. | Participatory Mapping | Though Terrastories was planned, its technical delay led to a quick pivot to OSMAnd, showing how flexible tooling supported community voice. The walk became a multimodal mapping session and set the foundation for importing these insights into a future Terrastories instance. The moment was as much also about language-learning and trust as it was about spatial data. | Archit, Adhavan, 6–7 children from Hara, Shashank and Sri Lakshmi | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Parallel Track Planning: Infrastructure and Media Making: In a reflection meeting, it was agreed that infrastructuring and community demo-engagements must happen as parallel, interwoven processes. | Distributed Infrastructuring | The metaphorical photo shared (a corridor of coconut trees and dirt paths) captured the push-pull of the global-local dichotomy. The planning of a server architecture that mirrored this global offline repositories (sanchari.local) and place-based repositories (like a future hara.local) is itself a critical design artefact. Community ownership would grow not from technical infrastructure alone but through local media that made the community’s world visible. | Naveen, Abhiram, Archit, Adhavan, Shruti, Hara Kids and Parents | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Community Mesh Installation and Infrastructure Reorientation: Technical limitations leading to discussions on powering future mesh devices via public infrastructure like electricity poles | Mesh network prototyping | This entry marks a turning point in mesh deployment where technical setup is layered with governance imagination. The move from private to public node placement opens up questions of sustainability, access equity, and long-term care of the infrastructure. The use of electricity poles as potential sites also roots the idea deeper into infrastructural realities. | Archit, Adhavan, Abhiram Jois, Sri Lakshmi, Shashank, Shashank’s family, Mandara’s family | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Collaborative Demo using Locally Hosted Drawing Tool: This engagement was designed around children’s curiosity to draw and collaborate using the mesh network infrastructure. | Children-Led Infrastructure Imagination | This demo engagement was an effort in understanding learning between imagination, play, and local digital infrastructures. The whiteboard was a social interface that helped children experience collaboration within a mesh network. It foregrounds how curiosity-driven engagements can inform the design of offline repositories. | Archit, Adhavan, Abhiram, Children of Hara | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Thematic Server Configuration using Raspberry Pi 4 Devices: Two local servers, sanchari.local and kathegara.local were imagined and configured to serve distinct but complementary functions within the community network. | Participatory Speculaion | The metaphor-driven design of sanchari.local and kathegara.local illustrates how infrastructure can be situated, symbolic, and responsive. The servers are narrative tools each grounded in metaphors understood and imagined along with the community. Sanchari, envisioned as a traveler, curates external, internet-origin content adapted for offline use. Kathegara, the storyteller of the place, focuses on local content creation, storage, and sharing. Each device runs multiple services hosted on designated ports, such as Kiwix for Wikipedia, Kolibri for children’s books, Terrastories for oral histories, whitebophir for collaborative drawing, and papad.alternate for audio annotation.This framing supports access and ownership with imaginative co-participation. The ports and tools selected indicate a hybrid of content consumption and production, indicating the CN’s orientation toward both learning and local knowledge-making. | Archit, Abhiram, Children of Hara | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Thematic Reading Circle via Offline Digital Library: A curated repository of Kannada children’s books (sourced from Pratham’s open repository) was set up on sanchaari.local using Kolibri, a tool for offline education. | Offline digital learning | The engagement was designed as a recurring reading circle where children could read aloud thematically grouped stories (starting with places and cultures), followed by group reflections. This artefact showcases an evolving model of digital reading as community authorship. It begins with accessible, curated content and moves toward participatory storytelling. Although this session didn’t involve children due to timing, the team engaged with Shashank’s mother, who shared stories around health, pregnancy, and education in Hara. These conversations hinted at how reading sessions could organically lead to story-sharing as well. | Archit, Eshwari, Sangeeta, Children of Hara | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Interactive Exhibit Design and Public Display: Fellows' Outputs as Collective Memory Artifacts. | Demonstration & Participatory Archive | Fellows’ works were curated into three exhibit clusters. Daiva Stories, Herbal Knowledge Systems, and GP/Village Histories. These were presented through audio-visual installations, physical displays, and an interactive web app where visitors could both listen to and contribute stories. The exhibition turned fellow-led learning and artworks into a participatory archive. Visitors engaged not just as observers but as contributors. The Daiva audio app encouraged listening and uploading new stories, grounding the event in a shared, evolving community memory. | Fellows from Keradi, Hemmadi, and Hara; Samagra Arogya Team, Aruvu; Parents and community visitors from the cluster | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Peer Learning through Mixed-Group Games: Fellowship Icebreaker and Orientation Activity | Situated Learning Infrastructure | Fellows were welcomed and divided into mixed groups by locality, gender, and age. Through group-based games and reflection, they shared their fellowship journeys with each other to foster cross-learning and familiarity. It built rapport and created a foundation for deeper engagement with each other’s work throughout the exhibition. | Fellows from Keradi, Hemmadi, and Hara; Samagra Arogya Team, Aruvu; Parents and community visitors from the cluster | Kundapura | 2025 |
| Informal reflection and situated learning : Small-Group Reflection Circles at the Exhibit Site | Responsive Facilitation | As full-group sharing became difficult due to post-snack distractions and shyness, the team adapted by creating small reflection groups around each exhibit, inviting fellows to speak about their contributions in intimate clusters. This shift allowed for quieter, more personal storytelling spaces within the chaotic energy of the exhibition. | Fellows from Keradi, Hemmadi, and Hara; Samagra Arogya Team, Aruvu; Parents and community visitors from the cluster | Kundapura | 2025 |