Rajkumar Nihalani first heard about Lahe Lahe at HAL when he moved to Bengaluru from his hometown, Ahmedabad, in 2019. He had been looking for a place like this for a long time – a place that fostered a social community, a place that didn’t judge. , a place where he could feel free. Soon, Rajkumar became a regular at Lhey Lhey, attending many of the events it hosted. He was so enamored with the space that when his office shifted from MG Road to Electronic City – about 20 km from his home in Indiranagar, he chose to stay in Indiranagar. He didn’t mind the long journey; He wanted to be as close to Lhe Lhe as possible. Then, last July, he was shifted to Thane, Mumbai. He didn’t care for the city but was missing Lehe Lehe. “I can’t find another place like that,” he says.
Luckily, his company recently transferred him back to Bengaluru. And Rajkumar can’t wait to reunite with Lahe Lahe. Why does he like it so much?
“I can be myself. I’m a 47-year-old man. I can go there for salsa workshops or learn bhangra. It’s like…” He pauses for a few seconds to find the right words: “You’re at home. feel.”
Seven years ago Mansi and Nikhil Third wanted people to feel like in Lahe Lahe when they created the space.
“Loneliness and isolation can be excruciating in an urban environment, especially when you are not from the city. We wanted to create a space where you can speak your heart out and celebrate your imperfections,” says Nikhil, sitting with Mansi on the terrace of Lahe Lahe during Space’s seventh anniversary. The couple celebrated the occasion on April 1 with regular patrons of Lhe Lehe reminiscing the happy memories of seven years of travel.
From a small terrace-only art space in 2016, Lahe Lahe has grown into a 7,700-square-foot community center spread over three floors and a roof, providing space for a wide range of activities. In addition to art, music and theatre, it hosts cinema screenings, storytelling sessions, dance and pottery workshops, poetry readings and other events. Although the space has evolved over the years, it still evokes a sense of intimacy.
For example, Sonali Bhatia, 56, has been conducting Harry Potter sessions since 2017. On the first Sunday of every month, Sonali and other Potterheads (ages 12 and older) gather at Lahe Lahe, discussing unconventional topics from the novel—for example, the characters’ different types of parenting.
Sonali uses a word similar to Rajkumar, ‘home’, to describe Lahe Lahe. “I went to a few other places before I contacted Mansi. They told me that Harry Potter is out of date and a discussion group on it won’t work. Mansi immediately said yes and welcomed me. So, I am deeply attached to this place,” she says.
Sonali’s 88-year-old wheelchair-bound father also occasionally visits the space. “He has been part of painting classes, pottery, music classes and a cinema group,” says Mansi. “He is an inspiration to all of us.”
“I don’t think he would have been able to do all this if Lahe Lahe had not been there,” says Sonali.
Maya, who conducts pottery workshops in the space, believes it nurtures collaboration between artists. “Since many artists share the same roof, new ideas tend to emerge. For example, I collaborate with someone who does mosaic art, who is close to pottery.
Aparna Jaishankar, a storyteller, believes that Lahe Lahe is more than just a space provider for art. “They nurture artists,” she says. “Gathering an audience in Bangalore is not easy. People have a lot of options like cinema, theater etc. So, in order to get people to attend your show, it is not enough just to have good content, but also good marketing. Lahe lahe understands the artists and the audience. You only need to take care of your stuff; They do the rest. Even if things go wrong, they have your back. And it gives you the freedom to experiment.”
Lahe Lahe, she says, also values artist-audience interaction. “I’ve been fortunate enough to talk to my audience after almost every performance. These conversations help the art and the artists grow. Otherwise, if you’re going your separate ways after a performance, you end up with much Not taking it in. Lahe Lahe understands that and allows that breathing space. He’s never in a rush.”
After all lahe lahe, in Assamese, means ‘slowly’, which is in deliberate dissonance with the hustle and bustle culture. In a city that is booming day by day, this small building almost hidden in HAL area seems essential.