On the occasion of the 75th Independence Day celebrations in India, Goethe Institut asked me to do a short travel feature on Berlin exploring the theme of ‘Freedom’. I weighed in on the East Side Gallery, Tempelhofer Feld, the Reichstag building and the LGBTQ culture in Berlin, highlighting how each aspect signifies Freedom for me.
Goethe Institut, May 2023
Heidelberg: A City of Literature, Culture, and Contrast
A city of just 160,000 inhabitants—a fourth of which are students—drawing in close to 14 million visitors annually is a clear indicator that Heidelberg isn’t just another university town. Located along the Neckar River in the north of the south German state of Baden-Württemberg, Heidelberg is blessed with an enticing combination of old-world charm, a young population, cutting-edge research, and stunning natural beauty. Heidelberg local and member of the Ramanbaug Yuva Manch, Anand Deshpande shows five must-see things in Heidelberg.
Goethe Institut, April 2024
Weimar: A Marvel in Thuringia’s Heartbeat
The birthplace of Germany’s first experiment of democratic rule, the Weimar Republic, Weimar has also been home to literary greats such as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Friedrich Schiller, and many more cultural heavyweights of the 18th-century German Enlightenment. The Weimar Republic only lasted from 1918 to 1933 till the Nazis took over Germany. During this time, Germany also went through hyperinflation that sped the rise of totalitarian rule. History nerds can get a complete lowdown on this chapter of the city in the Haus der Weimarer Republik. In this video of the German City Portrait series, artist and independent curator, Arijit Bhattacharyya, shows us the five places of cultural importance for him.
Goethe Institut, January 2024
Düsseldorf: The Heart of North Rhine-Westphalia
Nestled around the river Rhine, Düsseldorf is the capital of one of Germany’s industrial heartlands, North Rhine-Westphalia. It has a population of around 640,000, but in terms of area, it is smaller than its neighbour Cologne. Düsseldorf’s history dates back to the Roman era, and it has always been a key centre of trade, commerce, and culture. Originally from Mumbai, but now a Düsseldorfer, Sharvari Dixit Bhalerao shows the must-visit places in this city by the Rhine.
Goethe Institut, October 2024
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