Sarathi Socio Cultural Trust is a non profit organization in Bangalore, founded in 2003. The organization is involved in organizing socio-cultural events in Koramangala, the highlight being the grand "Durga Puja", [1] which sees at least 150,000 to 200,000 visitors every year, [2] and which got the "Senco Sharod Samman" award for the best ambiance and crowd management in 2018. [3] [4] In 2020, Sarathi used its funds to help many people, like the idol-makers and others, whose livelihoods were badly impacted due to the pandemic. [5]
Transcending the boundaries of provincialism, ethnicity and languages, Sarathi encourages people from all communities to participate [6] [7] in its cultural fiesta, branded as Sammad - "an Indian cultural extravaganza", [8] which was inaugurated by the likes of Tejasvi Surya (2019), [9] [7] Justice Santhosh Hegde, Captain Gopinath and Ashok Soota over the years. [10] "One of the oldest" [11] in the city, it's "more contemporary in terms of crowd" [12] among the various Durga Puja celebrations in Bangalore.
Seen as "a meeting ground for young people, many from the IT, banking and other sectors, who form the cream of Bangalore", major corporate brands like UB, HSBC, Reliance Jewels and others were involved with Sammad over the years. [13] [14]
Important cultural icons, the likes of Ash King, Rupankar, Kavita Krishnamoorthy, Anupam Roy, Srijit Mukherji, Parambrata Chatterjee, Srikanto Acharya, Lopamudra, Somlata, June Banerjee, Neel Dutt, Bhoomi, Cactus, Paras Pathar and others, have performed at Sammad.
Being the hub of IT in the nineties, Koramangala has been a focus of many Bengalis for whom the nearest Durga Puja was Ulsoor. This prompted a group of people staying in and around Koramangala, who "pined for home at that time of the year when the dhaaks beat out their insistent rhythm and the smell of egg rolls is redolent in the air", [13] to start one in Koramangala. [15]
Though over the years its USP has been a "new age feel", with events like fashion show [16] and "rock competition [Bandemonium] for college students during the five days of celebrations", [17] it's also rooted in tradition and culture through the unique programs based on fusion of contemporary and classical dance forms, Ulu dhwani and Sankha (conch) blowing competition, Dhunuchi (censer) Dance competition, as well as dhaaki (traditional Bengali drum players) competition. [9] [18]
Their general theme has been always "'Bibidher Majhe Milan', that is "Unity in Diversity". [Their] various cultural programmes [] celebrate the essence of India, rather than just Bengali culture." [8]
Author and musician Sudipto Das is currently the General Secretary of Sarathi Socio Cultural Trust. [19]