Our Story of Building Inclusive Communities in Bangalore
From a small group of friends in 2011 to a city-wide movement, we’re making Bangalore more accessible, one dance and conversation at a time. Come join the energy.
This was our rock-solid first dance team for Tandav. We were just a group of youngsters with a crazy idea to unite people through dance, and it became the start of a movement.
A group of youngsters who believed in an idea. This is how it all began. We wanted to execute a crazy thought that we believed could unite people.
That's 25-year-old me, biting my anxiety and trying to look cool. Back then, I was struggling, but the dream of Tandav and the support of friends kept me going.
Our first festival under a metro station. The message spread by word of mouth, and by the afternoon, we had a huge crowd. It was proof that our idea had power.
A festival was finally manifested. Not just an event, but a true festival that celebrates being human beyond all our differences.
We didn't plan for it, but inclusion happened naturally. When the universe conspires to make something happen, you are just a tool in its hands.
On November 16th, 2014, we witnessed magic. Something beyond us was happening right in front of our eyes. It was the birth of a community.
Every break we got that day was a mini celebration of the warmth we shared. This photo captures the family we built during the first Tandav.
10 years of Tandav. It all started with a dream and five people who believed in it. Today, it's a legacy of togetherness and inclusion.
This is the season of mass volunteering. We have a lineup of mega-events, from the Happy Festival to Tandav, all aimed at creating a massive social impact through art and celebration.
About Our Story: The Inclusion Movement
You might see the big festival photos here, but the real work happens on weekends at our BTM Layout hub, where we prep everything from sign language workshops to eco-friendly art sessions. It’s about building a space where everyone, regardless of ability, has a place to show up and belong.
It started back in 2011 with five friends, a few paintbrushes, and a simple desire to give back. We called ourselves Smileys. We didn’t know what we were doing, but we had this crazy belief that dance could melt differences and bring people together.
What began as a small Sunday gathering at a metro station grew into Tandav, our massive inclusive dance festival. Over the last decade, we have watched thousands of people join in, whether for our Happy Festival for visually impaired students or our Sign Fest for the Deaf community. But as we grew, we realized we needed a permanent home. That is how Karmasthan in BTM Layout came to life—India’s first volunteering hub where anyone can walk in, create, and feel part of the family.
Our motto is simple: No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.
We keep it real. If you drop by for a weekend mixer at Cubbon Park or a workshop at our hub, don’t expect a corporate setup. You will find us shouting 'How is the josh?' and getting a roar back. We teach dance to kids, we struggle with our own anxiety, and we make mistakes. We’ve had our fair share of bumps on the road, but the connections we’ve built are real.
We are here for anyone who wants to start their own volunteering journey. Whether you want to learn sign language, help out at a special school, or just want a space to feel celebrated, we’ve got a spot for you.
Smileys
We are a group of friends who refuse to believe that social change has to be boring. We built our space in BTM Layout to make volunteering accessible for everyone, and we would love for you to drop by, meet the crew, and see what we’re building.
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