Banaras Film Festival
The gallery is the primary initiator of the Banaras Film Festival, which would take place several different spaces in the city.  This will be an occasion for the public to view films made in and about the city of Varanasi and its people.  The festival presents an opportunity to explore publicly the interaction between a space, people, and a medium, in this case film.  Additionally, the festival will host lectures and panel discussions, and will be entirely free to the public. We are soliciting film makers to come forward and contribute their works on Banaras/Varanasi/Benares for this effort. We are also looking for collaborations inside India and outside toward this effort.

Varanasi Biodiesel Initiative
The Kriti Gallery is concerned with the environmental state of the city of Varanasi.  Pollution coming from the use of many diesel and petrol engines, in a small city, have resulted in Banarsis breathing unhealthy air, and it makes lives harder.  With this in mind, we are exploring the possibilities of biodiesel use in Varanasi. Our immediate interest is in producing biodiesel through conversion of used cooking oils and greases from businesses (hotels, food stalls).  Kriti intends to provide this fuel to private diesel generator users, such as hotels, small businesses, and homes, who are often forced to use fuel to produce electricity during daytime business hours. Kriti plans to make public this initiative with a conference on the possibilities for biodiesel in Varanasi. 

Photo Bhikari
A six month exploration through photography of how images can dehumanize poverty through the use of life size prop photographs of beggars placed in different contexts.