Among the many things I do—snake rescues, bird photography, podcasting, card magic, biking through narrow lanes—I rarely talk about one key thread that quietly connects a lot of it: my association with Courtyard Koota.

It started modestly, with me anchoring a wildlife-themed week about four years ago. Today, I curate the Wildlife and Stand-up Comedy verticals here. What’s grown in that time isn’t just a relationship with a venue—it’s a space that shaped two of the most important parts of my artistic identity.

From a Simple Idea to a Packed Laugh Club

My journey into stand-up comedy didn’t begin in a city theatre or an open mic. It began right here at Koota.

A passing thought—”what if we had comedy nights here?”—soon snowballed into something much bigger. Today, the Malhar Laugh Club, which I started here, has hosted 25+ packed shows. We’ve had some of Bangalore’s biggest comics (Sonu Venugopal, Daniel Fernandes, Punit Pania, Nishant Suri to name a few), but more importantly, we’ve built a homegrown community of comics.

For me, comedy became more than just performance—it became expression. A form of storytelling. A way to examine the absurdities of everyday life, our hypocrisies, our systems, our selves—through well-timed punchlines.

And it all started because one space said yes.

Wildlife: The Realest Comedy and the Rawest Truths

If comedy helps us laugh at ourselves, wildlife reminds us that we’re not the centre of the universe. And both deserve a stage.

At Koota, I’ve hosted awareness sessions, nature walks, photography exhibits, panel discussions, and curated multi-day thematic events like ‘Wild Malhar’. We brought together ecologists, artists, children, photographers, and curious minds to experience the world through a non-human lens.

Because wildlife isn’t just about the wild—it’s about life. And in today’s rapidly eroding ecosystems, programs like these are not just “nice to have” anymore.

Through these events, we’ve sparked curiosity, encouraged conscious living, and shown that even in the heart of suburbia, you can reconnect with the planet—one bird call or snake rescue story at a time.

Myths to Bust and Stories to Tell

Let’s bust a persistent myth while we’re at it: Koota is not part of Goodearth (the builder). Yes, it’s located at Tarana, within Goodearth Malhar, but it is independently owned and run, complete with a library, an outreach program, and a schedule packed with artistic, educational, and thought-provoking events.

It is, in the truest sense, a community-funded and community-fuelled space.

Why Koota Matters (And why spaces like these always should)

In a world addicted to scrolling, few places invite you to pause. Fewer still invite you to express. Koota is one of those rare spaces where artists are nurtured, not managed. Where audiences lean in, not zone out. Where your ideas aren’t just heard—they’re held with care.

Whether it’s an emerging comic, a seasoned dancer, a child with a curious question about snakes, or someone like me—a multi-passionate explorer of everything from lemurs to laughter—Koota has created room for all of it. Without judgment. Without formality. Just with the quiet conviction that art matters.

Seven Years, Infinite Stories

As Courtyard Koota prepares to celebrate seven years of this madness and magic, this is a shout-out to this incredible venue, not just as a performer or curator, but as someone whose life changed because a space like this chose to exist.

To anyone reading this: If you’re holding on to an idea, a passion, a hobby, a half-finished poem or a half-baked joke—bring it to Koota. Because you never know what can grow when the soil is this fertile.

Art needs a stage. And sometimes, you don’t know you’re the artist until you’re on one.