E R RAMACHANDRAN writes: Now that it’s almost zero hour for the Dasara cultural festivals, it’s worth remembering some points, which will go a long way in making it a success.
The Government, the various committees, sub-committees etc have put in tremendous efforts despite a late start. Artistes from all over the State and the country have been invited to perform at over half-a-dozen places at a time.
The festival is a culmination of religious, spiritual and cultural confluence depicting the ethos of Karnataka and hence rightly called the Naada Habba. It is also a showcase for outsiders, especially foreigners, as Mysore rightly holds the mantle of tourism in the State. Hence it is important that there is dignity in entertainment and grace in the conduct of the various shows.
Following are some of the points which authorities should consider and try to implement to achieve the desired result.
# In the main Palace premise, which showcases the cultural programmes, almost always there is utter confusion, unmitigated chaos during the entire show. The show invariably starts with a very large number of people crowding the dais, each vying with the other to praise the Government in power, a sub–committee member praising rest of his committee members for the favour and finally Goddess Chamundi, in that order! This not only tests the patience of public and the artiste, but is also an unabashed exhibition of mixture of backslapping camaraderie and slavery in public.
They should adopt a crisp introduction cutting out all frills and, start and finish the programme by the clock. A crash course with media event managers like Wizcraft would be ideal as to how to manage time and how to cut unwanted bureaucracy to size.
Once the programme starts, invariably, the latecomers who occupy the front seats make their august presence, expecting the performers to salute them and enter with an assumed and exaggerated sense of self-importance and expecting, if possible, the artiste to repeat the song or dance whatever they had missed!
These habitual latecomers should not be allowed to the front seats but shown their place politely and firmly somewhere near the back. Only by doing this, we can respect art and the artistes.
# One of the major Indian mindset is, no function, play, music, dance or anything for that matter, can take place without a slice of eating thrown in between! Hence we will find vendors hailing their wares such as ‘Sippe Kadale kai’, ‘ Kharada Puri’, ‘Menasina Kai Bhajji’, ‘Pakoda!’ moving around freely right up to the dais.
During a Mohana Aalapana by Balamuralikrishna, you can find a serious bargaining for the eatables converting the place to a Sunday santhe. Sometimes our front bencher-dignitary hails the vendor for a session in bargaining and supply!
By all means, there should be fun and eating is one of the components. Hence authorities should make place for these in the rear in the lawns where a large number listen and watch the show on the CCTV. Here, they can make arrangements for eating to one’s heart content.
# Lastly, do not allow politicians to turn the stage in to a mockery of a show. Couple of years back, one saw a childish MLA rendering ‘Naayi mari Naayi mari thindi Beke’ which was a request from the then Chief Minister. Apart from reducing the show to buffoonery, the CM and his troupe made the main artistes Padma Subramayam and her niece to wait for quite sometime. One must also compliment the dancers who did not want to disappoint the assembled crowd who had braved the rain and danced on an improptu uneven surface earning the gratitude of the public.
No buffoonery please, even if it makes you a faithful dog as in HMV!
As long as you have politicians “kicking off” these functions the “nayi mari” stuff and the accompanying buffoonery will not stop.. nor will the buffoons…
Too bad that it disrespects both the festival and the artistes.
True….and from what I have read and heard all the committees and sub-committess are overloaded with the politicians !!! That’s the saddest part of Dasar every year.
At least we have a G.Narayana to inaugurate the festival. We need to look at the silver lining.
BTW, here’s a very nice article on Mysore by Smt. Anjali Ramanna :
http://thatskannada.oneindia.in/dasara/stories/220906anjali_mysore.html
Thanks for the link December Stud, it was a good read. Although I do think Smt. Anjali Ramanna needs to get out more!
December stud,thank you for the link.Brought back fond memories of Dasara during my childhood.Good work Smt Anjali Ramanna
Thanks December Stud for drawing our attention to that nice article of Anjali Ramanna.I feel that somebody in my house who is far away is telling all those details.
Good post – especially the second point you mentioned! I still remember the ‘rasabhanga’ that I had to go through in the middle of thani avartanams !! :) Kadlekai business needs to be better managed.
This was a good one. A systematic process can make all such major celebrations a true blissful experience.
I was at the palace yesterday to hear Rajan and sajan Mishra perform. One thing that struck me was the lack of any security..Its totally absent. There is a metal detector at the entrance and people keep bypassing it. One can easily carry large bags with explosives without anybody even questioning what is being carried..
inti
idly soma
(brother of deadly soma)
The activities across the city are more than welcome. For the last few years, there has been little improvement, but still a lot more needs to be done. On the first day of Dasara, it was sad to see both the statues of the Wodeyars with no illumination whatsoever. It was like filling the entire house with lights with no lamp infront of the main deity. Hope this gets rectified.
Sadly, State Department of Toursim has failed in its attempt to lure Western tourists for Dasara. High time, it took cue from its Kerala counterpart on attracting them and also involving them to a certain extent — the most recent example being the annual boat race in Alleppey.
Close maadu Siva website ..neenu baryalla adhu agolla
yinnu yaake ningae vyaamoha….olle Prajae neenu
and last year, if i remember pandit vishwa mohan bhatt was asked to finish off his performance due to time constraints as some dumb politician had to leave….such things shouldnt happen….politicians shouldnt grace such events, in my opinion,even if they want to they should come with sufficient time on their hands.
yes……shut it down..,..its sad to come back day after day hoping there is something new in here….
Time to shutdown this blog guys. Why is this site so stale? Whatever happened to your claims about the readership?
“No buffoonery please, even if it makes you a faithful dog as in HMV! ”
This is a good statement :)
Thumbaa divsa aaDmele churumuri enaaythu antha nodakke bandhe. hasi eeruLLi thumba divsa itre hengirutho hangaagiDe. saakappa saaku. It was good when it lasted, Sadly got orphaned. Long live churumuri.
KP what is stopping you from that one step towards a dignified exit ?
KP , Mayaade iddare Nam DG hellidannu keli and close this Blog, Probably
you are busy in making money
i’m returning to the blog after v long and am disappointed to see it unupdated for so long
i’m not mysorean but like churumuri for its intelligence and for the food for thought it gives me often
hope to see u back soon
Hello….
Anybody home….?
Today is R.K.Narayan’s birtthday. Not even a post about him on this blog, in which there were debates about how best to remember him. Sigh !!
Nice article. I welcome such articles on every place in karnataka. Every district and taluk has its own identity. My city is bijapur. ramanna can write on my place too..!!
I came, I saw, I was disappointed. By the way, can I get a english version of Ms Anjali’s article?