I was the last passenger to get off the bus. We had arrived at Heggodu, a small village in Shivamogga district in Karnataka. As I started walking, I realised that the driver, the conductor and I were headed in the same direction. And I discovered that, most unusually, we were all going to the same place, Ninasam. I learned later that this is the only state transport bus that plies between Bengaluru and Heggodu, and the crew always rested in the premises of Ninasam till their return journey the same night. It was 7 am, still very early for Heggodu. It was drizzling and there was a slight nip in the air.
Every time I travel out of the city, the initial hour is full of withdrawal symptoms — time suddenly seems to have stopped, the phone network is patchy, I start worrying about boredom. But a quick nap and a relaxing hot water bath later, my mind stilled and found its place in the quiet of the little village. A few idlis and a hot cup of coffee helped even more.
Ninasam is an acronym for Neelakanteswara Natyaseva Samgha, a theatre training institute and a theatre repertory dedicated to enriching the knowledge and practice of arts in the village community. Its inception was deeply influenced by socialist ideals.
Creative spaces
I was taken on a guided tour by B.R. Venkataramana Aital, the principal. As I listened to him, I secretly marvelled at the performance spaces, seminar halls and reading rooms he led me through. Then we reached the library and I suddenly discovered the memoirs of Leni Riefenstahl. The excitement of finding it in this remote village got the better of me and I spent the next hour in the library exploring all its shelves scrupulously.
I fantasised about how lovely it would be to sit every day for hours in this quiet room, on the small wooden chair, and read the many books without worrying about peak-hour traffic and ordering food online.
I was awoken from my fantasy by Aital inviting me to see the Shivaram Karanth theatre. The 500+ seater proscenium theatre is a performer’s delight with all its facilities and is better equipped than many in the city. I was particularly impressed by the signage — contextual, artistic and handmade. One warned people against spitting betel juice on the floors while another asked visitors to not use cellphones. Visual art was abundantly present everywhere.
Curious glances
After a delightful lunch in the canteen, I decided to take a stroll. As I reached the village square, I realised that my alien status was betrayed by my missing umbrella, which seemed to be a mandatory part of the daily village attire and I attracted many curious stares.
The Malnad region is known for its areca nut farming, and agriculture thrives here. Shiva is the local deity and the Neelkanteshwara temple here has lent its name to the theatre troupe and the cultural organisation. In the afternoon, the village melted away as everyone went off for a siesta. I resisted the temptation and went back to the reading room.
Late in the afternoon, I was invited for tea by a friend’s family in the next village. I gladly accepted and enjoyed the upma and coffee they served. By 6 p.m., I realised that this was the most I had achieved in a single day in a long time. I guess that is what villages are about — they allow you the time and space to live each day to its fulfilment.
My film screening was scheduled for later that evening and when I reached the theatre, I found a sudden surge in the number of people in the audience. This was the first time I had seen more than five people together in the whole day. The discussion after the screening was enthusiastic and I was fascinated by the insights the people of Heggodu provided. It was proof that Ninasam has nurtured a culture of critical thinking and arts appreciation in the community.
That night, when I returned to the bus for my trip home I found a window seat and as I sat down, my first thought was of the traffic I would face the next morning.
The Bengaluru-based writer is a theatre artist, documentary filmmaker and freelance writer whose earlier life was in the technology world.
