About 300 folk and Yakshagana artistes, who came to Bengaluru from various parts of the State to participate in the 50{+t}{+h}anniversary celebrations of Ravindra Kalakshetra, were in for an unpleasant surprise on Wednesday morning. The organisers cancelled the event without prior notice. The reason cited was the inability of Kannada Culture Minister Umashree to attend the programme.
Among those who had to go back disappointed were senior Yakshagana artistes Chittani Ramachandra Hegde, Krishna Yaji Balakur, Kolagi Keshava Hegde and Subrahamanya Navada. The only solace was that they were given the promised remuneration. Wednesday’s event — Nenapinokali — was meant to be the first in a series of cultural programmes to mark the anniversary of the cultural landmark. The government has formed a committee to organise the celebrations and released Rs. 2 crore for the purpose. “We got a one-line WhatsApp message from the Department of Kannada and Culture late on Tuesday night that the minister requested postponement of the programme. It was too late to intimate artistes coming from out of town,” said Srinivas G. Kappanna, who headed the committee.
Some discontented artistes alleged that the programme had been cancelled as the invitation card did not mention the portfolio of Ms. Umashree. But sources close to the minister insisted that she sought a postponement due to a bereavement in her family. Already, there is discontentment in the artiste community over the delay in modernisation of the auditorium because of differences between the Department of Kannada & Culture and the Public Works Department.
The Minister could not be reached for comment.
No programme
Organisers cancelled the event without prior notice
Senior Yakshagana
artistes Subrahamanya Navada, Krishna Yaji
Balakur, Kolagi Keshava Hegde, Chittani
Ramachandra Hegde were supposed to participate
The only solace was
that they were given the promised remuneration
Wednesday’s event was meant to be first in a series of cultural events
Government had formed committee and released
Rs. 2 crore for the purpose
