Mango orchards in Repuru on the city outskirts have turned into a classroom for over 50 enthusiasts learning ‘dappu’, a musical instrument of folk tradition.
Sitting underneath the trees in rapt attention, the students listen to the lecture-demo of their teacher, who has came all the way from Hyderabad to conduct the four-day special training session being organised by the Praja Natya Mandali, the cultural wing of the CPI(M).
Students, youngsters, trade union members, and school teachers formed part of the pupil.
“The training programme is an attempt to protect our culture that is facing a challenge in the era of globalisation. We are very happy to see the response to the programme,” said G. Prabhakara Varma, honorary president of the United Teachers’ Federation’s district unit and in charge of cultural affairs while inaugurating the programme.
“We feel it our responsibility to showcase an alternative to foreign culture. Besides opposing the cultural pollution, we are here with our own choice now,” he said. “The classes will be conducted for four days from morning till evening. Participants will be taught how to play the instrument, along with playing the tunes of a few songs. Once the training is completed, they can play the instrument on their own provided they practice it regularly,” said Ilaiah, a senior artiste from the Praja Natya Mandali’s Telangana State wing.
“We are conducting the programme for the second time in the city in the last 10 years. The response is quite good,” said Palivela Veera Babu, secretary of the CPI (M) city unit.
