Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam is flooded with applications from artistes urging it endow them with opportunity in cultural programmes to be organised for Dasara festival. But, the temple authorities have spruced the slot for cultural programmes under the garb of savings.
The temple management has brought down the number of programmes to 421 compared to the 600 plus last year. The temple earmarked a budget of Rs. 23 lakh compared to Rs. 25 lakh last year.
Though the temple pays “paltry remuneration”, the artistes made vain bid to convince the authorities to provide an opportunity for them during the Dasara.
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The artistes have a sentiment that they should perform at temple during the festival.
The artistes feel that the goddess would bestow them with prosperity if they perform in the precincts of temple during the festivities, explained a temple employee.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) would provide accommodation and darshan to the artistes who gave a performance at Tirumala. But, the Kanaka Durga temple hasn’t provided any accommodation to out-station artistes. Neither lunch nor dinner was arranged for them.
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The police restrictions are another major challenge for them. The police would not allow the artistes to reach the venue in their vehicles. They would have to walk down carrying all their instruments like tamboora, harmonium, veena, etc from Vinayaka temple.
The artistes bear all this just because of their sentiments, said an employee.
The temple encourages Harikatha, burra katha, tappeta gullu, kolatam, pouranika natakalu, bhakti sangeetham, etc. Sri Krishna Tulabharam, Sri Krishna Rayabaram, Ramanjanya yuddham, Harischandra, etc are a few mythological plays. (pouranika natakalu.)
The cultural programmes are organised round-the-clock at Mallikarjuna Mahamandapam. The temple pays Rs. 10,000 for a drama, Rs.2,000 for a musical performance, Rs. 1,650 for a Harikatha, and Rs.1,100 for dance programme.