Bifurcation of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh had dealt a death-blow to traditional art forms of the region and Anantapur was the worst affected, said actor V.K. Naresh.
The State government may be promoting the forms that are on the verge of extinction, but patronage from people must improve to revive them, he said here on Monday, while distributing d appus (drums) to traditional artists from the Singanamala Assembly constituency.
NRI’s gesture
The drums were donated by an NRI in the United States of the Akansha Charitable Trust to the Kalakarula Aikya Vedika’s State unit, an organisation working for the welfare of traditional artists in the two Telugu States.
Actor Naresh, president of the organisation, said he had adopted Anantapur district nine years ago and now there were 18,000 members from it. About 11,000 of them had government identity cards recognising them as traditional artists and 400 of them received pensions.
Exhorting the youth to take to art forms like Tholu Bommalata , Urumulu and Kommulu , he said the Vedika was doing its best to support children of artists in studies, and their family members.
Artists must remain united and find opportunities so that the forms do not slip into history books, he said.
Artists in Anantapur, Hindupur and Singanamala were active and the organisation was gaining strength with new members joining each day, he said.
Local Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader M.S. Raju has been the key patron of the organisation, he said.
Artists Shiv Kumar, Anjaneyulu and Daiva Ratnam from Singanamala took part in the programme.
