81 folk art troupes to be taken in procession at Shravanabelagola tomorrow

The Kannada Sahitya Parishat is planning to organise a procession comprising 81 folk art troupes to mark the 81st Kannada Sahitya Sammelan through the main roads in Shravanabelagola on Saturday. Poet Siddalingaiah, who will be presiding over the event, will be taken in a bullock cart, along with the procession.

The organisers have chosen a pair of oxen belonging to Patel Manju, progressive farmer from Baralu, a village in Channarayapatna taluk, to pull the cart. The procession will start from the Bahubali Engineering College and culminate at the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee Yard, the venue of the event. Paramesh, farmer from Tyavihalli, has offered his bullock cart for the procession, which has been decorated by Shivashankaramurthy, an artist.

Art workshop

About 30 artists from across the State are participating in the two-day art workshop that began at Shravanabelagola on Friday. The art workshop has been organised as part of the 81st Kannada Sahitya Sammelan. It was inaugurated by Charukeerti Bhattaraka Swami of the Jain Mutt.

The artworks of the participants will be exhibited during the sammelan, beginning on Sunday. Noted artist K.T.Shivaprasad will inaugurate the exhibition.

Holiday

Deputy Commissioner Umesh H. Kusugal on Friday declared holidays for all government, aided and private schools and colleges across the district from January 31 to February 3 in view of the sahitya sammelan. The holidays have been declared under the Negotiable Instruments Act.