All roads in the city lead to Rangayana where the ongoing national theatre festival, Bahuroopi, has a slew of events for the public. Apart from plays, it also has a photography exhibition [with over 100 photographs depicting the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi], besides stalls exhibiting and selling handicrafts and handloom items, and art works.
As this year’s event coincides with the 150th birth anniversary of the Mahatma, the focus of the festival is to highlight the relevance of Gandhian ideals and values.
Given his association with the charkha, there is a pavilion dedicated to the spinning wheel and the products brought out by the handloom unit from T. Narsipur.
At the pavilion is a loom operated manually and visitors can get to know of the spinning and weaving mechanism.
Muthuraj of Malai Mahadeshwara Kaimagga Sahakara Sangha of T. Narsipur, who is in charge of the pavilion, said the public response was good and there was a small but dedicated crowd that tend to patronise khadi and handloom.
“People generally find the khadi products expensive compared to the mass produced products but fail to recognise the underlying economics and its impact on the rural poor,” said Mr. Muthuraj.
However, he said that there were Gandhians who preferred khadi and the sector was expected to remain afloat as there would always be people who cherish the Mahatma’s values. Though the sector is facing hard times, there is encouragement by the government which tends to subsidise khadi and handloom by providing financial assistance to procure the raw material cotton.
In addition, there is marketing support which keeps the cooperative units floating, said Mr. Muthuraj. By evening, the rush is towards the plays which unfold to a capacity crowd.
Theatre buffs were treated to the 701st performance of Mukhaymantri on Saturday evening. On Monday evening, Sangeet Brari, a Marathi production, will be staged at Bhoomigeetha from 6.30 p.m., while Vanaranga will host a Yakshagana programme, and Gubbu conpany’s popular play Subhadra Kalyana will unfold at Kalamandira from 7.30 p.m.
