People visiting Rangayana, the State’s premier theatre repertory, during the Dasara festivities, feel as if they are in a ‘model village’, experiencing rural life.
In accordance to its theme for Dasara, ‘Rangayanada Nadige Raithara Kade’, the repertory has resolved to develop a village on its campus detailing how farmers and others lead life there and why villages are essential.
As the annual Navarathri Rangotsava hosted by Rangayana has been cancelled this year in view of low-key Dasara, the Rangayana is holding “pro-farmer” events to inculcate a sense of confidence among farmers who are in need of moral support in this hour of crisis.
Even as migration to cities and towns from villages is on the rise, the concept has been timed to showcase the beauty of a village and the need to safeguard villages from urban onslaught.
Rangayana Director H. Janardhan (Janni) told The Hindu that Navaratri Rangotsava, which used to a treat to theatre enthusiasts every year, will not happen this year and instead the artistes will tour the district staging street plays to boost the morale of farmers.
With the support from the Department of Agriculture, Rangayana artistes in batches will tour the district for eight days staging plays based on the theme of farmers and agriculture.
Besides, eight farmers with small land holdings, who have excelled in their field, will be felicitated at Vanaranga in Rangayana. Each day, one farmer, including from north Karnataka, will be felicitated, he added. Most importantly, the farmers identified for felicitation have been practising organic farming, Mr. Janardhan said, adding that they have shown that agriculture can be sustainable even with minimum land holding.
The programme at Rangayana will begin daily at 6 p.m. On the occasion, Kalamandira will screen Kannada films that had been based on agriculture and farmers 7 p.m. onwards.
