Different Hues Of The Same Bouquet

A variegated cultural show was presented by the Department of Culture at Ravindra Bharathi as the last of its programs for this month. Folk artists from Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharastra and Andhra Pradesh performed their respective folk dances.

The presentation seemed so natural and earthy that the audience had a wholesome view of the ethnic cultures. For instance, the Telangana folk of Andhra Pradesh staged the vibrant 'Bonalu', and the ritual dance where a huge colorful cone of flowers and a ceremonial pot are symbolic of the Mother Goddess. And folk artists from Maharastra followed with a lively 'Tamasha' and 'Lavani', where both men and women dance in a quite amusing and romantic manner.

The Yakshagana artists from Karnataka gave a dramatic presentation clad in heavy costumes of crowns, shoulder pads and anklets. The theme was the age-old battle of good versus evil. Last but not the least, artistes from Madhya Pradesh - men holding indigenous percussion instruments and bells, and women with veils adorning their heads - danced in circles and sang songs of domestic rituals and harvest celebrations. All together, over 60 performers participated, and are going to proceed to different parts of Andhra in a touring program to showcase the ethnic culture.