You are unlikely to come across another venue, apart from Shilparamam, which seems to strewned with more folk artistes than dead leaves - at the chaurastas, at the chabutaras, even on a rocky mount, and in the boats floating across the lake, you just can't miss them. The surrounding visitors make them out to be a novelty.
Such a sight has almost vanished from our urban settings. A stage set village like Shilparamam, its rustic streets adorned with street plays and dances, brings back moments of our own bygone bucolic culture. There were the dances of 'Bhutta Bommalu' where performers get into huge basket dolls of varied mythical characters and move across, and there was the dance of the emancipated Kali and also the domestic folk songs of the Rajasthani women. The variety of it all is a wonder.
Kishan Rao, Special Officer, Shilparamam, who is striving to bring to the fore these fading traditions, says that these tribal and folk artistes from the interior parts of the country were identified in collaboration with other state governments, and are also being sent elsewhere to demonstrate their ethnic arts. On the other hand, in the current festival, there is regular fare on offer, and dance performances being staged at the amphitheater.
This evening, Anasuya Murthy rendered a few romantic and poetic classical songs, and was followed by yet another Kuchipudi recital by artistes, this time hailing from Nalgonda, headed by Satish Krishna.
So, the next time you drop in at this festival, make the best of the rare scenes on offer, which can however be revived with our patronization.
{{todos[0].text}}