News: Shodhan Prasad
Pics: Gulf Kannadiga
Karkala, Feb 27: To mark the completion of 25 years of par excellence in the field of art and culture the Nama Tuluveru Sanghatane (NATKA) has organized a National Drama Festival, ‘Navarangotsava’, a carnivalof nine dramas of different languages which commenced from Friday February 25 and will culminate on March 5.
The dramas are staged at B V Karanth Ranga Vedike, Udupi Zilla Panchayat Higher Primary School Campus, Mudradi from 7.30 pm onwards.
The programme was inaugurated by Nagathihalli Chandrashekar and presided by D K Chowta a well known writer/dramatist along with Dr B V Rajaram, Dr K Marulasiddappa, professor G K Govind Rao, D S Chouguley, Dr N Damodhar Shetty & Bharath Kumar Pulipu as the chief guests.
The valedictory function will conclude on Saturday March 5 at 4.30 PM wherein H Gopal Bhandary will preside with Dr B Jayashree as the chief guests including guests Divakar N Shetty and Ashok Kashyap.
The programme will be followed by felicitation to some of the well-known personalities in the field of art and culture in India and abroad.
Mudradi is a small village in Karkala Taluk of Udupi District surrounded by lush green mountains, paddy fields, tall standing palm and coconut groves close to the shores of Arabian Sea, roaring sounds of waves which can be heard blended with sound of wind and chirping birds. A rich natural place which have given birth to many village industries, banks, education institutions, religious places of worship, various cultural beginnings and above all introduced so many of the well known artists to the world is an unforgettable place remembered by folks till the world lasts.
In 1986 under the patronage of Dharmayogi Mohan of Shri Aadhishakti Temple, Mudradi was born Nama Tuluveru Sanghatane (R) an association for art lovers in the field of drama who initially indulged producing new experimental plays to the people of the village who at that time did not have an opportunity to view these type of dramas.
Krishnamurthy Kavathaar’s ‘Siri Sampige’ was the first and foremost play presented by Nama Tuluveru Sanghatane (NATKA) which gave way to an ocean of more and more new plays to the people of this village thus making ‘Mudradi’ a noted place for art and culture in the neighborhood. Sukumar Mohan a National Award actor himself ably leads the NATKA association as president.
NATKA who have produced, directed, acted and presented more than 60 dramas for the past 25 years with shows going on for more than 500 through out entertaining as well as providing awareness in the span of these years is hoping to be in the Guinness Book of World Records soon.
Team of NATKA
Krishnamurthy Kavathhar, Bhasuma Kodagu, J Sitharam Shetty Koradi, Jeevanaram Sullia, Pramodh Shiggam, Udyavara Nagesh Kumar, C Basavalingayya, Sheena Nadoli, Gururaj Marpalli, Raaj Kumar Bengaluru, Dhakshayini Bhat, Mallikarjuna Mahamane were some of the stalwart dramatist mentors who have guided NATKA to participate in various drama competitions and being honoured with more than 125 awards to their credit.
Some of the well known dramas which gave NATKA a big name were ‘Siri Sampige’, ‘Sahebaru Baruthare’, ‘Pilipathi Gadass’, ‘Dharmethi Maye’, ‘Dhombere Chenni’, ‘Kalaapuratha Kilesi’, ‘Pampanige Bidha Kanasu’, Huliya Neralu’, ‘Asudho’, ‘Ondu Chooriya Kathe’, ‘Media’, ‘Dhangeya Munchina Dhinagalu’, ‘Nalpuda Nalike’, ‘Hoovu’, ‘Naa Thukarama Alla’, ‘Vaali’ etc. All these dramas were presented either in Tulu or Kannada with many shows to their credit.
Other than presenting dramas, NATKA also were arranging various other famous drama troupes to the village during Navarathri under the banner of ‘Navarangotsava’ thus awakening the taste of culture in the citizens of Mudradi. Not only that they used to have conferences, workshops in drama, felicitations to artists in the field of drama and literature, etc all these years. Street dramas were the ace of NATKA which presented several educational dramas on various subjects like ‘Beware of Aids’, ‘Ondu Hennina Kathe’, ‘Vijnanada Aatagalu’, ‘Kasaasura Vadhe’ and so on which gave the citizens an awakening message and awareness in the minds of the people.
Following are the plays scheduled and which will be presented during the ‘Navarangotsava’:
February 25 - Rangayana Mysore’s ‘Sadarame’ Kannada Play written by Bellave Narahari Shastri & Directed by Y M Puttannayya.
February 26 - Charaka Kalavidaru, Heggodu’s ‘Acharya Prahasan’ Kannada Play written & directed by Prasanna.
February 27 - Prayoga Ranga Bangalore’s ‘Mante Swamy Katha Prasanga’ a Kannada Play written by Dr. H.S. Shivaprakash & Directed by Suresh Anagalli.
February 28 - Ranga Niranthara Bengaluru’s ‘Mittabailu Yamunakka’, a Kannada Play of D.K. Chowta adopted by Basavaraj Sulerapalya and directed by Pramod Shiggoa.
March 1 - Dalmiya Theatre Mumbai’s ‘Muktidhama’ a Hindi play written by Ambara Hadapa and directed by Rajendra Sheshaktar.
March 2 - Kala Jagathu Mumbai’s ‘Sharashaiyye’, a Kannada play written & directed by Thonse Vijaya Kumar Shetty.
March 3 - Bhodi Natya Parishat Mumbai’s ‘Thana Mazuri’, a Marathi play written by Premanand Gajvi & directed by Ashok Handori.
March 4 - NATKA Mudradi’s ‘Vaali’ a Tulu play written and directed by Gururaja Marpalli.
March 5 - Folk Dance performance by various teams from all over Karnataka called ‘Janpadotsava’.
On March 5 at around 3.30 PM a tablo procession comprising of various folk dancers will start from the Shri Adhishakti Temple premises leading to the B V Karanth Rangavedike, Udupi followed by Folk/Theatre Songs by Dr B Jayashree and Troupe at 4.00 pm onwards.
The entire programme is being held in co-operation with Ministry of Culture, New Delhi, Kannada and Cultural Department, Bangalore and Karnataka Nataka Academy, Bangalore simultaneously.