Mysuru: Theatre buffs, students and general public must extend their co-operation to increase the ticket prices of Rangayana Weekend Shows, said Ranga Samaja Member Mahantesh Gajendragada, here yesterday.

He was speaking at the felicitation ceremony to artistes and yakshagana ‘Karibhantana Kalaga’ organised as part of Navarathri Rangotsava at Bhoomigeethe in Rangayana.

Ranga Samaja members Shashidhar Bharighat, Dr. K. Ramakrishnaiah, Mahantesh Gajendragada, Dingri Naresh and H.S. Suresh Babu and Rangayana Director Satish Tiptur felicitated senior yakshagana artiste A.B. Shankarappa of Konehalli in Tiptur on the occasion.

“There has been proposal to increase the ticket prices of weekend shows, currently priced at Rs. 50 per ticket, since many years. People of Mysuru and college students should co-operate with Ranga Samaja to discuss on the proposal,” said Gajendragada.

Further, he added that it was a great pride to have felicitated A.B. Shankarappa of Moodalapaya Yakshagana Trust. “Many folk arts are being staged at Rangayana on the occasion of Dasara festival. Moreover, Rangayana has gained national and international fame through its services to theatre for the past 35 years for which the previous directors have played a pivotal role,” he said.

Rangayana Deputy Director Dr. M.D. Sudarshan, Navarathri Ranga Utsava Convenor B.N. Shashikala, artistes Ganesh Mundharthi, D.R. Nithin and others were present.

At Kirurangamandira

As part of the ongoing Dasara events, Shalini and group of Bengaluru Rural presented classical dance followed by staging of the play ‘Jyotiba Phule,’ by Janapada Kalasangha of Kalaburagi and Sri Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Bayalata and ‘Mussanjeyalli Nadeda Ghatane’ by Abhinaya Darpana of Chikkamagalur.

At Kalamandira

The events at Kalamandira began with Suggi Kunita by Manteswamy Suggi Kunita Kalasangha followed by Taboori janapada by Doddarachappa and group of T. Narasipur, Sugama Sangeetha by A.P. Jagadeesh and group from Hassan and Bidari Bidar Samkruthika Vedike and Bharatanatya recital by the artistes of Sri Ganesh Nrithyalaya Trust of Bengaluru.