Mysuru: The sprawling Maharaja’s College Grounds in city wore a festive look as the two-day Rani Abbakka Samskrutika Utsava (Coastal Cultural Fest) showcasing the rich coastal art, culture and traditions began this morning. The fest is organised by the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Sangha, Mysuru, in association with various organisations of coastal regions and Rani Abbakka Utsava Samithi, Ullal, Mangaluru.
The cultural events began at 8.30 am with mass singing and Bharatanatyam, followed by devotional songs, Nadageethe and chande-valaga performance.
Coastal artistes playing the chande and valaga during the two-day Rani Abbakka Cultural Fest at
Maharaja’s College Grounds in city this morning. [Pic. by Pragathi Gopalakrishna]
A coastal art, tradition and cultural expo, with 12 stalls, provides information and insights into a whole range of coastal richness, highlighting religious practices, educational and academic achievements, food habits, art and literature, folklore including the famous yakshagana art and eminent personalities.
Students performing dance at the Utsava
The expo features over a hundred personalities from coastal region who have excelled in various fields such as politics, sports, art and culture, literature, cinema, business, academics, researchers and scholars etc.
The photo expo also features great personalities such as Kota Shivaram Karanth, Gopalakrishna Adiga, U.R. Ananthamurthy, M. Govinda Pai, Sudhakar Bhandari, Bannanje Govindacharya, K.V. Kamath, Santosh Hegde, Sir Benegal Rama Rau, Shantharam Pai; freedom fighters Karnad Sadashiva Rao, K.S. Hegde, U. Srinivas Mallya, Narsing Rau, R. Ranganath Shenoy, Vaikunta Baliga; political leaders Shobha Karandlaje, Jayaprakash Hegde, V.S. Acharya, Ramakrishna Hegde, Margaret Alva, Jeevaraj Alva, D.V. Sadananda Gowda, Manorama Madhwaraj, B. Ramanath Rai, U.T. Khader, Vinaykumar Sorake, Veerappa Moily, T.A. Pai, Janardhan Poojary, Oscar Fernandes, Nalin Kumar Kateel, B.M. Idinabba, I.M. Jayaram Shetty, George Fernandes, U.T. Fareed and B.A. Mohiuddin; Artists, singers and actors such as Kalpana, Gurudatt, Anant Nag, Shankar Nag, Aishwarya Rai, Shilpa Shetty, Anushka Shetty, Vinaya Prasad, Kashinath, Upendra, Gurukiran, V. Manohar.
A child rocking the traditional wooden cradle on display at the expo
The TMA Pai Business Enclave having 10 stalls features an expo of hospitals, educational institutions, business and commercial establishments, public and private sector banks having roots in coastal districts and the like.
The two-day gala event presents a refreshing entertainment through a variety of cultural programmes to be performed by noted singers and artistes and exposure to rich Karavali traditions and practises. A number of food stalls offering a whole range of Karavali dishes have come up at the venue.
Women taking a look at the coastal artefacts on display at the expo
FKCCI Vice-President Sudhakar S. Shetty, who is also the President of Rani Abbakka Samskrutika Utsava Samithi, Mysuru, office-bearers of various associations and organisations from coastal region were present.
Thousands of people had assembled at the venue for the mega event which was scheduled to be formally inaugurated by former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda when we went to press.
This post was published on February 10, 2018 6:45 pm