Mysuru: Every evening as the Sun sets, Rangayana comes alive with music, song, dance and drama as part of Bahuroopi, the National Theatre Festival. Yesterday was the fifth day and it  was no different from the other days, and in fact, the tempo increased.

Vanaranga, as the name suggests, is a stage, set amidst the canopy of trees, rarely seen anywhere else in the country or even in other parts of the world. The two dances presented yesterday had the audience wanting for more. The Jogathi Dance by Sri Shankarappa Ramappa Shankaranna and team from Gadag had the audience in raptures. The stage was set with the melodious song ‘Belagagi naneddu yaryar neneyali’ to which the team danced.

The next dance by the 17-member team was mesmerising as the artistes came carrying the kalasas (pots) and Goddess Yellamma’s idol on their head and danced to the number ‘Hutti bande Yellamannagi ninna maduve madi kottiravva Jamadagnige.’ What caught the attention of the audience was, even as the dancers twirled holding the decorated kalasas and the Goddess, they maintained perfect balance.

Added to this was when the young girl balancing the kalashas on her head lay prostrated doing the pranam and chanting Udho Udho, as the audience watched with eyes fully open.

Shankaranna bows to audience demand: When the audience demanded that Sri Shankarappa Ramappa Shankaranna sing a few more songs, he bowed to the demand and sang a humorous number ‘Nambivulla Nayi sakiri, hodadabedri nambivulla nayi sakiri,’ that sent the audience into peels of laughter.

He also sang his own composition ‘Keliri, keliri Kannada tayiya vybhava nanu heluve, Kannadammana kandanu nanu lavani roopadali heluvenu, Kannadammana kandanu nanu hadina roopadali heluvenu’ thus bringing about a patriotic feeling among the theatre lovers. Earlier, Maharani’s Women’s PU College, Mysuru, students performed Dollu Kunitha as part of Yuvaspandana.

At the Kindarajogi stage, Chattisgarh’s Guru Ghasidas team performed a dance with the message of uniting the Satanami Samaj and as they formed a pyramid, the audience clapped in appreciation.

Gowda Paitayi Dance: The Adivasi Baigadi community artistes, sporting a special turban on their head, with flute in their hands and beating the Nagari danced to the beats with proper steps. The uniqueness of this dance is that they begin the performance of Gowda Paitayi dance during Dasara and dance till the end of December every night from 11 pm to 1 am.

At the Kirurangamandira (mini theatre) the Kannada  play Radha written by Sudha Adukala and directed by Dr. Shripad Bhat was performed by Natyaranga, Puttur and at Bhoomigeetha the Hindi play ‘Museum a species in danger’ adapted by Sumedh Kulkarni with concept and direction by Rasik Agashe was staged by Being Association.

The Kannada play Ulida Saakshigalu directed by Shakeel Ahmed was staged by Spinning Tree Theatre Company, Vijayapura.