Mysuru: The stage is set for the inauguration of the 17th edition of Bahuroopi, the National Theatre Festival, tomorrow (Jan.14) with 70 per cent of the work completed at Rangayana premises on Hunsur Road here. A flurry of activity was going on to finish the remaining 30 per cent work.

As a prelude to the opening of the festival, street-plays with the theme ‘Migration’ was staged today at the Chikka Gadiyara (clock tower opposite Devaraja Market South entrance) and near Nanjumalige Circle to enlighten the people about the various aspects of migration and also to enthuse the people to attend the eight-day festival.

The artistes participating in various plays are yet to arrive and they are likely to come this evening and tomorrow morning. Arrangements have been made to put them up in Yatri Nivas, KSOU and University of Mysore Guest Houses and Chamundi Guest House. Rooms have been booked for nearly 150 artistes.

The District Administration has made arrangements to ferry the artistes from the Guest Houses to the performing venue, hiring 12 mini buses. To fulfil the drinking water requirements of the people visiting the festival, eight tanker loads of drinking water would be supplied every day.

The intellectuals who will be delivering talks in the seminar on migration will be housed in Ruchi The Prince on Hunsur Road. The late senior theatre person Srikanta Gundappa’s collection of paper cuttings and photographs related to amateur theatre will be on display at the Suchitra Art Gallery from tomorrow.

Rangayana exhibition, which has book stalls, handicraft stalls and food stalls will also open for public from tomorrow. This time lottery system is adopted for allotment of stalls.