Mysuru: Culture and education cannot be divorced from each other. They are interdependent and the cultural patterns of a society guide its educational patterns. A live example of a heady mix of culture and education was witnessed at Day-1 of Star of Mysore Education Fair yesterday at Maharaja’s College Grounds.

The three-day power-packed event, with all its festivities and spirit, is a crowd-puller and on the very first day, it attracted more than 6,000 footfalls. The Fair is generating a genesis of collaborations and co-operation from institutions, faculty, parents and students resulting in information exchange, identification of talent pool and, of course, ways and means of charting a bright career path.

While the day was spent in exchanging ideas, information and career plans, the evening was dedicated to cultural events where students let their hair down and enjoyed to the hilt. At the same time, they thoroughly entertained the audience. The cultural presentation was a combination of dances and plays. A short play that highlighted the evil effects of greed made the audience ponder.

The cultural extravaganza began with a melodious Veda recital and ‘Raghuvamsha Sudha Geethe’ of Karnatak Music by students of NPS International. Later, students of Beyond Taalas presented Bharatanatyam on ‘Mahaganapathim Manasa Smarami’ enthralling the audience.

Students of Little Elly School next took over the stage with colourful costumes and presented a dance feature “Bhajanese Dhadak Dhadak” and “Doddavaralla Janaralla, Chikkavarella Konaralla” from the Kannada super hit movie “Guru Shisyaru.” The presentation was so real that the audience connected with the performers and recollected the brilliant performance in the movie by Actor Dwarakish and fellow actors.

Later, students of Sharada Public School sang songs of national integrity and songs dedicated to Lord Krishna and Lord Anjaneya. Likewise, students of JSS School, Manasarowar Pushkarini Vidyashrama, Kautilya Vidyalaya, Vidya Vikas, Ideal Jawa Rotary School and Cstop Animation Academy presented various cultural programmes, regaling the audience.

The stage was next taken over by actress Aishwarya Prasad of “Padde Huli” movie and danced to various Kannada movie songs along with a group of children. Her dance for “Ye Hudugi Yaakingaadthi Maathalle Maralu Maadthi” from the movie “Rambo 2” received a huge response.

Four students from JSS Educational Institution presented a short drama on the evil effects of greed of money, the bad effects on one’s family and social life. The little children demonstrated how greed pollutes the soul, corrupts religion and destroys youthfulness, spoiling the society.

The students, through their play, character enactment and presentation demonstrated that greed is not merely caring about money and possessions, but caring too much about them.

The show-stopper of the cultural evening was the ramp walk by models of Bradford Aviation.