Mysore/Mysuru: Joint Director of Kannada and Culture Department V.N. Mallikarjuna Swamy said “Tribals who have been practicing ancestral culture and tradition, have still made the indigenous culture an integral part of their life.”

He was speaking after inaugurating Tribal Fest-2023, organised under Tribal Sub-Plan by the Kannada and Culture Department at Mini Theatre in Kalamandira on Hunsur Road in city yesterday.

“We should preserve our indigenous culture, as Karnataka once boasted of myriad cultures in practice in various parts, which have now gone extinct. But still the tribal culture hold the distinction for being rare and oldest that exist till date,” added Mallikarjuna Swamy.

Kannada and Culture Department has been organising various programmes throughout the year to create awareness among the people about culture, literature and tradition rooted with the land, he said.

For the last 60 years, the Department has been organising various programmes that keep alive the art, literature, culture, Kannada land and language, with the finest examples in this regard being Mysore Dasara, Hampi Utsava, Chalukya Utsava, Lakkundi Utsava, Navarasapura Utsava,  Anegundi Utsava, Banavasi Utsava, Jalapathotsava to name a few among several other festivals.

The programmes are aimed at identifying the art of even microscopic communities and preserve them by taking them to mainstream of the society, said Mallikarjuna Swamy.

Earlier Chamaraja MLA K. Harishgowda gave a kickstart to the procession of cultural troupes by beating the drums.

Assistant Director of Kannada and Culture Department Dr. M.D. Sudarshan, who also spoke said “The programmes were mainly aimed at exhibiting tribal arts and all the artistes who took part in the events belong to Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. “

D.K. Lokesh and troupe from Doddamaranahalli rendered a light music concert, Javara Nayaka and troupe from H.D. Kote rendered a folk song concert, Rajeshwari and troupe presented devotional music, P. Devanna and troupe from Kalale in Nanjangud taluk presented ‘Tatva Padas,’ Ramya and troupe performed ‘Dollu Kunita,’ Challan and troupe from H.D. Kote performed ‘Betta Kuruba’ traditional dance, Ramesh and troupe from Nanachchigadde hamlet performed ‘Adalemara’ dance, Rajashekar and troupe from Talakad performed ‘Chilipili Gombe’ dance, R. Prathap and troupe from Kalale in Nanjangud taluk recited ‘Kombu Kahale,’ Ramesh and troupe from Panjalli Colony, H.D. Kote, performed ‘Karadi’ dance’ and Lilli and troupe from Yallapur, performed                          ‘Damami’ dance.