JOIN USThe centuries-old art form— Yakshagana with music, dialogues, dance, narration has been used effectively to create awareness on Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in three gram panchayats of Dakshina Kannada and eight gram panchayats of Udupi district.
The theme ‘Khathari pavada’ has turned into an impressive play to help the villagers to understand the benefit of the scheme.
A team of artistes from ‘Shruthi Arts’ of Kavalamudoor under the guidance of Diwakar Das has staged Yakshagana at model gram sabhe at Kavalamudoor, Bannur, Ariyadka in Dakshina Kannada, Belmannu, Kukkundoor, Mundkoor, Edu, Hosmar, Palli, Sanoor and Muniyalu gram panchayats in Udupi district.
The team has created awareness on the scheme through Yakshagana in Udupi through Information department.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, Das said, “our troupe has adapted new age thinking and have not shield away from taking up causes and creating public awareness.
The script to raise awareness on MGNREGS had a deep impact on the minds of audiences, especially in the rural areas. In fact, people had several wrong notions on the scheme and after watching it, all the doubts have been cleared.”
In the Yakshagana, Vishnu sends his two sons— ‘khatari’ and ‘yojane’ to ‘bhooloka’ to spread awareness. The king of Mudoor seeme dreams of the the duo who in turn ask the king to generate employment on individual land by planting fruit-bearing plants.
The king asks an alcoholic to take up the work on planting fruit-bearing plants on his land and during summer, he provides funds under MGNREGS to dig well to irrigate the land. “Through Yakshagana play, we have shown that durable assets can be created under the scheme,” he said.
Dressed in colourful costumes and make-up, the artistes had brought the mythological characters to life by dancing and delivering lengthy dialogues in Kannada with ease.
On Shruthi Arts, Das said that he had started it 15 years ago, to supply costumes for Yakshagana, and other folk arts including Bhootaradane. He had started his career in Talakala mela.
Even his eldest daughter Shruthi also plays a role in ‘Khatari Pavada’ Yakshagana. The whole family including his wife Jayanthi Das, children Srijana, and Karthik too play a role in Yakshagana.
As a recognised team of the Information department, he has received invitation to perform in other parts of the State as well.
Model gram sabha
‘Grama Sabhe—Halliya Vidhana Sabhe’ was organised at Kavalamudoor, Bannur and Ariyadka recently, to ensure participation of the community in the process of development.
“As per Panchayat Raj Act, every gram sabhe should have participation of atleast 100 villagers or 10 per cent of the voters participation. However, majority of the gram sabhe end up in a few handful of people.
If the Gram Sabhe is organised meaningfully, then MGNREGS will be successful in the district. When we discussed with the elected representatives on model gram sabhe, Kavalamudoor GP President Yakoob Saheb showed interest,” said Ombudsman Sheena Shetty.
Kavalamudoor GP Secretary Prabhavathi said that the gram sabhe was with a difference with the participation of around 700 villagers.
After the gram sabhe, there was good response for the MGNREGS for the nutritious garden in land holdings of SC/ST families and digging of wells.
The Gram Panchayat has decided to ensure that fruit -bearing plants to be planted in all the households in the gram panchayat, anganwadi centres, schools and madrasas.
In fact, all the elected representatives and the panchayat staff have vowed to fight against corruption and taken an oath, at the gram sabhe, she added.