JOIN US“The sum and substance of my contention was that representative theatre institutions both at national and state levels have not succeeded in protecting and promoting regional forms in an authentic way,” he said in a press note.
“ I further said there are innumerable forms of performances in the country which are fast becoming extinct because of the neglect of institutions. I illustrated this with reference to ‘dol sagar’, a dalit form of great potential found in the Himalayas. The voluntary efforts of the local communities, administration and the artistes are essential to protect such forms,” he said in his press note.
“I expressed my concern over the fact that fund-raising has become a major issue with performers and institutions these days. In this context, I dwelt on the failure of national institutions (NSD,SNA) and state-level institutions (Rangamandal, Rangayana, Neenasam) in protecting vanishing species of performance,” he said.
He said: “My remarks about Rangamandal have also been twisted. Though the late B V Karanth set up Rangamandal with the help of local troupes, he neglected them once Rangamandal grew stronger. The local people irritated by the neglect nicknamed Rangamandal Rum mandal. I was quoting what I had heard from the local theatre people,” Shivaprakash said.