Folksy show on stage

The students of Acharya Institutes had a grand time recently, as they celebrated a festival filled with colour, culture and excitement at their college campus.

The festival, which was called Janapada Sambhrama, aimed at showcasing some of the unique and near-forgotten folk traditions from different parts of the country — and in fact, all of Asia.

The students of the college came together to present some of the cultures and traditions followed from their own hometowns and the result was a delightful host of vibrant and energy-infused performances.

The enthusiasm with which the students took to the occasion went a long way in proving that today’s youth isn’t obsessed with a world of cellphones and electronic gadgets.

Students from various departments of the college both participated as well as witnessed the display of folk arts. In fact, the occasion transpired to be the perfect dais to represent the identity of different parts of the continent.

The performances were varied and replete with historical significance. Reflections from different countries came together on a single stage — soulful Afghan folk songs, lively bharatanatyam performances and North-Eastern music traditions were put up with equal zeal.

Some students also showcased karaga, which is an ancient Tamil folk dance well-known for its energy and effortless movements.

Turning to roots much closer to home, there was also a kolatta performance — a spirited dance form from Karnataka, which involves the tapping of sticks in time with the beat. This was followed by dollu kunitha also a Karnataka-originated dance which involves spirited drum-beating and yakashagana, which is a musical form of theatre.

The students also put a lot of effort into the costumes which they sported — while the girls went for traditional outfits like silk saris and tied up their hair with jasmine flowers, the boys went all out to embrace the different folk traditions. They threw on dhotis, tunics and turbans, waved flags and even tied colourful sashes around their waists.

Archana, who anchored the programme in Kannada and also belted out a song, says the entire experience was lively and spirited.

''The great thing is that it was really informal and fun. In fact, I had a lot of fun along with my friend Venkatesh, who was the other anchor. The performances were great!” she smiles.