Artistes hail amphitheatre plan at Bengaluru's Mahatma Gandhi Park

Taking the arts to the masses is the need of the hour, they say.

Democratising the arts is the need of the hour, and hence, the construction of a performance space on the premises of the under-utilised Mahatma Gandhi Park on M G Road is a step in the right direction, artistes say.

In early March, it was announced that the Central City Corporation had undertaken ‘development works’ at the park at a cost of Rs 4 crore. “The park will have a 2,000 sq ft amphitheatre, a cottage for a library or museum, and gardens designed in the shape of a charkha,” Atif Muhammad, executive chief engineer, Central City Corporation, told Metrolife. Currently, the walkway is also being relaid, he added. 

The two-acre park, located at the junction of M G Road and Queen’s Road and adjoining the Chinnaswamy Stadium, was used for protests at one point, recalled artist and historian Suresh Jayaram. “I’m not sure what its significance was. There is very little information about the park. It has been neglected for a long time,” he said. While there is no information on exactly when it was opened, some sources say it was probably in the early 1900s. 

Historian Suresh Moona recalled that the park was used for non-violent protests specifically by politicians, “who would sit at the base of the main Gandhi statue, with placards”. He noted that a few years ago, there was a call for installing a protective cover around the statue, which was found to be damaged. “However, that idea was dismissed,” he shared. 

When Metrolife visited the park, the walkways had been dug up and the concrete from the once-paved paths had been removed and placed on the side. The fountains and other water features were dry and looked neglected. The park is also equipped with British era lamps and has multiple Gandhi statues.  

While artistes welcomed the development, they urged authorities to pay attention to technical aspects like lighting and acoustics. “When we perform outdoors we are constantly interrupted by loud traffic and other factors beyond our control. We have to find a way to amplify the sound of the music,” said singer M D Pallavi, who has performed at multiple outdoor venues such as Samsa Bayalu Rangamandira at Ravindra Kalakshetra, Shankaraa on Kanakapura Road and at Indira Gandhi Fountain, Vasanthnagar.  

She and Indian classical dancer, Madhu Nataraj, both noted that though performance venues are available, the fees are steep. “Getting people into theatres has become difficult post the pandemic. And I think these kinds of public spaces are the future of performance art, where people can just walk into a performance. This way, we are taking the arts to the masses, rather than waiting for them to come to us,” Madhu noted. Ensuring there is some protection from rain and enough parking are important, as are green rooms for performers, and restrooms, she pointed out.