Dalit art mesmerises Kolar

A number of artistes from the district and surrounding areas displayed their art at the mela organised at the Nachiketa Hostel premises. Colourful palanquins lined the procession followed by dollu kunita, betala and kapalika nrutya and many other art forms.

Folk troupes attired in their traditional dresses enthralled the people with their art. The mela gave the onlookers an insight into the art and dance form associated with Dalits.

Inaugurating the programme, Social Welfare Officer E Venkataramaiah said even though Dalits are economically backward, they are rich in their art forms and suggested that they work to attain economical independence through education.

Former minister Alangur Srinivas, Additional Superintendent of police Bhagavan Das, Harohalli Narayanaswamy, Muniraju, G Nagaraj and Suryaprakash spoke on the occasion.

Alangur Srinivas, zilla panchayat president Manjula and Additional Superintendent of police Bhagavan Das was facilitated on the occasion.

The Dalita Kala Mela is being held after a gap of 26 years. It was last conducted in 1984 and journalist P Lankesh presided over the fest then.

Teams from the Dalita Sangharsha Samiti were not sighted in the mela organised by the
District Dalit Organisations. It was the opinion of the participants that the cultural fests should not be restricted to any organisations.

Papamma, Somashekhar, Ramesh, Prakash, Govindappa, Social Welfare Officer Natraj, Rajakallahalli Umashankar, Ravikumar, Jannagata Krishnamurthy and others were present on the occasion.