Nagpur: The decision to hold Kalidas Music Festival entirely at Nagpur has not gone down well with the member of legislative assembly from Ramtek. The protest has been loud enough to make the chief minister Devendra Fadnavis issue instructions to retain Ramtek as a part of the event. Now, Kalidas festival will be held in two parts — at Nagpur from November 17 to 19 and two-day Kalidas Lok Mahotsav at Nehru Maidan, Ramtek on January 27 and 28.
Addressing the media on Monday, divisional commissioner Anup Kumar informed that though a decision had been taken to hold a tribal and folk dance festival at Kunwara Bhimsen later, but now it will be held at Ramtek. "On Friday, the chief minister informed us that Ramtek should not be dropped as venue for events being held under the Kalidas Mahotsav banner."
Still not happy with the decision, Ramtek MLA Mallikarjun Reddy said that the tradition was to hold the festival first in Ramtek. "Kalidas festival is about the history of Ramtek and is linked to its identity. Since 1996 it is first held at Ramtek then at Nagpur. Why should this tradition change now?" he asks.
Not agreeing with the reasoning that there was no audience for the classical music festival there, he said, "Are labourers, farmers and local people not an audience?" Reacting to the suggestion that Ramtek should create its own cultural property, the MLA said, "Nagpur should create one of its own as Kalidas festival belongs to Ramtek."
Lack of infrastructure at Ramtek leads to stretching of both financial and human resources if an event has to be organized there. "But fortunately, there is a convergence of resources to hold this festival as Adivasi Vikas Vibhag will be spending Rs 15 lakh. The South Central Zone Cultural Centre (SCZCC) too would be contributing with their resources," Kumar said.
Besides local folk forms, performances by tribals of Gadchiroli, Zadi Patti artists of Chandrapur, tribals of Chhattisgarh, MP and Rajasthan will be taking part in the two-day festival.
With the Kalidas festival being organized at the 2000-capacity Suresh Bhat auditorium this time, the administration wants a large audience to enjoy the three-day event. "The entry to the events is free," Kumar said. Kalidas festival this year has been dedicated to two legendary vocalists of Hindustani classical music, Kishori Amonkar and Girija Devi, who passed away recently.
The district administration plans to aggressively advertise the event through social media, from Smart City boards and backlights at bus stops.
Addressing the media on Monday, divisional commissioner Anup Kumar informed that though a decision had been taken to hold a tribal and folk dance festival at Kunwara Bhimsen later, but now it will be held at Ramtek. "On Friday, the chief minister informed us that Ramtek should not be dropped as venue for events being held under the Kalidas Mahotsav banner."
Still not happy with the decision, Ramtek MLA Mallikarjun Reddy said that the tradition was to hold the festival first in Ramtek. "Kalidas festival is about the history of Ramtek and is linked to its identity. Since 1996 it is first held at Ramtek then at Nagpur. Why should this tradition change now?" he asks.
Not agreeing with the reasoning that there was no audience for the classical music festival there, he said, "Are labourers, farmers and local people not an audience?" Reacting to the suggestion that Ramtek should create its own cultural property, the MLA said, "Nagpur should create one of its own as Kalidas festival belongs to Ramtek."
Lack of infrastructure at Ramtek leads to stretching of both financial and human resources if an event has to be organized there. "But fortunately, there is a convergence of resources to hold this festival as Adivasi Vikas Vibhag will be spending Rs 15 lakh. The South Central Zone Cultural Centre (SCZCC) too would be contributing with their resources," Kumar said.
Besides local folk forms, performances by tribals of Gadchiroli, Zadi Patti artists of Chandrapur, tribals of Chhattisgarh, MP and Rajasthan will be taking part in the two-day festival.
With the Kalidas festival being organized at the 2000-capacity Suresh Bhat auditorium this time, the administration wants a large audience to enjoy the three-day event. "The entry to the events is free," Kumar said. Kalidas festival this year has been dedicated to two legendary vocalists of Hindustani classical music, Kishori Amonkar and Girija Devi, who passed away recently.
The district administration plans to aggressively advertise the event through social media, from Smart City boards and backlights at bus stops.
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