Karnataka's traditional art forms to brighten NMPT cruise terminal

MANGALURU: Tourists – domestic and foreign arriving at the cruise terminal of New Mangalore Port Trust will be greeted by traditional art forms and culture of Karnataka. Thanks to a move by the port trust authorities to invite students and staff of five leading colleges of the city to participate in a painting competition at the cruise terminal on Sunday, the lounge will shortly sport the prize winning entries with suitable descriptions of these paintings.

Themes that students put paint to canvases of size 12feet x 10feet were as diverse as yakshagana, keelu kudure, kambala, pooja kunita, Devi mahatme, bhoota kola, car festival and Tribal Art of Karnataka. “NMPT will exhibit these paintings on the walls of terminal, with suitable captions to enthuse visiting foreign, domestic tourists on richness and variety of the art forms and culture of the state, a corporate relations officer, said.

The port authorities encouraged artistic skills and enthusiasm of all the participants, including the prize winners. Team representing Canara College led by Vaishno Prasad were adjudged winners for depicting yakshagana uniquely. St Agnes College under Jayashri B who painted ‘Keelu Kudure’ were awarded second prize and Govindadasa College, Surathkal team led by Vinod Shetty the third prize for ‘Bhoota Kola and Yakshagana’.

The teams from SDM Law College, Yenepoya Institute of Technology and Engineering and student team from St Agnes College were awarded consolation prizes for their efforts. ‘The Gateway to Karnataka’ as NMPT is described will now be bejewelled with paintings of city’s talent for the world to see, the officer said. Incidentally, even Mangaluru International Airport is experimenting in a similar vein at its terminals to attract the passengers using it.