With no temple festivals conducted due to lockdown, Vengala Pambai artistes petitioned District Collector recently seeking assistance as their livelihood have been affected. They staged a performance at Kottai Maidan here recently to draw the attention of the authorities towards their plight.

Pambai is a major attraction during temple festivals and there are at least 1,000 artistes in the district dependent on the art for their livelihood.

They said that their major source of income for the whole year come from the performances they give during temple festivals during the Tamil months of Thai and Aadi. Besides, they are also called to perform during some government functions.

V. Shaktivel, a Pambai artiste, said that with no temple festivals, their livelihood has been severely affected and they are struggling to make their ends meet. Members of the Salem district Tamilthai Gramiya Vengala Pampai Esaikalaignayargal Nalasangam requested authorities to take steps to offer a cash relief of ₹2,000 for four months and interest-free bank loans.

P. Nyanavel, Secretary of the association, said: “we are struggling to meet daily needs. We are not able to pay school fees for children. The lockdown has happened exactly during our season and our livelihood has been severely affected. Generally, when we perform at a temple festival, a person would earn up to ₹1,500 and we would get around 10 programmes a month during the temple festival season. Our expectations have gone in vain this year.”

He said that the government should consider utilising them for awareness programmes as it would help them in earning some income during this lockdown period.