Belagavi: The state’s famed
Sanehalli National Theatre Festival will happen
online this year, a decision that brought joy to theatre buffs, who were earlier not sure whether the event would be held or not, due to the
Covid-19 pandemic.
The annual event organised by
Taralabalu Jagadguru Shakha Mutt, located in the remote Sanehalli village in Hosadurga taluk of Chitradurga district, sees over 70,000 people participating. This time around, the mutt is expecting virtual participation for the grand seven-day festival that will commence on Sunday.
There are about seven plays that will be staged online from across the state and Mumbai, and lecture series on various topics related to theatre will also be streamed. Many popular troupes have already sent recorded videos of plays for the festival. These plays will be put up on the official website of the festival http://www.shivasanchara.org/, and its Facebook page.
H S Dhyamesh, a member of the organising team, said that apart from plays, other events are also streamed live on the website. At 8 am a talk show Chintana is held every day, which is streamed live. This event is held with a minimum number of audience being in attendance in the mutt premises. The lecture series that scheduled at 6 pm will also be streamed live. This is a first of its kind effort in the state, where an entire festival is being held online, he said.
Marula Siddaih, another member of the team, said that last year about 6,000 people from across the country gathered at the mutt every day, and on the concluding day, as many as 35,000 people descended upon the venue.