HUBBALLI: Many folk artistes and associated organisations have expressed outrage over the withdrawal of puppetry artiste Keshappa Shillikyatar’s name from the list of Rajyotsava awardees by the government. The department of Kannada and culture had cited a technicality for denying Shillikyatar the prize this year – the honour, barring a few exceptions, was largely reserved for those aged above 60 – sparking outrage among the community of folk artistes, who remembered another similar incident wherein Jenukurubara Somanna of HD Kote taluk in Mysuru had been refused the honour in 2016. They felt that this injustice was being meted out only to folk artistes from rural areas and poor.
President of the Kannada Janapada Parishat Balaji S took umbrage at the Kannada and culture department’s response of Shillikyatar being bestowed the honour in a few years’ time. “But he should be given the Rajyotsava award now. We have drawn the attention of both the culture minister and chief minister to this issue on Twitter. We will write to them soon,” said Balaji.
He pointed out that, in an age dominated by technology, puppetry was an endangered art. “If the government insults members of the tribal community practising this art, it will soon become a thing of the past,” said Balaji, calling on the Kannada Bayalata Academy to speak out against the government for the injustice done to Shillikyatar.
Jan Sangram Parishat’s Bengaluru division secretary Jagadeesha said that the officials from the department of Kannada and culture had assured him of Shillikyatar receiving the award in time to come. “Officials found that Shillikyatar’s year of birth mentioned on his passport was 1972, whereas the minimum age is 60, which means that he will have to wait till 2032. Folk artistes are poor and have no voice to speak of, which is why government officials can toy with them,” Jagadeesha rued.
Activist Suresh Kanjarpane said that, upset with the rejection of Jenu Kurubara Somanna for the Rajyotsava honour four years ago, folk artistes had pooled funds, and bestowed on him the ‘Jan Rajyotsava’ award. “Devanooru Mahadeva had felicitated Somanna,” Kanjarpane said.