BENGALURU: Women artistes from across India, including the city’s first all-woman Yakshagana troupe, will perform at the second edition of ‘All Women World Art Festival’.
The fest, which was inaugurated on January 29, is being organised to promote gender equality, says Srivatsa Shandilya. Srivatsa, managing trustee of International Arts and Culture Foundation, organised the city’s first transgender festival in July 2016.
The five-day event, which will now commence on February 18, will see women artistes from other states including Jharkhand, Manipur and Kerala.
Karnataka Mahila Yakshagana will perform at this fest, for the first time. “Yakshagana, the traditional dramatic art form, had always been performed by men,” says Gauri, director the Yakshagana troupe. “We have been challenging that for the past 18 years.”
Srivatsa says, “Even after 60 years of Independence, we rarely find women musicians for Chhau dance form.”
What Started It
Srivatsa, who is professionally a photo journalist, opened a cultural institution in 2012.
To mark the birth anniversary of Kannada actor Rajkumar, he had organised a programme featuring old classical numbers.
Shalini Rajneesh, the then principal secretary with the Department of Kannada and Culture, was the chief guest and mooted the idea for this fest to Srivatsa.
Shalini, who is currently the principal secretary in Health and Family Welfare Department, says, “I have seen many talented women who bury their talent by not venturing out. The primary thing is to build their confidence. Positive discrimination, through which women can be given incentives to participate, does no harm.”
As the principal secretary with the Department of Kannada and Culture, Shalini used to attend functions and see empty halls that had classical programmes and jam-packed halls for rock-and-roll.
Festival of Masks
Last year, folk music was the theme of the fest while this year it is mostly about masks. “This year, I chose to have mask-based dances such as Yakshagana and Chhau, mainly because the tradition of masks is dying,” says Srivatsa.
Around 80 women are expected to participate in the event, which is partly sponsored by the Department of Kannada and Culture and Cultural Centre - Thanjavur.
You can expect to see puppetry shows too. “It is an art form in which women have always played a major role,” says Srivatsa. The fest will be held at four different venues including Iskon Temple and Dhaatu Puppet Theatre.