MANGALORE: The present lifestyle has undermined many a custom, once dutifully followed by our ancestors.
But a unique programme, 'Jeevana Chakra' organised by Kalkura Pratistana in association with Kannada and Culture Department at SDM College hall on Saturday just relived disappearing custom of our ancestors.
The programme was inaugurated, when a small boy priest performed a pooja to Lord Ganesha with great devotion. Briefing the objective behind the programme, Kannada Sahithya Parishath President Pradip Kumar Kalkura acknowledged it as a small effort to revive ancient custom.
'Jeevana Chakra' begins with a pregnant woman witnessing all her wants fulfilled by her family members through the custom of 'Seemantha'. It was also followed by folk songs sung by a group of women.
The scene next shifts to naming ceremony for the new born baby and is followed by brahmopadesha, marriage and so on. The uniqueness of the programme was that each activity was accompanied by rich folk songs. The programme revealed that folks songs were part and parcel of ancient practices.
On the same occasion, five elderly couples were felicitated in acknowledgement of their contribution to society. The couples were Angadimar Krishna Bhat and his wife Yamuna, M B A Muliya and wife Savithri Muliya, Na Ujire and wife Saraswathi, G L Acharya and his wife Leelavathi, Babu Karkera and Lakshmi Karkera.
An expert with handicrafts, Shakunthalamma and Gouramma were also felicitated. The whole programme succeeded in conveying a message on how the Indian culture had been eroded by western culture.