Karnataka folk artistes in high demand, wages up by 300 percent, do you know why?

Traditional folk art and performances have a rich legacy in the country. They are known to have been performed, and enjoyed since ancient times.

Dollu Kunitha artistes have a packed schedule as they are booked by political parties

BAGALKOT: Traditional folk art and performances have a rich legacy in the country. They are known to have been performed and enjoyed since ancient times. But after people started taking interest in Western art, local folk art and performers have by and large been neglected.

After Election Commission declared dates for Assembly elections in the state, demand for folk art as a form of attracting attention of voters shot up, resulting in political parties making a beeline for native artistes.

Rallies, roadshows, processions and the like, which presently are popular ways of campaigning for all parties, are invariably peppered with traditional art, thus bringing the performers into the spotlight. Needless to say, these artistes, especially in rural and semi-urban regions, where their demand is at a peak, are making the most of the situation.

Despite putting up their price and still having their way with it, artistes are having a “packed” schedule as they are booked by many political parties and contestants till the last permitted day of campaigning.

From Rs 200-300 a day that they are normally paid, their remuneration has leapfrogged to Rs 1,000 per performance, which entails them to start and wind up their act throughout an event, and they are more than willing to do it, for apart from the money, they are also given food.

Regional spread

Quite obviously, folk arts vary by the region, which are broadly split into three categories; coastal, north and south Karnataka. Popular performances are Dollu Kuintha, Samana Kunitha, Karadi Marjal and Kamasale.

It is common for an art form to run in a family, like Amarappa Bhavi, a resident of Ron taluk, who leads a Dollu Kunitha team revealed to The New Indian Express, "I have performed Dollu Kunitha since childhood. Our forefathers performed the same in village car festivals, Mohatsavas and during Diwali and Ugadi. Village ‘mukands’ (chiefs) then offered cereals like wheat for wages, but these days performing in car festivals is not lucrative. We get paid well only for events like birth anniversaries organised by the government, and by leaders of political parties to perform in their roadshows."

Women too have started participating in folk arts like Dollu Kunitha and Kamsale. “Election times are a blessing for some farmers too, especially at times when rains fail, for a lot of them take to performing in whichever way they possibly can, the payment for which is good. Also, we are given food and accommodation for free. Such events also help keep traditional art forms alive,” he added.

Veeresh Kokankoppa, an intermediate student, was quick to grab the opportunity that came “knocking in the form of increased chances because of the upcoming elections”. “But I perform with passion, even if the main reason for me to take it up is because I saw in it the prospect of earning for my family, which otherwise has little means. We are paid on a daily basis. Over the last two weeks, our team has been performing in various towns and cities of North Karnataka, where we also took part in the Nadahabba Dasara festival," Veeresh said.

"We receive wages on a daily basis. This is a nice way to keep myself busy, and it will not affect my studies as we have summer vacation," he added.