MYSURU: The next time you are passing through Hunsur, take some time out to visit the Pattalamma temple at Gavadagere Hobli, even if you are not a religious person. For the past 10 years, the temple has become a rallying point for youngsters on a mission, to save the state’s folk dance forms.
Around the temple premises, one can spot artistes performing folk dances like Puja Kunitha, Kamsale or even the popular Dollu Kunitha. The youngsters often practise their routines here while other more experienced artistes even give the occasional performance.
All of this has been made possible thanks to the efforts of 26-year-old G K Govinda Nayaka, a resident of Gavadagere. For the past 10 years, Nayaka has dedicated his life to training rural youth to perform various folk art forms. Over the course of the last decade, he has formed three troupes – ‘Sri Mahadeshwara Kala Yuvakara Sangha’, ‘Sri Maharshi Valmiki Kala Yuvakara Sangha’, and another troupe exclusively for women ‘Ardhanareeshwari Mahila Mandali’.
Nayaka teaches Dollu Kunitha, Kamsale, Puja Kunitha, Veeragase Kunitha, Guruvana Kunitha, and also folk songs to all those interested in learning. He teaches schoolchildren before their school timings for about 2-3 hours, while for college students, and others, he holds classes between 4 pm and 8 pm two or three times a week. While the famous Bhadrakali Kunitha is a very difficult art form, performed by the folk art troupes in Nagamangala, this group members have even mastered this folk art form and are giving performances. So far, Nayaka has trained more than 500 youngsters, including 180 girls.
Due to financial problems, the troupe members are not able to give performances outside the country. They are dependent on government-sponsored programmes, from the Kannada and Culture Department, Nehru Yuva Kendra, Department of Youth Services and Sports and other wings. On average, they get `20,000 for each programme, which has to be shared between 20-40 troupe members.
Nayaka says he was interested in teaching and learning folk art because of a teacher in his school days. “I was performing folk arts during Prathiba Karanji events held during school days under the gudiance of my school teacher H S Lokesh, the physical education teacher at the government school, Gavadagere. When I came to PUC, he further inspired me to learn various forms of folk arts.”
His efforts have also made his former teacher proud. “Govinda Nayaka is taking all measures to ensure rural folk art does not vanish. He visits schools and coordinates with students,” says Lokesh.
Nayaka dropped out of college and now earns his living giving programmes. He gives performances for government events, village jatras, and other functions and gets paid `20,000 per event on an average. He has been conferred with ‘Youth Award’ and ‘Adarsha Yuvaka Award’ by the Department of Youth Service and Kannada Sahitya Parishat.
“We have given performances all over the state and even in neighbouring states. We are invited to give performances during village festivals, jatras. Practising these folk art forms has given us recognition in the village,” says G Swathi, a Dollu Kunitha artiste.