| Annual Cultural Festivals at SKGS
|
|
|
Sri Krishna Gana Sabha organizes, in a year, three major cultural festivals of Music, Dance and Drama apart from the monthly performances for the benefit of its members and the rasika public. The Music Festival slated for two full months and a little over with about sixty concerts involving about 250 artistes is popularly known as “The Gokulashtami Sangeetha Utsavam (Janmashtami)” in the months of August, September & October 1st week. This music festival is looked upon as a major event of the year by the Rasika public evincing keen interest year after year. The talent promotion scheme of the young artistes, considered the forte of Sri Krishna Gana Sabha for over 35 years, has nurtured many of the present-day top ranking artists. The merit of the talented youngsters is judged by a panel of judges and prizes are awarded to encourage them to further their interest. Literary discourses by Scholars and eminent Pandits form part of the celebrations. On the inaugural day of the Gokulashtami Sangeetha Utsavam, a Sangeetha Vidwan or Vidhushi of merit and popularity is honoured with the Birudhu “Sangeetha Choodamani” carrying a cash award of Rs.25,000/-, a gold medallion, a scroll and a shawl. The Sabha has conferred this annual award to about 36 musicians as of date Acharya Choodamani award also has been instituted from 47th Gokulashtami Sangeetha Utsavam in Aug. 2002 to decorate deserving individuals dedicated to teaching the classical music to students. The Drama Festival is arranged in the month of April styled as “Chithirai Nataka Vizha”. Outstanding Tamil dramas, Sanskrit and English plays as well are selected to be staged for a period of 10 days. As in the Sangeetha Utsavam, on the Inaugural day of the drama festival, a drama artiste of repute is honoured with the Birudhu “Nataka Choodamani” with a cash award and gold medallion. The Pongal Art & Dance Festival and The All India Natya Kala Conference are organized in the months of December & January of every year for a period of one full month from December 15th to January 17th. The daily programme commences with devotional music sessions followed by the Natya Kala Conference proceedings. The afternoons offer concerts by talented youngsters, followed by the performances of eminent, popular musicians in the evening. The last event in the day, is generally a dance programme by artistes of national/international repute representing varied classical system of dance. Sri Krishna Gana Sabha maintains a proud record of cultural events – music concerts by eminent Hindusthani Vocalists and Instrumentalists and Dancers of all systems participating over the years. Here also, on the inaugural day of the Pongal Art & Dance Festival, we honour a dance artiste with the Birudhu of “Nritya Choodamani” carrying a cash award of Rs.25,000/-, a gold medallion, a scroll and a shawl. It is the prerogative and honour of the “Nritya Choodamani” awardee to convene the Natya Kala Conference for that year. So far the Sabha has conferred the Nritya Choodamani awards on 31 dancers belonging to Bharathanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Manipuri, Kathakali, Mohini Attam and Kuchipudi styles. The Acharya Choodamani award for senior classical dance teachers has been instituted from 47th Art & Dance Festival in Dec. 2002 and has been a yearly feature since. The Natya Kala Conference of all India level is a unique event of the Sabha for the past twenty five years. Eminent dance artistes are invited for the conference and eminent scholars both from within and outside our country make the conference a tremendous success. The conference comprises of lecture- demonstrations, research paper presentations and live performances on various aspects of dance as chosen by the invitees. |
The 56th Gokulashtami Sangeetha Utsavam-2011 |
|
The incomparable Mali with the doyen Palghat Mani Iyer@SKGS Abhinaya Queen Bala with Dr. Padma@SKGS in 1974 The great Kathak exponent Birju Maharaj@SKGS The Delhi Troupe with renowned critic 'Subbudu' as director@SKGS in the 70s |
|
