Thaindian News

New Delhi, Nov 4 (IANS) Nearly 200 children from across the country will showcase traditional arts and crafts at the Crafts Museum in Pragati Maidan in a weeklong Bal Sangam 2011, starting Nov 8.

The Bal Sangam is an outreach programme presented by the Saanskar Rang Toli — theatre-in-company — of the National School of Drama (NSD) every two years to educate children about the country’s traditional arts.

The first one was held in 2001.

“What is exciting is that unlike early years, we are seeing more and more people applying to take part in the festival. Earlier, we had to request performers to take part in Bal Sangam. That fulfills our mandate of maximum participation,” said Anuradha Kapur, NSD director.

This year the children accompanied by 71 adult performers will stage a wide range of folk performances including the “thang ta” - a martial dance from Manipur, “kalaripayattu” of Kerala, folk dances of Jammu & Kashmir and puppet dance from Rajasthan.

The cultural assembly will begin with an orchestra of Laanga music, a rare ethnic genre from Rajasthan led by Ustaad Rahmat Khan Laanga Nov 8 at 4 p.m.

Bhavesh Chau Natya Kala Kendra from Jharkhand, Hari Saran Cultural Centre, Reasi from J&K;, Hindustan Kalari Sangam from Kerala and the Dasabhuja Gotipua Odissi Nritya Parishad from Orissa are some of the troupes which will participate in the cultural event.

“The idea was to capture the imagination of the young viewers in big cities like the capital to choose theatre, performing arts and culture as career options. Youngsters in cities rarely learn folk arts here. It can inspire them to pick up a genre and study it,” said Kapur.

The performances will be accompanied by workshops and children’s group activity related to the promotion of traditional cultures.

The event will end Nov 14.