Drama to make RTI popular

**karira** · 08-06-2007, 04:24 PM

Drama to make RTI popular

OUR CORRESPONDENT [LEFT]Bhubaneswar, Aug. 5: A dying folk art form will be used to raise awareness about an act that has hardly been able to make its presence felt in the remote corners of the state.

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[LEFT]Daskathia, a form of dance drama which was once popular at village fairs, will now be used to explain the nitty-gritty of the Right to Information Act and ways to use it in rural Orissa .

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[LEFT]The Orissa Sangeet Natak Academy, in association with the State Information Commission recently launched a three-day workshop for the Daskathia singers who gathered from around 10 districts.

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[LEFT]A Daskathia party consists of two persons — a chief singer and a palia, who acts as an aide.

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[LEFT]“Folk art has always been an effective medium. We find Daskathia quite effective and it can be best utilised to serve our purpose of spreading awareness on RTI,” said Radha Mohan, state information commissioner.[/LEFT]
[LEFT]On the first day of the camp, around 30 artistes were sensitised on topics relating to RTI, its importance and application.

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[LEFT]“Our basic aim is to educate artistes about the Act and its importance, so that they can use Daskathia as a medium to spread awareness among a rural audiences,” said Manmath Satpathy, secretary of the Sangeet Natak Acadamy.

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[LEFT]“Most artistes here are semi-literate. We are also trying to teach them in an interesting manner through examples, so that they can grasp the concept well,” said an official of the state information commission.

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[LEFT]“RTI information would be composed into lyrics and sung by them at the valedictory ceremony. The entire narrative would be interspersed with lines relating to the Act and its uses. They would be asked to perform such shows in villages at regular intervals to spread awareness,” said Satpathy.

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[LEFT]In the workshop, the 30-odd artistes seemed excited about the camp.

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[LEFT]“It’s a great session. We never knew that the RTI was so interesting. It’s a great idea to teach people through Daskathia,” said Ramhari Padhi, a Sangeet Natak Academy awardee. Daskathia, once a popular art form has few takers today apart from the rural audiences.

www.telegraphindia.com/1070806/

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