Ravindra Natya Mandir in Mumbai.
Balgandharva Kala Dalan in Pune.
Kala Academy in Goa.
Freedom Park in Bangalore.
Etc.
These places are at prime locations and are run by the government. These have given a platform to many artists who are celebrities today. An artist needs a platform to showcase his art or talent. Sadly, Belagavi doesn’t have any and the ones that existed are been brought down making way for malls and shopping complexes.
Kala Mandir is been demolished and we were hoping to see a new structure to come up which had an art gallery for photography exhibitions, elegant stage for dramas, a big hall for painting workshop or yoga sessions or kathak practices, acoustic seminar hall for startup talks or seminars and much more. But alas, this is not gonna happen and a yet another shopping mall will take its place.
Development doesn’t only mean building roads, bridges, and malls. People need to develop simultaneously. Art has to be given due importance and every city should mandatorily have a platform for artists. Many artists suppress their talent just because of the absence of a platform.
Many may not agree with the view, but once if you visit all the places mentioned above and the activities that happen there, you will get my point. I could host India’s first food photography exhibition at Balgandharva Pune only because someone decided not to demolish it and make it a mall. Soon after the exhibition, so the Belagavi Cell shots group was created. So you know the importance of a “platform”.
Absolutely valid Point !! Instead of Multiplex why can’t we have a Drama Theatre ?
Kala mandar, as the name goes, was recognised by the people as place for Artiste and Art. To keep its identity intact, it should be developed as a Drama Theatre (at the place of Multiplex, on the top floor).
Smart city Co-ordinators, Mr. Suresh Angadi, Mr. Abhay Patil …. are you listening ??