Udupi: A week-long cultural festival titled ‘Vanasuma Jessi Saptaha’ will be held at Muddana Mantapa of MGM College in Udupi from September 9 to 15. Organised jointly by JCI Udupi City, Vanasuma Trust and Vanasuma Vedike, the festival will feature a variety of cultural and entertainment programmes throughout the week.
The programmes will be held every day from 6 pm, providing an opportunity for people to experience theatre, magic, dance, Yakshagana and other forms of performing arts. Basuma Kodagu, director of the cultural week, announced the programme details at a press conference.
Week-long celebration of performing arts
The festival has been planned as a platform to bring together artistes, theatre enthusiasts and members of the public through a series of performances.
The organisers said that each day of the week will feature a different programme, covering diverse forms of entertainment and cultural expression. The line-up includes theatrical productions, a magic show, a couple competition, a dance presentation and a Yakshagana puppet performance.
The organisers expect the variety of programmes to attract audiences from Udupi and surrounding areas and provide a platform for local and established artistes to showcase their talent.
JCI Week Director to inaugurate event
The cultural festival will be inaugurated by JCI India’s JCI Week Director Gourish Bhargava. JCI Udupi City president Pallavi Kodagu will preside over the inaugural programme.
The opening ceremony will also feature the teaser release of the upcoming film ‘Kovi and the Flute’. The film has been directed by Basuma Kodagu and is produced by Emperia Entertainment Private Limited.
Renowned film director J.P. Thoominad will release the teaser during the programme.
The presence of artistes and members of the film’s production team is expected to add further significance to the opening-day event.
Film personalities to attend
Several prominent artistes have been named as chief guests for the occasion. Actors Gopinath Bhatt, Prakash Tuminad, Naveen D. Padil and Deepak Rai Panaje will participate in the programme.
Members of the film’s production team, including Nishan Krishna Bhandari, Lohit Shetty, Hemant Kulal, Deepak Shetty, Sangeeta Sarath, Chandrasekhar Pujari and Subhod, will also be present.
Kumar DB of PS Films and story writer Gururaj Marpalli are among those associated with the film who will attend the event.
The teaser launch is expected to provide an additional attraction for film enthusiasts attending the opening of the cultural festival.
Theatre takes centre stage on September 9
The first day of the cultural week on September 9 will feature the play ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji’. The production will be directed by Vijayakumar Kodial Bail.
The play will form the opening theatrical presentation of the week and is expected to offer audiences a dramatic portrayal centred on the historical figure of Chhatrapati Shivaji.
The organisers have included theatre prominently in the festival schedule, with several plays lined up during the seven-day programme.
Magic show and theatre performances
On September 10, renowned magician Kudroli Ganesh will present a magic show for the audience.
The programme on September 11 will feature ‘Vikram Veda’, presented by the Kaup Rangataranga troupe. The play will add another dimension to the theatre-oriented schedule of the festival.
On September 12, audiences will have an opportunity to watch ‘Kathe Eddendu’, a play directed by J.P. Thoominad. The production is part of the continuing series of theatrical performances planned during the cultural week.
With three consecutive days featuring different productions, the organisers have sought to give theatre enthusiasts a varied experience.
Couple competition and dance performance
A special ‘Annonya Couple Competition’ will be conducted on September 13 from 4 pm. The event is expected to provide an interactive component to the otherwise performance-oriented cultural festival.
The programme will continue on September 14 with a dance presentation by artistes from Savitri Natyashaala. The performance will showcase dance as another important form of artistic expression during the week-long celebration.
The inclusion of a competition and dance programme is expected to broaden participation and appeal to different sections of the audience.
Yakshagana puppet show to conclude festival
The cultural week will conclude on September 15 with a ‘Yakshagana Gombeyaata’ performance and the closing ceremony.
The Yakshagana puppet show will be presented by the Yakshaputhali Trust of Kasaragod. The programme will bring a traditional form of coastal Karnataka and Kerala’s cultural heritage to the concluding evening.
The closing ceremony will mark the end of seven days of cultural activities featuring theatre, magic, dance, competitions and traditional performing arts.
Organisers highlight cultural platform
Speaking at the press conference, Basuma Kodagu said the festival had been planned to provide audiences with a broad range of cultural programmes. He said the daily schedule from 6 pm would allow members of the public to participate in the celebrations after their regular activities.
JCI Udupi City president Pallavi Kodagu, Vanasuma Vedike vice-president Bhaskar U.K., Kavyavani Kodagu and Raghavendra Carvalho were also present at the press conference.
The organisers have brought together cultural organisations and community groups to create a platform that combines established performing arts with contemporary entertainment.
Seven days of culture and entertainment
The ‘Vanasuma Jessi Saptaha’ is set to offer Udupi audiences a diverse cultural experience over seven days. From historical theatre and magic to contemporary stage productions, dance, competitions and traditional Yakshagana puppet theatre, the festival brings together several artistic forms under one programme.
With the teaser launch of ‘Kovi and the Flute’ adding a film-related attraction to the opening day, the organisers have also created an opportunity for audiences to engage with the region’s theatre and film personalities.
The festival is expected to contribute to the cultural calendar of Udupi by providing artistes and audiences with a common platform for performances, interaction and celebration.