Mangaluru: Art Kanara Trust, in collaboration with the Ajgubi Pathsala Team of Deeksha Education Trust, Sonarpur, West Bengal, recently presented a children's play titled 'Where Is My Nani', accompanied by traditional potchitra, folk songs, and mask performances. The event took place at the Kodialguthu Centre for Art and Culture in Ballalbagh.
The programme also featured a two-day workshop held on April 28 and 29 for visiting children from West Bengal. The play, directed by Ritadeep, highlighted the richness of Bengal's folk storytelling traditions.
Performances were delivered by members of the Ajgubi Pathsala team, including Anu Mondal, Sonali Paik, Rima Khan, Sumi Roy, Santanu Mondal, Surrojit Mondal, and Sudipta Naskar, along with trustees Surma Sarkar and Debasish Sarkar. The event was organized at the invitation of Subhas Chandra Basu, president of Art Kanara Trust.
In addition to the play, the programme showcased demonstrations of traditional art forms. Bengal's Alpona floor art, created using rice paste, was guided by artist Kanchan. A demonstration of 'Kantha Stitch' hand embroidery introduced participants to another regional craft tradition.
As part of the workshop series, artist Reshma S Shetty conducted a session on preparing natural colours, introducing eco-friendly pigments derived from locally available materials like leaves, flowers, and soil. The hands-on workshop included experiments with natural dyes and a tie-dye exercise, allowing children to create their own artworks while learning traditional practices.
A second workshop on traditional Kaavi Kale art was conducted by artist Janardan Havanje, offering insights into the region's distinctive mural art tradition.
