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ಕೇರಿ ಹಾಡು | Song of the Ghetto
Stories of our Village
Artists
Art looks at life through a framework. As it happens a lot of our lives fall outside of it, as does ‘Song of the Ghetto’ which is an unscripted, de-structured piece. The form and practice of theatre blossoms organically, responds to the times it is created in and takes its own unique form. Similarly this performance is a curation of vignettes that defies formal structure and brings to the fore a harmony of the culture that the performers embody. It is a retelling of their lives through song and storytelling; celebrating their lifestyles including the adversities they face.
This piece was created by the initiative of the Savithribai Phule Women’s Co-operative Group, Dingdur in collaboration with Jangama Collective, Bangalore and Guild of the Goat, New Delhi.
The Context:
About 140 kilometers from Bangalore is the village Dindagur. Like most villages in the country, there exists a border within the village limits beyond which the Dalit ghetto begins. The families from the ghetto until recently weren’t welcome in the village temples or eateries because they are considered “untouchable”.
In 2021, the families filed a petition with the administration and entered the temples in an act to claim their right to public spaces and places of worship. This act of defiance led to loss of work, as most employers are of Upper Castes. The families have with the support and training of the Savitribai Phule Women’s Co-operative now become self-employed through mushroom farming. This collective of the people of the “Ghetto” decided to be their own voices to tell their stories and thus was born “The Song”.
This show is supported by
Artists
Chandrashekhara K
Chandrashekhara is an actor, director, musician and teacher from Karnataka, India. He graduated from NINASAM theatre institute in Karnatka in 2009 and has a Masters Degree in performing arts from Bangalore University.
He has been traveling across the world with a performance on the Criminal Tribes Act and speaking, from his own lived experience, about the exploited and oppressed communities of Indian society.
He has perfomed at various National and International theatre festivals. Chandru is not only a professional theatre practitioner but also exlores theatre-in-education with children and young adults. He is also an active part of the Jangama Collective.
Lakshmana K P
Lakshmana is an actor, director, writer and teacher from Karnataka, India.
He graduated from Ninasam Theatre Institute in 2012 and Intercultural Theatre Institute Singapore in 2018 and has been travelling across India, working in various productions with different theatre groups. He has performed in many national and international theatre festivals in India and abroad.
Lakshmana has had the opportunity to work not just in professional theatre, but also exploring theatre-in-education with children and young adults.
Kallappa Pujar
Kallappa has a Diploma in Theatre Arts from NINASAM and a Masters Degree from Bangalore University in Performing Arts.
He hails from Salapura, Belgaum in Karnataka and has been an active practitioner for over a decade in Kannada theatre.
Manoj Kumar
Manoj began his creative journey as a Yakshagana artist as a child. He has a Diploma in Theatre from SDM and a Masters degree from Bangalore University.
He has performed in several plays like A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Maduve Hennu, Sri Krishna Sandhana and Shashtrayuha. He currently works at a multinational company.
Sathish PB
Sathish has a Diploma in Theatre Arts from NINASAM and has been an active theatre practitioner for more than a decade. He is also a designer with vast experience with clay modeling, set building and property making.
Sandhya
Sandhya is a student currently in the 5th grade. She is an active member of the Neladani cultural team.
She has an interest in acting and learning. She is 10 years old.
Sneha
Sneha is a student currently in the 9th grade. She has an interest in acting, dancing and learning. She is 14 years old.
Aishwarya
Aishwarya is a student currently in the 6th grade. She has an interest in acting and learning. She is 11 years old.
Nandini DM
Nandini DM is an actor, guest faculty member at the school in her village, and an active member of the Neladani cultural team. She has been part of many performance.
Namana
Namana is a student currently in the 4th grade. She is an active member of the Neladani cultural team. She has an interest in acting and learning. She is 9 years old.
Poornima
Poornima is a student currently in the 7th grade. She is an active member of the Neladani cultural team. She has an interest in acting and learning. She is 12 years old.
Varshini
Varshini is a student currently in the 4th grade. She has an interest in acting and learning. She is 9 years old.
Hemanth and Yashas
Hemanth and Yashas are child artists. They are currently students in the 1st grade.
Thimmayya
Thimmayya is an actor, folk singer, carpenter and fisherman. He is passionate about preparing traditional fishing nets from bamboo and has been part of many mythological performances.
Suresh
Suresh is an actor, folk singer and mortar worker. He is also involved in silk growing and brick cutting.
Geetha
Geetha is a singer, farmer and daily wage worker. She performers Sobhane songs at celebrations, weddings and funerals.
Nagarathna
Nagarathna is a farmer who is also involved in dairy farming. She has an interest in acting.
Govindaraju DK
Govindaraju DK is an actor, former Kabbadi player, and the Director of Dr. Ambedkar Cultural Team. He has been part of many mythological performances.
Santhosh
Santhosh is an actor, former Kabbadi player and the Director of Dr. Ambedkar Cultural Team. He has been part of many mythological performances.
Manjunath DR
Manjunath DR is an actor, electrician, farmer and tree climber. He also does centring work.
Santhosh DD
Santhosh DD is the founder of Neladani cultural team. He has a Diploma in Theatre from Ninasam and is guest faculty at an institution in Bangalore. He is an active theatre practitioner and has worked in several theatre companies across Karnataka.
Natraj DS
Natraj DS is an actor, teacher and farmer. He is an active member of the Dindgur cultural hub and famous for playing the role of Shakuni in Mahabharat plays.
Varadraju DR
Varadraju DR does centring work. He has an interest in theatre.
Ravi Kumar
Ravi Kumar is an actor, dancer, farmer and does entering work. He is a skilled Mimicry Artist.
Jyothi Dharma
Jyothi Dharma is a chef and household worker. She is interested in theatre. Jyothi is also famous for her culinary preparations in her village.
Savithri
Savithri is a goat farmer. She has an interest in acting.
Shwetha Santhosh
Shwetha Santhosh is the Director of Savithri Bai Phule Women Empowerment team.
Rekha Manjunath
Rekha Manjunath is a household worker.
Rangswamy DK
Rangswamy DK is an actor, dairy farmer, cattle rarer and owns a Centring business. He has been part of many performances, playing mythological characters which he is famous for in his village.
