Four day Dharwad Utsav starts this weekend

Four day Dharwad Utsav starts this weekend

TNN, Jan 18, 2011, 10.07pm IST

DHARWAD: The people of Dharwad district will have an opportunity to enjoy some enchanting and vibrant cultural performances as part of Dharwad Utsav- 2010-11 for four days from Saturday. However, this year's events will not feature artistes of national and international repute as preference is being given to local talents who have made a name in the field of music and art and are now residing elsewhere.

The programmes this time have been spread out to different venues in the district in a bid to reach out to the larger sections of the people including those in rural areas.

As many 201 cultural troupes including 2,457 artistes will enthral audiences on stages set up at different places of Hubli-Dharwad, Annigeri, Navalgund, Kalghatagi and Kundagol.

Deputy Commissioner Darpan Jain said cultural performances will be held in 10 places in Dharwad, six places in Hubli and one each in other towns. This time, the newly-developed venues like Sadhanakeri, Nrupatunga Betta, Kittur Chennamma Park, Karnataka Kulapurohita Alur Venkatarao Bhavan, heritage sites like Chandramoulishwara temple in Unkal, Amrutheshwara temple in Annigeri, Dr D Veerendra Heggade Kalakshetra and Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) auditorium will play host to the performances.

Conducting cultural programmes at these places may also help promote tourism, Jain said.

Special Attractions:

Scores of cultural, literary and theatre shows include performances by reputed artistes including vocal concerts by Pandit Somanath Mardur, Balachandra Nakod, sitar by Rais Khan and Hafiz Khan, dance by Yogini Gandhi from Pune, light music by Gayatri Deshpande, Rasa Manjari by Ajay Warrier and troupe, Shahnai by Basavaraj Hediggond, tabla by Ravindra Yavagal and Kiran Yavagal and others.

Besides, there will be performances by visually challenged and specially abled children, magic show and bike rides by Kudroli Ganesh and folk performances. Movie shows in selected villages and laser show by the department of information will also be held as part of the event, he said.

Folk Games:

Along with sports events like wrestling and kabadi, the Utsav committee has also contemplated on including folk games at the event. Cart race, a popular folk game of the region, will be organized, he said.


Chief minister B S Yeddyurappa will inaugurate the Utsav on the sprawling Karnataka College grounds at 6 pm on January 22.

Rural sporting events like wrestling, bullock-cart race, etc, will be the additional attractions at the 2011 edition of Utsav.

The festival could not be held during 2009 and 2010 due to flash floods in north Karnataka. The total expenditure of the event stands at Rs 60 lakh, the 50% of which will be borne by the government. Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation has contributed Rs 25 lakh while the rest will be generated through other sources.