Conversations with literature and arts

Ninasam's culture course at Heggodu features performances, discussions, and presentations on literature, arts, theatre, music, and more.

Ninasam conducts a culture course every year at Heggodu. Many scholars, writers, artists, students and performers from different parts of the country participate in the event and engage in discussions.

This year, Ninasam gave a new shape to the five-day event by calling it “Conversations with Literature and Arts” (Kalegala Sangada Matukate). In place of seminars or panel discussions on various topics, this time, there were performances and presentations followed by discussions. This included theatre, music, folk, visual art, cinema, poetry, and dance, among others. The discussions began with a talk by journalist and writer Nagesh Hegde on the art of communication.

The plays – Dashanana Swapnasiddi (by the team Bhalire Vichitram and directed by Manju Kodagu) and Be-loved (by Tamasha Theatre, Mumbai, directed by Sapan Saran) were staged as part of the deliberations, followed by discussion. Theatre artists, writers, poets, and scholars actively participated in the discussion. Abhiram Bhadmakar and Makarand Sathe spoke on contemporary Marathi theatre. Mrinal Kaul and Sundar Sarukkai, who teach philosophy, took part in a discussion on Bhavabhuthi’s plays.

Noted poet H.S. Shivaprakash gave a talk on different productions of Shakespearean plays in Kannada and other Indian languages over the decades. Rashmi Devy, Niranjan Kujoor and Swathi Dandekar participated in a discussion on films on Adivasis. Niranjan Kujoor, a filmmaker, screened clips from films and showed how Adivasis are portrayed. There was a presentation on classical dance by Nirupama and Rajendra of Bengaluru. Jyothi Hegde presented a Rudraveena recital and gave a lecture demonstration.

K.V. Akshara spoke on Kannada poet Gopalakrishna Adiga’s poetry and discussed his thoughts on politics with reference to two of his poems. Prof. Rajendra Chenni, Kamalakara Bhat, Ja.Na. Tejashree and Kamalakara Bhat presented poems written by various poets.

Two plays of Ninasam Tirugata — Malati Madhava and Ankada Parade — were staged at Heggodu as part of the five-day event and received an impressive response. People from different parts of Karnataka and outside, participating in the annual event, watched the plays staged at Shivarama Karantha Rangamandira.

Many writers, poets, and intellectuals from different parts of Karnataka and outside are participating in the event that concludes on October 6.