Arts should be For Cultural Sake

As everywhere in the world, Lakshadweep has her own culture and arts. As culture is the hidden identity of a society, it has to be strengthened, preserved and transmitted to coming generation. Every culture possesses a unique art. As culture is an abstract identity, it can only preserve through manifestation of its arts. As we are in a post modern scenario, our new generation looks modern art and western culture. The rhythm of Kolkali becoming unheard, the folk tale of Beekiunibi still in her cave as untold, the breeze of Katuvili has been buried, the ravished beauty of Oppana shedding its past glory. Is our culture creeping towards edge of death?

Kerala, the nearest state of us is going to host its 55^th State Kalolsavam in 2015; it had begun in1956 and already completed 54 Kalolsavam. In this mega fest, they are inculcating their culture through their unique arts such as Kathakali, Kuchupidi, Barathnatyam so on. Though we have hands full of folk arts, our curriculum has been neglecting to provide arts. We have no glory of past as Kerala, we are going to host just 4^th UT level Kalolsavam. We are late, too late as in every aspect of us.

Gandhiji, our father of nation defined “education is the drawing out of the best in child….”, to him education is not merely teaching of curricular subjects but it should have co-curricular activities. Without providing co-curricular activities we cannot make our students “best”. Let us beckon our folk arts to manifest our culture, unless new generations will be born as the carbon copy of westerners. Let us perfume the odour of Oppana, let us recall the sweet gale of Katuvili, and let us lend our ears to the rhythm of Kolkali.