Storehouse of tradition

DREAMING BIG is one thing. dreaming right is quite another. And when the dream of Kalyani Pramod, daughter of K.S. Nagaraj, a photojournalist, yoked together both these qualities, Manasthala, a centre for arts and architecture, materialised.

Kalyani had to go cross many hurdles in setting up the institute. "But we never lost sight of our vision," she says.

Manasthala, a non-government, non-profit organisation situated on Cenotaph Road in the city, soon became the hub of cultural activities. It materialised Kalyani's dream of bringing together all art forms under one roof and giving a commercial outlet to folk artists so that they need not hunt for avenues to sell their products.

For Kalyani, a textile and industrial designer from the National Institute of Design, Manasthala is the result of a lot of planning and hard work. Constant interaction with artists and connoisseurs gave a basic shape to the ideas and concepts of the institute.

The aim of Manasthala is to integrate the appreciation of traditional arts and crafts with community development, through cross-cultural studies and interaction with the world outside.

Recently, Manasthala held an event to focus on how art and craft can touch the lives of the young and become a catalyst for social change.

The interactive session of song, dance, mime, puppetry, and magic was held with the help of Kidscan, a support group for children suffering from cancer.

Today, most children have become addicted to television and computer games. Hence, it is important to conduct workshops and camps specially for them. And Manasthala has been doing just that.

The foundation has a commitment to revive art forms that are on the decline. For example, puppetry and puppet theatre. Renowned puppeteers like Ranganatha Rao from Karnataka are guiding the institute in this mission - to revive the lost glory of the art form.

Manasthala also functions as a permanent outlet for the artworks from various parts of the country - pieces in bronze, cane, stained glass, ceramics, terracotta and paintings by leading and up and coming artists are on display.

Tribal craft sculptures in root, wood and terracotta are also part of the rich treasure here.

Institutions like Manasthala hold together the basic elements within us, that are breaking apart, caught in the whirlwind of change.

LEKSHMY RAJEEV

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