Forum formed to curb ‘cultural pollution’

HYDERABAD: Coming together to curb the “pollution of our culture,� several leading culture promotion organisations of the city came together on Sunday and set themselves an agenda of taking steps to rejuvenate culture and to stem what they called the “increasing influence of electronic and print media on the people,� especially children and youngsters.
Discussing the issue under the banner of Forum Against Cultural Pollution, several leading personalities associated with various walks of cultural life, including chairman of AP State Cultural Council and MP Dr C Narayana Reddy, decided to set up a committee to draw up an action plan, and to draft a memorandum to be submitted to the government for the promotion of culture.
The meeting, organised by Garimella Rama Murty, was held at Thyagaraya Gana Sabha and was attended by representatives of the Gana Sabha, Rasa Ranjani,Yuva Kala Vahini, Kinnera Arts, Vamsee Arts, Vijaa Kala Samithi, Samaikya Bharathi, Andhra Natyam Trust, Lasya Priya, and others.
Among those who spoke on the occasion were well-known personalities, such as Andhra Natyam exponent Nataraja Ramakrishna, danseuse Shobha Naidu, Carnatic vocalist Nookala Chinasatyanarayana, Vastu Silpi B N Reddy, and Mandadi Krishna Reddy.
Narayana Reddy suggested that a law to curb events and shows leading to the invasion of culture, and imposing controls on such invasive acts would go a long way in preventing cultural pollution.
He also lamented that very few people were now learning their mother tongue, one of the prime reasons why Telugu culture was now falling by the wayside.
Former chairman of Press Academy of Andhra Pradesh Potturi Venkateswara Rao said that it was time for everyone concerned about cultural pollution to put their foot down and demand funds from the government which was wasting hundreds of crores of rupees on unproductive programmes.
Television channels and print media came in for sharp criticism for promoting shows under the garb of cultural events that were misleading children.
Also, the role of parents, who take pride in their young ones dancing to mindless tunes from films or acting out sequences or mouthing dialogues that drip with sexual innuendo, in the name of participation in competitions, came under scrutiny.
The speakers called on parents to be watchful on what their children are being taught or are learning.
The Telugu TV channels came in for special criticism for not promoting classical dance or music, unlike the other southern TV channels in Tamil and Malayalam.