Kalamachal set to reap the benefits of theatre

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Bharat Bhavan is set to relive the good, old harvest festival times. A project christened Agri-Culture will be launched on Wednesday, which envisages cultivating paddy crops in 10 acres at Kalamachal in Vamanapuram panchayat with public participation. A play will also be staged as part of the project.The project will be jointly inaugurated by culture minister A K Balan and agriculture minister V S Sunilkumar. Excerpts from Koottukrishi, written by Edassery Govindan Nair, will be read out by Balan while Sunilkumar will sow the seeds. A group of theatre artists will begin rehearsal of the play at a make-shift venue near the paddy field. The rehearsal and cultivation will progress together, and on the day of harvest the play will be staged.Vamanapuram MLA D K Murali said, “This is a first-of-its-kind initiative that aims to blend organic farming with art,”. Pramod Payyanur, secretary of Bharat Bhavan, is directing the play. “We will grow paddy in seven acres and organic vegetables in two acres. One acre is set apart for pisciculture,” he said. tnn