Outreach programmes crucial: Vikram

On the eve of The Times of India International Folk Festival (TIFF), festival director Vikram Sampath analyzes the status of folk art and culture, foreign troupes and how they can be promoted. Vikram is also the director of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Bangalore unit. Excerpts:
How far will TIFF go in reviving interest in folk culture?
I think it's a small but significant first step.Lack of awareness about varied folk forms is what leads to apathy and indifference. The exposure that festivals like this will give to an urban populace will help them appreciate these art forms better.
Which groups troupes you think are the prize attractions of the festival?
It's tough to discriminate and elevate any one group as the main attraction, as all of them are stars for us. The festival has an eclectic mix -the desert echoes Rajasthan Josh of Chugge Khan; the Sattriya of Assam; songs by Shabnam Virmani; the Waee singers and Mooralala Marwada of Kutch; a grand Indic-Greek production by Sonal Mansingh; the colourful Purulia Chhau of Bengal; acrobatics of Mallakhamb of Maharash i tra, the soulful Qawwalis by t the Warsi Brothers, and our very own puppet theatre of Yakshagana Gombeyaata.
Tell us something about the foreign troupes coming here.
We have four major international troupes participating: Chandana Wickramasinghe, the master dancer, teacher and choreographer from Sri Lanka comes with his Chandana's Dance Guild; Pelangi f Nusantara dancers from Indonesia; Wayang Ajen, the Indonesian shadow puppeteer; Unni Lovlid, the Norwegian folk musician. This is perhaps the first time that Banf galoreans will get to witness i these unique art forms.
How can folk arts be made popular?
I think outreach pro grammes are the most important, especially with the youth. It's necessary to inculcate awareness, understanding and respect for our traditions, right from a young age.
This should, however, be done in a non-preachy way and packaged so that people can relate to them well. After all, folk arts represent the spirit of India in its most original and pristine form and, hence, they'll surely strike a chord with Indians.
What more should governments do to keep alive folk traditions?
At IGNCA, we have an entire division called Janapada Sampada that undertakes work related to lifestyle studies and folktribal art forms. Governments must invest in research and documentation of folk traditions. Many being oral traditions unlike the classical arts, they're vanishing at a frighteningly rapid rate.