Cultural Programs

During last week Naradaa had occasion to watch three programs with lot of music, drama etc.

One was a public function on environment protection where there were lot of youth participation and there were a few stalls set up by NGOs supporting a cause. There were also cultural programs and competitions on environmental themes. With a lot of people participating from different walks of life, there was bound to be some small chaos which was there.

The theme of the program was save the trees. But one thing Naradaa could not understand was that most of freshly prepared props for the dramas were prepared using wooden beams, wooden sheets and papers. There were some speeches on making the place plastic-free but a good number of people had come carrying their things in a plastic bag or two.

The program itself was good except for the fact that the rock music was a bit too loud for old-fashioned Naradaa. It probably was OK for the youth because the youth among the audience were dancing together with the music and whistled and clapped.

Another program was from a college where there was a music competition going on. The whistling and shouting from the audience were suppressing music sound so much. During Naradaa’s young days, if there is a stage program going on, audience listened quietly and clapped at the end of the song or speech unless the performance was really very bad. Of course a bad performance would be whistled at. And long boring speeches as used to happen sometimes were not spared.

So, Naradaa asked someone (when there was a lull in music and noise) if the program was that bad. But he was told that the whistling and shouting was actually a way of appreciating the music!

The third program was in a village primary school. A short and sweet program, it was. There was a short welcome speech and lighting of the traditional brass lamp. There were no long speeches. There were some distinguished guests and parents of the students, who were the audience. Children whose program was over, came and sat down in front below in the carpet. (No, the chairs for the distinguished guests were not in front of the children). There were no whistling and shouting.

Maybe they have not learnt how to whistle and shout yet. Or they still have not learnt that  that is the modern way to appreciate good music and dance.

Naradaa just hopes that they will not – Not even when they are in higher classes nor when they become adults.