IL seeks protection of folk arts

Expressing concern over fast disappearing folk arts and leaving artistes in penury, a PIL today sought a direction from the Madras High Court to the Tamil Nadu government to protect and promote such art and patronise the artistes.
A bench of justices S Nagamuthu and V S Ravi directed the Secretary for Tourism and Culture to file a report on October 28 on how the government was promoting and patronising folk art.
Petitioner M Veilkaniraj, General Secretary of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court Bar Association, submitted there were 14 different forms of folk dances, including Kavadiattam, Silampattam, Kolattam and Oyilattam and they enjoyed a pride of place in the state, especially in Thanjavur district.

However, the experts in such dances were now starving and in penury and folk art was disappearing.
Folk art was a reflection of civilisation and also folk art was part of sociology, which reflected the heart and mind of the people. If the art died, the civilisation would also disappear from the mind of the people and it was essential to protect them, he said.