 Ravindra
Kalakshetra, which was closed for renovation for the past
six months, has been re-opened now and it wears a new look.The
27 year old impressive auditorium has a new lighting system,
renovated seats with sidelights and more space between rows.
Acoustics in the auditorium have been renovated. Satin curtains
have added colour to the stage. There are six panels at the
entrance to display posters and banners. A monument of Ravindranath
Tagore in a glass showcase welcomes the audience at the entrance.
Durga C Avarthi, Joint Director (General) at the Directorate
of Kannada and Culture (Kannada Bhavan) told bangalorebest.com
that a total amount of Rs 60 lakh has been spent for the renovation.
She said that leakages in the roof have been repaired and
the whole auditorium has been whitewashed.
The auditorium is rented out for two sessions-9 am to 2 pm
and 4 pm to 9 pm. For Kannada plays the rent is Rs 850 per
session; Kannada competitions and conferences Rs 1,000; music,
dance, sugam sangeeta and cultural activities of other languages
Rs 1,500; annual functions, conferences, orchestras and western
music Rs 4,000.
Nowadays there is a great demand for Ravindra Kalakshetra,
Avarthi added. Ravindra Kalakshetra was built on
the occasion of the birth centenary
celebrations of Ravindranath Tagore. Not just the government's
funds but also private donations from persons like Shivaji
Ganeshan, the veteran Tamil cine actor, have gone into the
construction of Ravindra Kalakshetra. It was inaugurated
on March 9, 1963 by the then Union Minister for Education,
Dr Humayun Kabir. Except, Tamil Nadu, all other states
have built Kalakshetras commemorating the first Noble
award winner, Ravindranath Tagore. Ravindra Bharathi
in Hyderabad resembles the Bangalore Ravindra Kalakshetra.
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