Whose Habba is it anyway?

Whose Habba is it anyway?
The Hindu

Protests marked the inauguration of the Bangalore Habba, surprising many a Bangalorean. BHUMIKA K. checks out why fur and feathers are flying over the festival



The protesters spoke of invasion of our culture by outsiders. But of the some 600 artistes invited, only 20 were from outsid ethe State, say the organisers.

THE ORGANISERS of Bangalore Habba wanted it to be the most happening in town, but certainly not in the way it has. The Habba has drawn protests that darkly mention invasion of our culture by "The Others".

For years Bangalore and Bangaloreans have been perceived as a city and people that welcome one and all warmly, though there have been occasional movements powered by assertions of Kannada identity. Art is believed to be boundless. Something that goes beyond boundaries and cuts across barriers of language to become a universally understandable form of expression. But when art comes with the baggage packed with various other issues, attempts like the Bangalore Habba are open house for flak. Karunada Sene, now a well-known organisation in Bangalore because of its recent demos against non-Kannada films, protested the idea of the Bangalore Habba, raising slogans at the inauguration, and asking the Chief Minister not to inaugurate it.

Money issue

The crucial element that triggered off the controversy is perhaps the involvement of the State Government. Often accused of not providing adequate funding to promote traditional local arts, where did the money come from to support the Habba is what is being asked. Moreover, how Bangalore is the Habba? Is it representative of the culture of Bangalore? Is it a clash of egos? Of cultures? Questions for which there will be a thousand answers, each different. MetroPlus asks some of the persons involved in the issue what they think went wrong.

Padmini Ravi, managing trustee of the Artistes' Foundation for the Arts that is organising the Habba, is confounded over the protest. "I really don't know what the issue is here. Something we did has pissed them off. We have been accused of not including Kannada culture and Karnataka artistes. But of the nearly 600 artistes we have invited, only 20 are from outside the State. The prime idea of this festival was to put Karnataka's artistes on par with national artistes. We want to be as inclusive as possible," says a hassled-looking Padmini.

Some activists at the inaugural protested because the invitations were in English, she says. Others made a point that Kannada literature had not been included in the festival. "We had wanted to organise a Kannada kavi sammelana, but due to certain logistics and funding problems, we couldn't. I respect the sentiments of these people and will definitely include Kannada literature at next year's festival."


According to the dissenters, it's not as simple as it seems. Some of them talk of MNC conspiracy as their answer to their unease with the Habba. Some of the intellectuals and litterateurs feel there should have been a consultation with prominent local artistes on what the festival should include.

Baraguru Ramachandrappa, former chairman of the Kannada Development Authority, demands that since the Government is involved in funding the event, it should have been a more transparent affair, as it is the people's money. "Karnataka's culture has never seen outside culture with animosity. But we reject the dominance of other cultures. The name of the festival is Bangalore Habba. We may be a cosmopolitan and international city. But even if we internationalise, we can't supersede local culture," says Ramachandrappa. He also found it objectionable that at the children's film festival, not a single Kannada film was included. "I don't speak as a Kannada fanatic, but I feel the festival could have been more balanced with local culture being given more prominence."

Both Baraguru and noted litterateur U.R. Anantha Murthy feel that local people in the fields of art and culture should have been involved in a consultation process by the organising committee of the festival.

Anantha Murthy further elaborates: "If any Habba has to be celebrated like a festival, it should come in the panchanga (almanac). I feel they should have chosen the right kind of season and festivals like the karaga or kadlekai parishe that are associated with a certain season or a ritual."

He too is of the opinion that a lot of effort is being spent on taking money from MNCs and distributing it, rather than truly celebrating a festival. "No festival should smack of money. The same is true of the Hampi festival. All these have become governmental and MNC habbas." Interestingly, Anantha Murthy delivered a talk on Kannada literature at the pre-Habba programme, but says he never discussed these issues with the organisers then. "We have failed in our imagination to create a true festival," he concludes.

`Agni' Shridhar, who spearheads the Karunada Sene, is unequivocal about his opinion on the Habba. "MNCs are using artistes and literary figures for the expansion of their own market. Artistes are supposed to protest against the onslaught of globalisation. Instead, here they are being used by the multinationals," he says.

Not informed

Former director of Rangayana, C. Basavalingaiah, has his own grouse. His play Dyavanooru was included in the festival. "But the organisers did not have the courtesy to invite or inform me. I discovered it when I read the papers on the morning of the Habba," he says, adding, "Culture is becoming a business and MNCs are acting as middlemen and making money out of these events. Moreover, why have they have relegated janapada kale programmes to parks? Doesn't that look cheap?" He believes that the MNCs are conspiring and commodifying art. And for good measure, he asks: "Just because FTV has a lingerie show, should I make my daughter wear it?"

However, there are questions that remain hanging in the air. Like whether the critics can come up with an alternate festival to prove their point. Or to the query that when governments are unable to financially support art, is it wrong for private funding to step in?