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Artiste village mooted for Madurai

— Photo: S. James.

Helping hand: V. Irai Anbu, Secretary, Tourism and Culture Department, distributing membership card to a beneficiary at Madurai Collectorate on Wednesday.

MADURAI: The State Government would consider a proposal to set up a village exclusively for folk artistes near Madurai, said Secretary, Tourism and Culture Department, V. Irai Anbu, here on Wednesday.

The Collector S. S. Jawahar had mooted the idea of forming the village at a location closer to the city. With the government keen on protecting folk arts, such a concept, if implemented, might give the much needed fillip to artistes.

Christened ‘artiste village,’ it could be set up on about five to ten acres.

After giving free house site pattas to artistes to construct their dwellings, the village could have a training centre.

It could be utilised as a meeting place for artistes from other cities/towns.

The Government had recognised at least 100 rural art forms such as thappattam,’ ‘kolattam,’ ‘karagattam’ … through a G.O. a few months ago. Such an exclusive village for artistes would be a recognition as well, Mr. Jawahar said.

As Madurai is known for promoting different forms of folk arts from time immemorial, such a proposal from the district administration might set a model for other districts in the State, Mr Irai Anbu said. A helicopter tourism project, connecting Madurai with other tourist destinations, was being examined, he added.

A medical camp would be held here on July 27, he said and appealed to all folk artistes to benefit from the camp.

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