The status of the lavni and the tamasha artists remains shrouded due to inadequate financial support. The goal of the Pune Lavni Mahotsav, organised for the first time by the Patthe Bapurao Prathisthan at the Balgandharva Rangmanch on February 20, was an attempt to rectify this.

They put up an admirable show where 11 parties from all over Maharashtra participated. Said Dayanand Kate, secretary of the Pune-based prathisthan, ``the purpose of the meet is to promote the original form of the lavni, which has deteriorated because of the invasion of filmi songs.'' The organisation plans to construct an education centre which can give scientific education in music, dance and acting and a separate theatre for tamasha. Also on the anvil is an old-age home for the retired tamasha artists.

Search for self
On February 15, 16 and 17, the Pune-based theatre group Samanvay staged their new play, Darshan. The play is a classic illustration of how far one can experiment in theatre. The crew showed great intellectual capability in deciphering, analysing and presenting Shyam Manohar's script. The theme of the play focuses on the need to accept one's shortcomings and take things in one's stride.

Nikhil Ratnaparkhi, the main protagonist, gave an excellent performance, traversing effortlessly from reality to the absurd and back. Gargi Phule, Sameer Joshi, Sandesh Kulkarni, Shashank Shende and Jitendra Aphle gave competent performances. Danseuse Rohini Bhate's students, Rujata Padhye and Sharwari Jamenis lend artistic relevance to the theme, with their dances from the traditional Loknritya. The play also employs live musical accompaniment on stage, a difficult task. A glaring presence of a red piece of cloth, symbolising the undercurrent of frustration and subsequently revolt, does not go unnoticed. The play proves that experimental theatre has not lost it's relevance.

Radio ga ga
The airwaves are humming again. Avid listeners of All India Radio's (AIR) FM band, here is the good news. After two days of persistent disturbance on the band they can once again tune in to their favourite music programmes on Vividh Bharati. The cooling system of the transmitters at Sinhagad had developed a fault which has since been repaired.

Says Prakash Katekar, superintending engineer, AIR, who had to assure irate listeners about the resumption of the FM service, ``the operations of the Sinhagad transmitter are conducted through remote control from the AIR's office at Shivajinagar and most difficulties connected with transmission are rectified from there. Usually, when there is transmission trouble we can switch to an alternative transmitter at Sinhagad. On Sunday there was a fault in the complicated cooling system - the system is necessary to counter the heat generated by the power amplifiers fitted in the transmitter.'' The fault needed rectification from Sinhagad itself and accordingly a team despatched on Monday rectified the fault. ``The transmission range of the FM band extends upto 30 km from the transmitter and Vividh Bharati has a lot of dedicated listeners,'' says Katekar. And he should know, for Katekar received irate calls from listeners. Worry no more listeners - AIR has let the music play on.