(a) the details of Zonal Cultural Centres in the country;
(b) the details of the best performers sent abroad to showcase our rich cultural and art tradition during the last two years;
(c) the number of foreign youths imparted training in these Zonal Cultural Centres under the cultural exchange programme during the said period;
(d) whether non-competitive martial art forms like Silambattam and Kalari are also patronised in these centres; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER FOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND CULTURE (SHRI S. JAIPAL REDDY)
(a) The Zonal Cultural Centres are autonomous bodies under the Ministry of Culture. The seven Zonal Cultural Centres with their headquarters are: North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala, North Central Zone Cultural Centre, Allahabad, West Zone Cultural Centre, Udaipur, Eastern Zone Cultural Centre, Kolkata, North East Zone Cultural Centre, Dimapur, South Central Zone Cultural Centre, Nagpur, and South Zone Cultural Centre, Thanjavur.
(b) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
(c) No foreign youth has been imparted training at the Zonal Cultural Centres during the said period.
(d) Yes, Sir.
(e) South Zone Cultural Centre, Thanjavur are providing training to 30 school students under ‘SILAMBATTAM’ free of cost. They are also giving training in ‘Kakaripayat’, a Martial artform of Kerala. Martial art forms of Gatka (Punjab) and Thodu (Himachal Pradesh) are being patronized in North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala. During National Cultural Exchange Programme and other programmes, North East Zone Cultural Centre, Dimapur sponsors the non-competitive martial art form like Tangta of Manipur. Rabenshe Dance (West Bengal) and Thang-Ta Dance (Manipur) are included in the Guru Shishya Parampara Scheme in the Eastern Zone Cultural Centre. Besides, they also organize martial art forms, namely, Palka (Jharkhand, Orissa), Rukmar Naach (Orissa), Dhali (West Bengal) etc. Mer Raas of Gujarat was invited for performance in Republic Day Children Contingent 2003 in New Delhi. Besides, Kalaripayattu, Thang-ta, Dhali Dance and Bratachari were invited by West Zone Cultural Centre for pe
rformance. South Central Zone Cultural Centre takes care of Akhada (Madhya Pradesh), Akhada Dandpatta (Maharashtra), Lezim (Maharashtra) and Kamsale.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO PART (b) TO LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3134 FOR 14.12.2005 REGARDING ZONAL CULTURAL CENTRES
South Zone Cultural Centre, Thanjavur sent troupes of 5 persons of Bharatnatyam and 15 persons of Karagam to Sri Lanka in October, 2004. Further, a troupe of 8 persons of Bharatnatyam and 13 persons of Folk Songs were sent to Sri Lanka during October 2005.
North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala has sent the following best performers to Muscat to show our rich cultural and art traditions during the last two years:
2003-04 Mrs. Sunita Bhatti, Mrs. Dolly Gulreja, Shri Sukhwinder Sukhi and Shri Gurpal Mutlar (Punjabi Folk Singers)
2004-05 Shri Hans Raj Hans, Ms. Sarajit Bhasin (Punjabi Folk Singers)
North East Zone Cultural Centre participated internationally at the Edinburg Military Tattoo during July-August 2004. The Cheraw Dancers from Mizoram took part in the Tattoo in Edinburg. The cultural troupe consisted of 35 Cheraw dance artistes and 3 officials of North East Zone Cultural Centre.
Eastern Zone Cultural Centre, Kolkata sponsored 10 member Bhojpuri folk dance and song group for participation at the Sphinx Auditorium, at the Indira Gandhi International Centre, Port Louis, Mauritius and at Village School Riviere-du-Remport, Mauritius during January-February, 2005. Eastern Zone Cultural Centre also participated along with cultural troupes in ‘Days of Indian Culture in Russia’ during September-October 2005 at Moscow, St. Peter’s Burg, Tver and Kaluga in Russia.
West Zone Cultural Centre sponsored Kalbelia dancers of Rajasthan and Garba, Raas dancers of Gujarat in the ‘Festival of India in Bhutan’ in June 2003. A contingent of 5 artistes of Udaipur, performing Bhapang Vadan, Rawan Hatta and Puppet shows participated in Edinburg Mela 2003. Three artistes of Rajasthan participated in Edinburg Mela 2004 in United Kingdom. A contingent of Kalbelia, Teratal dancers and Mangniar singers of Rajasthan participated in ‘Indian Cultural Festival (Bharat Utsav) in Dhaka’ in October 2004. Two musicians from Rajasthan participated in workshops and performances at different venues along with BBC National Orchestra of Wales in November 2004 in Wales.
South Central Zone Cultural Centre sent “Lavani Troupe†of Maharashtra in 2003-04. A “Dholu Kunitha†troupe of Karnataka participated in Indian Cultural Heritage Festival in Russia.
In September- October 2005, Days of Indian Culture in Russia was held in Moscow/ St. Petersburgh, Tver and Kaluga. 95 artistes including folk and classical artistes from all over the country participated in the 10-day long festival. North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala was the implementing agency for this festival. The Russian media had highly appreciated the programme.