Berhampur: A few talented boys from a village of Ganjam district have mesmerized the audience with their Mridang performance. This amazing scene has been witnessed in the Matiaborei village under Sanakhemundi Block of the district.
As per reports, some people from the Matiaborei village have come forward to teach the skills of playing the mridangam to the children of the village. Trained by them about ten children of the village are also playing the mridangam beautifully.
Playing the mridangam is a skill. The teacher has found self-satisfaction by teaching the skills of playing the mridangam to the children here. Prakash Swain of the village has made arrangements to buy eight mridangams himself and teach the children.
Day by day, the younger generation is no longer interested in playing the mridangam. At this juncture the effort of the teacher and the interest of these children to learn the skill is commendable, said the villagers.
Mridangam is a part of our religious beliefs and culture. In the old days, the younger ones used to learn the skills of playing the mridangam from the older artists.
The sound of the mridangam could be heard in mutts and temples. Whenever there was a recital or any cultural program in the village, there was a competition to play the mridangam. But slowly the skill of playing the mridangam is decreasing.
To be honest, the villages of Odisha have a diverse identity of art, literature, culture, tradition and folk art. Everyone should make efforts to revive this rare and almost extinct art culture tradition. It is the responsibility of all of us to preserve this artistic identity.
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