Folk dances enthral audience at Youth Festival

Tirupati: The ongoing 36th Inter University South Zone Youth Festival at Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam (SPMVV) saw interesting and intriguing performances by the participants from different universities. On the last day of the competitions, the stellar folkdance performances of young students enthralled the audience and received huge applause. So too was the display of talent in expressing the theme through Mime by the students with majority of them choosing the dominant theme 'Atrocities on women' which showed how much the youth are concerned with the issue of violence against women including societal violence and domestic violence. Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies presented mime on the difficult lives of fishermen which are full of danger and uncertainty.

SPMVV students present a mime on the theme 'Jungle' based on a true story of elephants whose lives were put at risk by placing bombs in pineapples by poachers with an underlying message that conservation of wildlife is important. University of Kerala presented a mime on the power of Shakti and how a woman can overcome atrocities against her.

Classical vocal solo was another highlight of the day with singers performing in Carnatic and Hindustani music. The highlight singer was a visually challenged student Vishnu Priya from Kannur University who sang melodiously in Carnatic music. The highlight of the entire Youth Festival was said to be the tribal folkdance in which 12 teams participated.

Participating teams from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh presented tribal dance in their culture and tradition. SPMVV presented the tribal folk dance on Ganga Jatara while Bharathidasan University performed a folkdance in Garagattam. Prizes will be awarded individually to all winners in the valedictory function to be held on Saturday besides the championship in each event.

Overall Championship in Youth Festival will also be awarded. The valedictory session of the Youth Festival will be held on Saturday in which District Collector K Venkataramana Reddy will take part as chief guest.