<p>With only a few artistes practising Dasakathia and not many young people picking it up, practitioners are apprehensive that the ancient folk art form might die unless immediate steps are taken.</p>.<p>But all hope is not lost.</p>.<p>Setting up a training centre for Dasakathia is one of the ways to churn out more artistes and popularise the performing art, an association official said.</p>.<p>Believed to have originated in Odisha's Ganjam district, Dasakathia is a portmanteau of the Odia words 'das' (devotee) and 'kathia' (sticks). The storytelling form with music and dance is popular in the rural areas of the state.</p>.<p>It is performed by two artistes, one of whom is the lead singer and the assistant is known as 'palia'. Humorous stories are also introduced during the performance, supported with the music played through a unique and indigenous wooden instrument called 'kathi'.</p>.<p>"Several artistes are now adopting modern songs too during the performances," Nokhila Utkal Dasakathia Kalakara Sangha (NUDKS) president Upendra Panigrahy said.</p>.<p>During a two-day annual conference of the NUDKS in Hinjili block of Ganjam district on Saturday, the participants sought a training centre for the young artistes of the folk art.</p>.<p>"We have adopted a resolution in the conference and will submit it to the government soon," said Rabi Narayan Satapathy, the general secretary of the association.</p>.<p>Over 150 artistes across the state attended the conference and discussed the difficulties they are facing at present and the strategies to popularise Dasakathia.</p>.<p>The association demanded that the government should increase the monthly pension for them from Rs 1,200 to Rs 4,200 per month, which is at par with the Union government.</p>.<p>The performing remuneration should also be hiked to Rs 1,200 from Rs 800, Panigrahy said</p>.<p>The NUDKS stressed on the need to provide more government programmes to the Dasakathia artistes, especially for campaigning for the various welfare initiatives and in different festivals.</p>.<p>"We are now getting very few programmes with a meagre remuneration," Satapathy said.</p>.<p>"As the artistes are living in a very miserable condition, the youth aren't very keen to practice this folk art form."</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>
<p>With only a few artistes practising Dasakathia and not many young people picking it up, practitioners are apprehensive that the ancient folk art form might die unless immediate steps are taken.</p>.<p>But all hope is not lost.</p>.<p>Setting up a training centre for Dasakathia is one of the ways to churn out more artistes and popularise the performing art, an association official said.</p>.<p>Believed to have originated in Odisha's Ganjam district, Dasakathia is a portmanteau of the Odia words 'das' (devotee) and 'kathia' (sticks). The storytelling form with music and dance is popular in the rural areas of the state.</p>.<p>It is performed by two artistes, one of whom is the lead singer and the assistant is known as 'palia'. Humorous stories are also introduced during the performance, supported with the music played through a unique and indigenous wooden instrument called 'kathi'.</p>.<p>"Several artistes are now adopting modern songs too during the performances," Nokhila Utkal Dasakathia Kalakara Sangha (NUDKS) president Upendra Panigrahy said.</p>.<p>During a two-day annual conference of the NUDKS in Hinjili block of Ganjam district on Saturday, the participants sought a training centre for the young artistes of the folk art.</p>.<p>"We have adopted a resolution in the conference and will submit it to the government soon," said Rabi Narayan Satapathy, the general secretary of the association.</p>.<p>Over 150 artistes across the state attended the conference and discussed the difficulties they are facing at present and the strategies to popularise Dasakathia.</p>.<p>The association demanded that the government should increase the monthly pension for them from Rs 1,200 to Rs 4,200 per month, which is at par with the Union government.</p>.<p>The performing remuneration should also be hiked to Rs 1,200 from Rs 800, Panigrahy said</p>.<p>The NUDKS stressed on the need to provide more government programmes to the Dasakathia artistes, especially for campaigning for the various welfare initiatives and in different festivals.</p>.<p>"We are now getting very few programmes with a meagre remuneration," Satapathy said.</p>.<p>"As the artistes are living in a very miserable condition, the youth aren't very keen to practice this folk art form."</p>.<p><strong>Watch latest videos by DH here:</strong></p>