Moodubelle: Tulu Drama”Oykla Yoga Bodu..” staged in aid of the renovation of Mid-day Meal facilities

By Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Pics by Anil Alva
Bellevision Media Network

Moodubelle, 29 December 2011: The Tulu drama ”Oykla Yoga Bodu...”  (For Anything Auspicious Time is Required) with social message and hilarious situations with tragic end  was staged in the quadrangle of St. Lawrence Composite PU College in aid of the renovation of the Mid-day (Bisiyuta) on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 7.30 pm. Though the audience was moderate due to  the season of marriages and  had to brave the chill of the winter night by covering their heads to protect themselves from dew, they were not disappointed as the play  kept them glued to the chairs.

 

”Oykla Yoga Bodu...” directed by Kishore D. Shetty and presented by Lakumi Group is the story of a middle class newly  married couple searching for a house and getting bank loan. However, due to the extravagant taste of the wife the cost of the house surpasses the budget. The wife spends five lakhs of rupees of her husband’s financial firm that he had kept in the house  without his notice to upgrade the quality of the huse that was under cnstruction.

 

The husband who had good reputation as an honest employee in his firm,  feels being let down by his wife. As he learns that the director of his firm would attend the housewarming function, fearing that he might be exposed for misappropriation of five lakhs of rupees   of the firm,  leaves the suicide note and on the pretext of bringing the director from the airport,  just disappears. The director arrives unaccompanied by the husband and eventually the wife discovers the suicide note and the play ends on tragic  note.

 

In fact, the drama has two stories intertwined with each other. The first half of the drama was dominated by hilarious situations created by the workers   associated with the construction of the house and an old man seeking a wife who could just cook for him. There was also a character of ‘vaasthu’ expert. The professional actors kept the tempo of the play with their  hilarious actions and witty and  flawless dialogues. The background music, occasional songs  and two dance numbers within the play kept the audience engaged throughout the play. However, the last scene dragged beyond certain limits.

 

 

On the whole ”Oykla Yoga Bodu...”  was quite an entertaining play presented professionally and those people who witnessed the play went back with the satisfaction that the play was worth the amount they had paid for the ticket for the noble  cause of renovating the mid-day meal (Bisiyuta) facilities.

 

Prior to the commencement of the  drama, Srinivas Ballal, who is in charge of the mid-day meal (Bisiyuta) explained the reason as to why there is an urgent need to renovate the facilities. He said that the mid-day meal (Bisiyuta) programme was started in St. Lawrence Composite PU College in 2003 at the initiative of the Lions Club of Moodubelle which was handed over to the Management in 2005. Presently, around 600 students from the high school, PU College and St. Lawrence English Medium High School avail the facilities of the mid-day meal.

 

Over the years the mid-day meal  for the students has been prepared by using fire-wood. Realising the adverse effects of using fire-wood such as spread of smoke  that causes pollution in the institution, the Education Department has asked the Management to use steam for cooking  food which is environment friendly. Besides, the fire-wood has been quite expensive.

 

The dining place for the students is quite insufficient as the number of students  availing the Mid-day Meal facility has increased.  There is also lack of proper store-rooms for provisions and utensils. The washing area is also quite inadequate.

 

In view of these above factors there has been a strong feeling  among the concerned sections that the entire mid-day meal project needs to be revamped. Further he said that the total cost of the project  is around Rupees 22 lakhs 50 thousand as per the estimate of the engineer.

 

Fr. Paul Sequeira, Principal of St. Lawrence Composite PU College honoured the sponsors of the play. Fr. Lancy Saldanha, Principal of St. Lawrence English Medium High School felicitated those who had helped in selling the tickets of the play to raise the funds. Mrs. Hilda Aranha, senor teacher of High School compeered the brief stage programme and proposed the vote of thanks.

 

According to Fr. Paul Sequeira, the Tulu Drama was one of the means to raise the funds for the project. He further said that the amount collected through the play is only a fraction of the total cost of the renovation of the mid-day facilities. He hopes  that generous people will come forward to lend their helping hand  in order to complete the much needed renovation of the mid-day meal (Bisiyuta) facilities for the students of St. Lawrence Educational Institutions.