AMARAVATI: Though the AP government decided to establish Shilparamam village to promote arts and crafts after initially deciding to share the one existing in Hyderabad with Telangana, the project remains a mirage despite land and funds being sanctioned. The government itself is to be blamed, as it appears to be totally disinterested to start work on the Shilparamam.
The first Shilparamam village was set up in 1992 at Madhapur of Hyderabad and during bifurcation, the TS and AP governments decided to share it. Later on, the AP government decided to establish its own Shilparamam at Guntur, and issued GO on November 12, 2014 on establishment of Shilparamam. On February 10, 2015 the Guntur tahsildar allotted 3.60 acres of land in at Adavitakkelapadu on the outskirts of the city.
Following this, TD ministers and legislators issued statements that the work will move at a rapid pace and so on. Nothing has been done yet, though 22 months have passed since. Contemporary artist Vinod Chowdary Raparla of Guntur said that there are no academies or cultural associations for artists in AP. He said that no one had any idea about when the Lalitha Kala Academy will start. “There is no space for artistes to work or conduct training camps and workshops. A majority of the artists, including me used to go to Shilparamam at Hyderabad, here we have nothing,” he said.
Shilparamam is a platform to showcase artistic skills in arts, crafts and culture like pottery, weaves, woodwork, local crafts, arts, ethnic clothes and cultural festival. Mr Raparla said that Shilparamam village could be made functional as early as possible since funds and land have already been sanctioned. Amaravati Development Authority chairman, J. Veeranjaneyulu said that the Shilparamam remaining on paper is only due to negligence of officials. He said that AP is famous of its tradition, culture and arts and Shilparamam gives the artistes a platform to showcase this. Mr Veeranjaneyulu said that ADA has submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister seeking early start to Shilparamam.
