Adivasis's KCR election campaign as part of their Khel' attracts many in villages

Adilabad: Some enthusiastic Adivasis are playing a skit on Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's election campaign and welfare schemes and his mannerisms as part of their traditional 'Khel' in villages in the erstwhile Adilabad district.

‘Khel’ entertains villagers and guests during the tribals’ Gussadi-Dandari festival. A character ‘designed’ as KCR with a pink turban gets down from a helicopter and waves at the people at an ‘election campaign’.

The Adivasis normally play skits on subjects related to their lives and try to create awareness against liquor consumption, the importance of education and their rights to natural resources.

This time, adivasis have chosen the November 30 election as a subject for a skit.

One such skit on “KCR’s campaigning” attracted a huge crowd in Karanjiwada village of Kerameri mandal in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district.

The adivasis created a 'helicopter' by using a cot, bamboo, empty DAP bags and other locally discarded tools and clothes. The members of the cultural troop wrapped old pink saris around the structure that looked like a helicopter.

The artists playing the skit carry the helicopter on their shoulders and run, to create an impression of it having flown down to the ground.

One can see “KCR” getting down from the ‘helicopter’ along with two ‘ministers’, ‘gunmen’ and ‘police’. They also introduced a ‘dog squad’ before ‘KCR’s’ arrival at the meeting.

The artists kept the power-sprayer fixed with a (pesticide spraying) motor inside the helicopter to create a sound that gave an impression to the crowd watching the skit that it was a helicopter.

A person who was playing the KCR role enacted the chief minister’s mannerisms while greeting the crowds and giving the speech.

Interestingly, two ‘gunmen’ carrying ‘guns’ made of wooden logs were seen giving security to KCR and running behind him – in a perfect imitation of KCR’s real election campaign.

Gedam Bharath of Karanjiwada, who played KCR’s role, said it took four days for them to prepare the skit and make the ‘helicopter’. They also highlighted the issuing of pattas by the state government to the podu lands being cultivated by the adivasis. The KCR character says, “We will also issue pattas to the assigned lands.”

Mandadi Gagru Patel of Karanjiwada said the skit the youth played on KCR and his election campaign was so enchanting that the youth of the village wanted to enact it at more places.

 Adivasis’ skits on social issues and the selection of subjects reflect the creativity of the tribals, who play the skit with the resources that are locally available.