Chairman cites rains and incomplete roof repairs as reasons for shutdown until June 15
MARGAO
Tiatrists suddenly find themselves at sea as the management of Ravindra Bhavan, Margao has further extended the closure of the Pai Tiatrist auditorium for the popular form of art till June 15.
What has further left the tiatr directors and the artists a worried lot is that the Pai Tiatrist hall will be out of bounds for shows during the two months of July and August as announced by the management to undertake repairs and upgradation of the projector, screen and sound system ahead of IFFI 2025 festival.
In fact, anxious tiatrists conveyed their displeasure over the fact that the new tiatr season, beginning around May and goes on till July-August will end without many shows taking place at the Pai Tiatrist hall for want of the auditorium.
A couple of tiatr directors sought an audience with Chairman of Ravindra Bhavan, Margao on Tuesday after they suddenly realised on Monday that the closure of the Pai Tiatrist hall for tiatr shows has been extended to June 7. The directors were completely taken by surprise when they came for the meeting with the Chairman after they were told the main auditorium will be shut till June 15.
Noted tiatr director, Sammy Tavares told the media that the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao management has extended the closure of the Pai Tiatrist hall for staging of tiatr on four occasions in the last seven days, causing loss and confusion for both the tiatrists and tiatr lovers. “First, they announced that Ravindra Bhavan auditorium will be out of bounds for tiatr till May 25. The date was later extended to June 1 citing heavy pre-monsoon showers. On Monday, we realised that the closure date has been further extended to June 7. Today, we are told that the auditorium will not be available for tiatr shows till June 15,” he lamented.
Sammy added: “When we questioned the Ravindra Bhavan Chairman why the closure has been extended till June 15, Talak has attributed the situation to the ongoing rains and the inability of the contractor to repair the roof. We are at sea for the moment. We do not know whether we will get the dates to stage our shows.”
Sammy said the tiatr directors have made a fervent plea to the Chairman to postpone the scheduled closure of the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao from July-August to September-October, but in vain. “The tiatr season ends around August. That means we are not able to stage tiatr in May and June as well as in July and August. Hope a solution is found out to this problem,” he added.
Another tiatr director said they find themselves in a tight situation with tiatr lovers questioning about the resumption of tiatr shows at the Ravindra Bhavan. Hope better sense prevails and the Ravindra Bhavan is thrown open for tiatr lovers at the earliest,” he added.
