Dedicated space for street musicians yet to be a reality in Kozhikode

Despite long-standing demands from artistes, a dedicated space for street singers and touring musicians in Kozhikode city is yet to become a reality. The alleged opposition by the police citing law and order issues, and the lack of initiative by the Tourism department are reportedly the main roadblocks to the project.

Functionaries of some leading artistes’ collectives say many street singers and instrumentalists struggle to showcase their talent due to the lack of dedicated space. They say there is no justifiable reason for a blanket ban on street musicians, especially when wayside traders are provided decent spaces in Kozhikode city.

R. Jayanth Kumar, patron of Kozhikode-based ‘Pattinte Koottukar’ (Friends of Music) collective, says the city could set an example by establishing a dedicated space equipped with power supply, internet connectivity, and lighting. “We have already approached the Corporation authorities for support. It is high time we made it a reality,” he adds.

In the absence of free public space, many music lovers’ collectives are forced to find venues for hosting performances. They also struggle to gain the desired exposure in these confined spaces, where public entry remains limited.

“I stopped my street performances two years ago because of frequent threats from the police. Even after the intervention of a few representatives and music lovers, there has been no change in their attitude,” says Babu Sankar, a street singer known as Babu Bhai.

His 24-year-old daughter, Sruthi, is in a similar situation. She and her family now only attend invited performances due to the restrictions. “It is my source of income, with the ongoing restrictions, I can only sing along the beach road on Sundays,” she says.

Meanwhile, representatives of some leading musicians’ collectives and police sources say that differences of opinion among artistes and performers’ groups are also contributing to the delay in the implementation of the project.

Published - October 06, 2024 07:56 pm IST