Believe It or Not! Church Hall Timings are SAME for Everyone, Including the JOURNOS?
Mangaluru: As a journo myself I want to clarify on this incident which has created a little bit of controversy between the Urwa Church Centenary Hall management and the media persons belonging to Mangaluru Press Club and Dakshina Kannada Working Journalists Union (DKWJU). Even though an image of a sound in-charge staff removing the microphone from the stage in the middle of a Yakshagana performance by the journos, had gone viral- but in response many have supported the Church management about their strict hall rules/timings, while only a bunch have criticized the move by the hall management on that day of the function.
Recalling the incident- Mangaluru Press Club in association with Dakshina Kannada Working Journalists Union (DKWJU) had hosted their Annual Press Day Celebration, which is always held at Urwa Church Mini Hall, Lady Hill Mangaluru (since a couple of years) on Saturday, 5 January 2019. The programme which started at 10.30 am, comprised of various speeches by the bevy of dignitaries on the dais, plus there were a couple of felicitations, which took much of the formal programme, before the commencement of the cultural events.
As part of the cultural programme, apart from songs, there was also a Yakshagana performance by the journos which started around 1.30 pm or so. While the Yakshagana was going on, at 2.45 pm a warming bell was heard, an alert to note that the function should end at 3 pm- where the timings are clearly mentioned on the board inside the hall- and even the journos know about it when the hall was booked. It is learnt that the sound and lighting contract for the hall is given to outside people, and the church management has nothing to do with sound and lighting.
When it was nearing hall closing time the hall manager had requested one of the sound guys to approach a board member or members of the Press Club, and request them to wind up the show by 3 pm as per the rules, and also there was a function that evening- and preparations needed to be done for the evening function. It is learnt that the sound guy had met two board members of the Press Club, and they had said okay to remove the mike from the stage- and the sound guy as per their direction.
But one of the journos has downloaded the act of the sound guy removing the mike, as if he had forcibly removed it and making him look guilty of his act- but frankly speaking this sound guy did what he was told and acted strictly as per the hall rules/timings- no matter what the reasons are. But when the incident was highlighted on social media, and even in a couple of electronic media, many had raised their voices supporting the church management and their rules, while a few had alleged that what the church hall management did was wrong.
In the meantime, a Yakshagana teacher speaking to a reporter had said that Yakshagana is an art which should be given full respect, and whatever the reasons are, the performance should not be stopped until the last “Mangalam” is performed in the act. “You can’t stop a Yakshagana in the middle, no matter what the circumstances are. What the hall management did was wrong, by removing the mike and switching off the lights- and for this act, they should apologize” had said the Yakshagana teacher.
But one of the journos of the press club, who wanted to remain anonymous speaking to Team Mangalorean said, “Yakshagana is an art, and also a religious tradition. While this Yakshagana teacher is blaming about stopping the Yakshagana show before the Mangalam was done, but does he know that non-veg food was served at the hall where this Yakshagana was performed, which is totally against the tradition. Nowhere you will see non-veg food served at a Yakshagana show, only veg food is served. So who’s wrong here?”
Also clarifying on this issue, Fr Stany Pereira- Parish Priest of Our Lady of Pompei Shrine, Urwa -Mangaluru speaking to Team Mangalorean said, “We always try to keep a very good relationship with the media people, and whenever Mangaluru Press Club needed the hall we have obliged with no hesitations, and also we have given very good concession on the hall rent. But this incident which has been highlighted on social media and other publications (if any) has hurt our feelings a lot. Full in-charge for the sound and lighting at the hall has been given to an outside source. And when we rent the hall we specify the rules/timings of the hall, and it is also displayed on the board inside the hall. I know this incident shouldn’t have happened, but if I was there on that day, and a request was made to me, I would have extended the light/sound facility for a certain time. But unfortunately, I was at a different function at that time. There is nothing wrong done on our part to apologize, we follow the hall rules/timings just like many other halls in town. I have nothing more to say, however, my only request is, let this issue end peacefully without any further controversy. Thank You”.
