The floor of the hockey academy campus being cleaned to make room for Kala Mandir. Picture by Hardeep Singh

Ranchi, Sept. 10: The maiden performing arts centre of the state — Jharkhand Kala Mandir on the hockey academy campus in Morabadi — would start functioning in early November.

The absence of a performing arts centre has done an irreparable dent in the state’s prospects in dance so far. But, this centre would help boost performing arts in the state, said a dance enthusiast.

“We had been receiving feedback that the state lacks a centre where boys and girls could learn music and dance. This is an effort to boost the state’s prospect in performing arts,” said R.S. Verma, the secretary of department of art, culture, sports and youth affairs.

The centre would train youngsters on Saturday afternoons and on Sundays. The department has chosen these timings to ensure that students could attend the classes, he added. The initial registration fee would be Rs 50. In addition to that one would have to pay Rs 100 a month as tuition fee. However, the monthly fee for Scheduled Tribe students would be Rs 25 a month only, he added.

“We have kept the fee low so that students from under-privileged background could also afford the course and reap benefit out of it,” said Verma. Keeping in mind the early November launch of the centre, the building adjacent to the Jharkhand Sports Authority campus is being modified. “A big hall is being prepared for the dance lessons. This hall will have mirrors on three walls, which will help the trainees see the expressions, mudras, and dance moves,” said Verma. The centre is not expecting a huge return out of this venture. “This is rather an initiative to fill up the gap that was created after the bifurcation of the state,” Verma said. The centre would be affiliated to Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad.