Support for folk festivals dwindling

Speaking at Phagwa celebrations held at the Palmiste Park, La Romaine yesterday afternoon, Maharaj said people prefer spending time on social media than actually socialising with others from their communities.

“Ten years ago we had thousands of people attending Phagwa celebrations.

Today we see hundreds coming to celebrate this religious folk festival,” Maharaj said, adding that in the early days the communities were closely knitted, but today people are occupied with consuming foreign news and entertainment.

Maharaj says the Pandava team currently has weekly training sessions for the annual Ramleela celebrations.

“Again we are looking at training students in theatre arts so that they can understand the characters of the religious epic the Ramayan.” Maharaj said it is difficult to get students to participate in religious activities.

He called on parents to involve their children in community- based programming as a means of getting them to understand their heritage and to develop in art and culture.