1,820 folk artistes get relief from Ramakrishna Math
TIRUCHY: Sri Ramakrishna Math distributed relief materials on Saturday to as many as 1820 folk artistes who had lost their livelihood during the second wave of COVID-19.
Since the second wave and the subsequent restrictions, the festivals and special events were stopped and so the folk artists who used to earn their livelihood through the events organised during the festivals and so they went on approaching the district collectors to support them during the pandemic time as they had lost their programmes.
They even sought compensation from the state government and ensured their daily bread.
Meanwhile, the Thanjavur Ramakrishna Math identified as many as 1820 folk artists from Thanjavur, Ariyalur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai and distributed essential commodities worth Rs 18 lakh as a part of their programme Math’s COVID-19 relief service 2021.
Each family was distributed with 30 varieties of essential commodities.
In a Phase I distribution, the Ramakrishna math chief Srimad Swami Vimurthanandar Maharaj and Srimad Swami Jithmanasananda Maharaj distributed the relief materials to the folk artists. Thanjavur district collector M Govinda Rao inaugurated the distribution. Over 100 artists received the materials. Earlier they performed before the guests. “We have taken the initiation to help out the artists who lost their livelihood during the pandemic time. The distribution of the relief materials would be phased manner. We have divided all the five districts into 33 unions and the distribution would be completed within a few weeks”, said Vimurthananda Maharaj.