Parks turn hotbed for cultural extravaganza

Chennai, Feb 22 (UNI) Prosaic public parks of this city have become cultural hotbed, showcasing live performances of Tamil Nadu's rich and ancient art and tradition.

The parks dotting the landscape of the city have sprung to life with 2000-year-old Tamil percussion, dance and literary feast being organised here as part of 'Chennai Sangamam,' a week-long festival.

The traditional-yet-modern city of Chennai has been lit up with 400 live performances across 100 different locations, mainly public parks.

Efforts were also made to document major folk art forms including Thappattam, Karagattam, Oyilattam, Mayilattam, Naiyandi Melam, Silambattam, Kalaripayitru, Puliattam, Maadattam, Paavai Koothu, Kattai Kaalattam and Thudumbattam.

Besides playing host to folk arts, the parks would also provide a platform for music concerts, taking the art of the elite class to the common man.

The likes of Sanjay Subramanyam, T M Krishna, Bombay Jayashri, Sudha Raghunathan, Aruna Sairam, Sowmya and O S Arun, who are the who's who of the Carnatic music world, would perform, may be for the first time, at the non-traditional venues.

The festival, which commenced on February 20, was conceptualised by Kanimozhi, poet-daughter of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, and supported by Tamil Maiyam, an NGO and Tamil Nadu Tourism and Culture Department.

An electrifying 100-minute musical ensemble, an aesthetic compilation of Tamil literature from the Sangam era to modern day literature, was performed on the inaugural day in the presence of Mr M Karunanidhi.

The ''Chennai Sangamam'' would become part of the Pongal festivities from next year and the mega event listed in the Tamil Nadu Tourism calendar would help attract more domestic and overseas tourists.

UNI