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Enchanting evening of folk songs and dance

— Photo: T. Singaravelou

SHOWING TALENT: Thappaattam artistes perform at the cultural programme organised by Doordarshan Kendra in Puducherry on Wednesday.

PUDUCHERRY: The evening began with a song that went like this “Maa Sabaiyore sirandha mariyore kodi vadanagal seidhom iyya periyore.” The 10 students of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyala in Kalapet led by K. A. Gunasekaran of Thannane Kalikuzhu set the tone for an evening of folk songs and dances.

The musical evening on December 12 was organised by Doordarshan Kendra Puducherry as part of a special invited audience programme in connection with Christmas and New Year celebrations. Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, who witnessed the programmes, appreciated the artistes and the Kendra for their work in popularising folk music and dances.

Women from Kariamanikkam village with their smart kummi and kolattam dances stole the show. The women danced in circles and different formations as Selvi, a group member sang.

The kummi song was about what the women will do in the face of natural calamities like floods and heavy rain.

Karagattam dancer Pandiamma from Madurai thrilled the audience as she blindfoldedly cut a raw plantain and broke a coconut placed on a group member’s head. As Dr. Gunasekaran sang a poem penned by poet Bharathidasan two men performed the `Maadu pudi nadanam.’ Four men from Tanjore with their Thappu aattam and the Peria melam group from Tiruvannamalai enthralled the audience. Other presentations included a Themmaangu paatu and a Kuravan kurathi dance. A pattimandram was also held.

Station in charge Jayalakshmi Shriram said a programme for the elderly about film songs from the golden era would be held on December 14 at 6 p.m. and a Western dance programme by Yours Lovingly group at 7.30 pm.

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