The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Carnatic, Western and folk artists to converge

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Saturday, Jan 09, 2010
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Carnatic, Western and folk artists to converge

Staff Reporter

Chief Minister Karunanidhi to inaugurate Chennai Sangamam tomorrow

Photo: M. Vedhan

Interaction: Member of Parliament Kanimozhi interacting with folk artists at a dress rehearsal of Chennai Sangamam in Chennai on Friday. —

CHENNAI: Over 2,000 folk artists and Carnatic, Western and Rock musicians will participate in this year’s Chennai Sangamam, which will be inaugurated by Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi at 6.30 p.m. on Sunday at the Island Grounds. Programmes in other venues will begin from January 11.

Member of Parliament and Chennai Sangamam Coordinator Kanimozhi told reporters here on Friday that the inaugural session will have a 70-minute folk music and dance programme `Pirapokkum’, which is also the official theme for the World Classical Tamil Conference. The sets for the programme have been done by Thotta Tharani and costumes by Purushotaman. It has been conceptualised by Ms. Kanimozhi and Prasanna Ramaswamy. The T.Nagar open festival would be held on 13th (Wednesday). Folk artists from Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka and Orissa would participate in this year’s Sangamam.

This year more than 20 Western music bands of the city will also participate. They have been asked to perform Tamil Rock and Folk.

Father Jegath Gaspar Raj of Tamil Maiyam said that artists are being paid Rs.800 per day and provided lodging and food. Over Rs.2.80 crore is being spent on the Sangamam this year, he added.

Mangala Isai by students of Music College and Carnatic programmes are being held in the mornings, while other programmes would be held in the evenings.

The festival venues this year are: Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore, Natesan Park in T.Nagar, Sivan Park at K.K.Nagar, Bogainvilla Park in Anna Nagar, Corporation Park at Ashok Nagar, Anna Park at Royapuram, Independence Day Park at Nungambakkam, Thiru Vi Ka Park at Perambur, Corporation Play Ground at Trust Puram, Elliots Beach in Besant Nagar, Island Grounds, Lady Wellington School on Kamaraj Salai and Thiru-Vi-ka Park at Shenoy Nagar.

In the suburbs the venues are Thanthai Periyar playground in Valasaravakkam, Wimco Nagar football ground at Tiruvottiyur, Palkalai Nagar Grounds, ECR, Palavakkam and Cantonment Ground at Pallavaram.

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