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When village art forms came calling
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The isha gramotsavam was the ideal showcase for rural sports and arts
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WATCH YOUR STEP: Vazhuku maram was one of the highlights of Gramotsavam. Man and beast (below) team up in rekla race. PHOTO: M. PERIASAMY.
It is an age when children think a game is all about vanquishing evil soldiers on the computer. As for the elders, caught in the humdrum of office and home, they've even forgotten to relax, laugh and indulge in some good-natured fun.
That was something the Isha Gramotsavam, organised as a part of Isha Foundation's Action for Rural Rejuvenation (ARR) programme, sought to correct. Over the weekend, the VOC park grounds overflowed with people having a great time, watching long-forgotten rural sports.
Spotlight on rural games
In the two-day event, the spotlight was on rural art forms and games. "The event served to reveal some of the sources of entertainment in the villages to city folk," says Swami Lokhanethra of Isha Dhyanalingam.
In the run-up to the event, the Foundation organised a series of street plays by Chennai-based theatre group Koothu-P-Pattrai. `Ithu karpanai alla - unmai' invited people to the event as well as stressed the need to restore the roots of India that lie in its villages.
The attempt to showcase the essence of villages showed even in the stage setting. The dais had a roof made of coconut fronds supported by the trunks of coconut trees. Flowers and sugarcane added a native touch.
Through the two-day programme, the audience kept pace with the lively events. One of the biggest draws was seeing Edgar Ortiz from Costa Rica perform what he calls Acroyoga. A blend of traditional yoga and acrobatics, his show had people watch mouths agape. He performed 10 metres above the ground, leaving the masses mesmerized.
Traditional art forms
City dwellers' first exposure to rural art forms has mostly been restricted to cinema. But, there is so much more. Take Silambattam. People instantly recall the sequence by Kamal Hassan in Thevarmagan. A similar presentation enlivened the evening. Silambu Selvan and group gave a stunning performance by skilfully playing with fire.
The next event had a group of men moving to the beats of the ghatam even as they rhythmically clicked the wooden pieces they held. This was oyilattam.
As the stage was being set for the core event of the evening, it was time for some off-stage entertainment. Spectators were swept off their feet by the array of fireworks that were sent up into the night sky.
That done, it was time for Nattupura pattu fame Dr.Vijayalakshmi Navaneedakrishnan and troupe to treat audiences to an evening of rustic melodies. The music and dance by women draped in colourful sarees had everyone asking for more. This event also showcased the changing approach within the genre of folk music.
Rural Olympics
Villages are also known for their distinct sporting events. Through the rural Olympics conducted in the Gramotsavam, city dwellers got a chance to witness these games. People fell in love with the Uri adi (hitting a pot strung on a height), tug-of-war and vazhuku maram (greasy pole). The preliminaries were conducted a fortnight ago in about 900 villages spread across five districts.
Racing with animals
An ancient sport of Tamil Nadu, rekla race, was brought to life in Myleripalayam, near here.
Forty riders and their bulls scorched the tar roads in their quest to emerge champions.
The finals of these events were the highlight of the two-day utsav.
The throw ball match had the crowd cheering and asking for more. What caught everyone's eye was the interesting team of a 67-year-young grandmother and her young grand daughter. The inspiring part was that most of the contestants were drawn from the tsunami-hit areas across the State.
Village delicacies
During the event, people thronged the food court manned by Isha volunteers. Traditional village food like jeeraga saadham and poondu, dosas with cumbu, cholam and wheat, vadai made of cholam, soya and jeeragam, salads, carrot halwa and a sweet dish made of vazhaithandu, was served.
Actor Vijay handed over the prizes to the winners at the valedictory function.
This peek into rural life concluded with a satsang by the Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev.
JANANI RAJESWARI.S. AND SOWMYA. B.
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