Article by Geethanjali. Pictures and captions by Thamayandhi R.

Chennai Sangamam was inaugurated by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on January 13 at the Ekambaranathar temple grounds on Periyar EVR Salai at Kilpauk. As it does every year, this Pongal-special festival presented a spectacular homage to Tamil Nadu’s rich cultural heritage. It was conducted at eighteen locations throughout the city and saw more than 1,500 artists delighting the audiences with classic, contemporary and folk performances. Chennai Sangamam showcased more than fifty traditional folk-art forms including Karakattam, Silambattam, Devarattam, Villupattu, Therukoothu and more. Each venue also played host to a food festival, where visitors could enjoy traditional delicacies from across the State. People enjoyed eating spicy Chettinad curries, Ilayappam and jaggery, Pongal and various other sweet and savoury dishes native to Tamil Nadu. The venues also offered people the chance to play traditional games.

The team behind Chennai Sangamam this year were Kathir who was the art director; Meera Krishnamurthy, Nellai Manikandan and Palani, who were the dance coordinators; P.M. Sivakumar was the programme co-ordinator; Kumaravel, was the script writer; and Pravin Kannanur, was the programme director.

In a brief chat with Madras Musings, Pravin said that the festival’s name ‘Chennai Sangamam – Namma Ooru Thiruvizha’ drew its inspiration from a famous quote by former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi – Naan endru sonnal udhadugal ottadhu; Naam endru sonnal thaan udhadugal ottum ([In Tamil] The lips do not come together when we say ‘I’; they do when we say ‘We.’) That is, unity is a powerful thing to have when working towards noble endeavours.

True to the essence of the iconic quote, the inaugural show was a vibrant gathering that showcased myriad dance forms in Tamil Nadu and brought together around 250 artists to perform on stage. Meera, who participated in Chennai Sangamam for the first time, put together the Bharatanatyam sequences. A special feature of the inaugural event was a sign-language performance presented along with other shows by the Toda, Irula, Kurumba and Kota tribes. It wasn’t just traditional and folk dances, either – the event also showcased the city’s talent in contemporary dance forms like hip-hop.

The show also had performances by artists from the transgender community to sustain its theme of inclusivity. The live music was conducted under the supervision of Paul Jacob, who was the music producer at the event. The artists – and other performing talents – were chosen based on auditions conducted in several locations in the city. Nellai Manikandan says that future shows will include performances by the differently abled, as well.

Chennai Sangamam has grown vast over the years, indeed. This year, its reach extended beyond Chennai with similar festivals held in eight other cities – Coimbatore, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, Salem, Thanjavur, Tirunelveli, Kanchipuram, and Vellore.

The event shone a spotlight on Tamil Nadu’s traditional musical instruments.

The unsung heroes of Chennai Sangamam (left to right): Ilangovan, Bharath, Kathir, Elango Kumaravel, Paul Jacob, Pravin on stage with artists.