Jefrina Charles, of Make A Difference (MAD) Coimbatore Chapter, was never into classical arts and enjoyed more of Western music and dance. She thought the youth did not much care for traditional music.
However, she changed her mind when she volunteered for for Samarpana, a classical dance and kalari show, organised by MAD in association with Shree Natya Niketan headed by Bharatanatyam exponent, Mridula Rai and Kailasm C.V.N Kalari. “My initial response was it would be boring and will not draw enough crowds to raise funds. But, few minutes into the show, I was completely hooked. It was a contemporary form of dance, themed on Lord Shiva’s wrath, using popular music and beats. I could not take my eyes off the stage.”
There was a good mix of classical and contemporary at Samarpana’s second edition . Mridula Rai's students danced to songs from Ram Leela,Iruvar and O Kadhal Kanmani . Weaving in contemporary film songs and folk music, the dance performances tackled issues such as hygiene, motherhood and volunteerism among the youth.
The dancers, dressed in colourful lehengas , swayed to the Rajasthani beats of ‘Nagada Sang’.
Mridula delivered a solo performance of ‘Janani Janani’, about motherhood. The kalari performance by the C.V.N Kalari team was breath-taking. The artists used knives, sticks and the gadhas to demonstrate their moves. The little boys in the team impressed the audience with their supple and nimble skills.
Tying up with NGOs for socially sensitive issue gives them a chance to explore the different formats of dance, says Mridula. “The work done by MAD members to educate under-privileged children and wipe off illiteracy is impressive. It inspires us to weave in contemporary themes into our performance such as child labour, the Swachh Bharath concept and other youth movements. The young volunteers are a great source of energy and enthusiasm for artists like us.”
MAD Coimbatore consists of nearly 200 members in their early and mid 20s. Many of these volunteers are part-time students and corporate professionals, who have joined MAD because they love children. They conduct camps at different schools, hold back-a-thons to spread awareness about illiteracy and work with institutions such as Don Bosco and the Sevashram trust.
Manoj Chinnaswamy is a corporate trainer, and says spending time with these children keeps him content. “Many of them call me anna . We try to maintain this bond even after the children pass out of the schools and join colleges.”
The idea for Samarpana began when Sabry Raj K, another MAD member, approached Mridula Rai through his sister, who was a student at her dance school. “Mridula ma’am immediately agreed to work with us. Initially, we were hesitant if a classical arts show will draw crowds. But, it was very well-received last year.
There were whistles and shouts!” Rock shows, stand-up comedy nights and live performances are usually the programmes organised by MAD. It is very difficult to market a classical arts event, if it does not appeal to all sections of the audience, says Anush Ramdass. “But, this show was actually entertaining, appealing to both the elders and the youth.”
Samarpana is an excellent example of traditional arts joining hands with NGOs for a social cause. “We feel socially responsible for the culture we represent.
Through this event, we also want to show that we are proud of where we come from,” says Sushmita Ayyagari, a MAD member.
They are planning to turn Samarpana into a movement, by holding the event every year. This year’s edition has raised around Rs.1.5 lakh. Says Mridula Rai, “The biggest challenge for us is to draw big crowds in order to raise enough funds. And debunk the myth that classical arts is accessible only to a few. These kinds of collaborations help us to stretch the limits of our art to appeal to a wider section.”
