This summer, an eclectic group of local artistes from across the coastal town came together to entertain Puducherrians at three different venues.
The event was organised by the Department of Art and Culture, Government of Puducherry, and South Zone Cultural Centre, Thanjavur, Kodai Vizha – 2017. S. Ganessian, Director of Art and Culture Department, Puducherry, said that Kodai Vizha, an annual three-day cultural festival observed to mark the departure of the summer and to welcome the monsoon, began with fervourrecently in Puducherry.
The festival that began on May 12 evening opened with music in all the three venues. While N.Ganesan and Munusamy Art troupe performed in Gandhi Thidal on the Beach Road, K.Ganesan Art troupe mesmerised the audience in Sanjeeviraya Perumal Koil Thidal in Alankuppam and S.Murthy Art troupe held the public in sway with their music in Mariamman Koil Thidal in Mangalam.
Folk shows
This was followed by Bharatanatyam and folk dance performances. The second day was marked with folk dance like Karagattam and folk music like Kummi Pattu, children’s play and traditional martial arts Silambattam. Including Durgai Kaliamman, Velu Saravannan, Tamil Osai Thappata Kulu, nearly 22 local cultural troupes showcased different cultural facets of Puducherry.
On the last day, children enjoyed watching Rajappa Bommalattam team’s Bommalattam, even as elders were immersed in classical and folk music troupes performed Bala Veenai and Vaipaatu. The audience got to watch classical dance and street plays. Another senior official in the Department of Art and Culture noted that this annual festival is organised to encourage local artistes by providing a platform for them to perform to the varied audience including the hundreds of tourists who reach the coastal town to spend their weekend.
“It is also aimed to encourage many dying folk arts in Puducherry,” said the official.
