At the time of this article going to print, a stage was getting ready at Ragamalika Apartments in Mandaveli. On December 3 around 7.30 p.m., the children from the community were using an opportunity to showcase their talent, thanks to a musical play titled “Fort St. George’il Muthuswamy Dikshitar”.
Conceptualised as part of a pre-Marghazi event, the play is a tribute to renowned poet and composer Muthuswami Dikshitar.
Directed by Hetal Somasundaram, the play highlights the Nottuswaras, a special set of 39 compositions of Muthuswami Dikshitar and how they came to be.
With a cast of more than 50 children from the apartment, the youngest being a four-year-old, work on this production has been on for over two months. Children of parents and many other well-wishers chipped in.
The musical is masterfully knitted together, traversing between the 19th century and current day.
The production was marked by well-constructed dialogues. Nottuswarams were sung to the accompaniment of the piano. There were also solo instrumental performances to go with it. The cast danced to Irish tunes. Even a marching band, led by a band leader who played the recorder, was part of the show.
The musical was highly entertaining, with my favourite part being the lively music classes held at Ragamalika.
This production also gave its audience something to think about, revealing how cultures of several countries made their way to India. One of the key takeaways from the musical was how crucial it is to be open to new and varied experiences. And of course, the children of the apartment got to bond better.
This play has been possible with the support of many patrons from Ragamalika who stepped forward to support the project. The funds donated by them helped the production crew set up the stage, sound and light systems.
Madhu Iyer, who trained the children to sing the songs, deserves a special word of praise.
(Aparna Natarajan is a Class X student of Chettinad Hari Shree Vidyalayam and a resident of the community)
