This quartet stole the show with mesmerising ‘silambam’ performance

This year’s Children’s Day turned out to be an unforgettable one for 11-year-old Kaushik Jeevan and three other boys from the district who presented ‘silambam’, the State’s traditional stick-based martial art at the National Bal Bhavan in Delhi.

Accompanied by master and project officer M Logu Subramanian, the boys - Jeevan, R K Varun, D N R Ragul and A Surya, constituting a four-member team, attended the three-day National Children’s Assembly and Integration Camp at National Bal Bhavan in Delhi and showcased their prowess in the ancient martial art.

Trained by Subramanian at the Jawahar Bal Bhavan here, the boys, students of National Academy Matriculation School, United Matriculation School and AVMS Matriculation Higher Secondary School, presented four styles of ‘silambam’ and won the acclaim of fellow students from other parts of the country.

Collector S Natarajan congratulated the students when they met him here on Monday and showed the certificates they had received from the Director of National Bal Bhavan.

The boys showcased ‘Otrai kambu’ (single stick), ‘Irattai kambu’ (double stick), ‘Alangakar silambu’ (ornamental show) and a fighting sequence in Delhi, Mr Subramanian said.

He trains about 40 boys and girls in the age group of 6 to 16 years at the Jawahar Bal Bhavan in a six- month course. The trained students perform at government functions such as Independence and Republic Day celebrations, he said adding they also take part in the zonal and State-level competitions.

Mr. Subramanian also teaches the art at Silamboli Silambu Palli and has trained more than 1,000 boys and girls during the last one decade.

His family has been teaching the art for generations and he was the fourth generation teacher, he said.

While his father and grandfathers had taught the art to only those who hailed from ‘Agamudayar’ community, he opened the art to all.

Boys and girls from all communities and religions were learning the art and he had so far produced about 50 teachers. His students also perform at the local temple festivals free of cost and are invited to perform the challenging ‘Surul val’ and ‘Theepandham’, he added.