At a time when there is a paradigm shift in the way audiences are taking to performing arts, due to the ongoing pandemic and lockdowns, it may make sense to pause and rewind to the city’s culture and arts scene nearly a century ago.
Till the early part of the 20th century, performing arts were largely confined to temples, and many who were living in villages slowly began spending more time in Madras, in search of such entertainment, says Pradeep Chakravarthy, historian and author who also conducts heritage tours.
December 1927 witnessed the All India Congress Session being held in Madras, a significant event that later helped in the formation of the Music Academy. On August 18, 1928, the institution was inaugurated at the YMCA Auditorium, Esplanade. But the Margazhi Music Festival, which now draws people from across the globe to various sabhas , big and small, was originally not held in December.
“The Madras Music Conference, 1929, organised by the Music Academy Madras, will take place during the Easter holidays (29 March to 1 April, 1929),” archives of The Hindu show. “One can say that performing arts bloomed in the city in the 1900s, and much later, Kalakshetra played a crucial role in bringing more focus to the city, in terms of performing arts,” Mr. Chakravarthy says. Kalakshetra, which was founded in 1936 by Rukmini Devi Arundale, contributed a great deal to the world of dance.
In 1943, the Tamil Isai Sangam emerged, and a decade later, the Raja Annamalai Mandram was born.
The last decade has been particularly important for performing arts in the city, as both artistes and the public have come together to push boundaries. In 2015, an alternative cultural festival, the Urur Olcott-Kuppam Vizha (now called the Chennai Kalai Theru Vizha), co-founded by T.M. Krishna, emerged and focused on taking the marginalised arts to high arts places and vice-versa. Railway stations, metro rail stations, beaches and even a public transport bus became venues for music and dance performances.
Reimagining the city’s famed Sathyam Cinemas as a concert space, MadRasana, an arts organisation, hosted a series of concerts over the last two years during the December season. Popularising paraiattam , the 'Friends Kalaikuzhu' from Korukkupet also has gained prominence over the last few years.
“The city is synonymous with the live experiences it has to offer for performing arts. While this can never be replaced, the online medium has emerged as an effective alternative platform,” says Akhila Krishnamurthy, whose company ‘Aalaap’ has played host to several events online.
