Keeping ancient traditions alive
Naveen Mathew Menon
THE curtains may one day come down on Indian art forms in Malaysia. Silambam, kolattam, kummi and bharathanatyam rely on being passed down from one generation to the next to survive. But this practice is becoming rare.
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| COLOURFUL: Bharathanatyam dancers performing in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, recently. |
With this in mind, Sangeethalayam and the Malaysian Ceylon Saivites Association organised a day-long Indian art, tradition and cultural festival in Jalan Scott, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, recently.
Opened by Deputy Minister of Plantation Industries and Commodities Senator A. Kohilan Pillay, the festival was packed with traditional performances, activities, games and contests.
It kicked off at 9am with kolam-making, colouring, drawing, a Tamil-language competition and traditional games.
Meanwhile, fancy dress and traditional dress competitions saw children dressed up as Mahathma Gandhi, rural farmers and others.
Organising chairman of the festival, K. Pavithran, said: "This is a good way to keep our culture and traditions alive. We had had the cooperation of a number of organisations in doing this, for which we are grateful."
Indian art forms, from the lesser-known kummi, kolattam and silambam to the more popular yoga, bharathanatyam and karate, were displayed.
The audience was also treated to performances of classical and semi-classical songs using old Indian musical instruments .
Exponents from Silambam Kuala Lumpur showcased the South-Indian form of martial arts, which is characterised by the use of wooden staffs.
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