Auroville recently hosted a two-day festival to celebrate
Tamil heritage and culture – a first of this scale and vision. The brainchild
of Balu from Mohanam Cultural Centre, and Meenakshi from Auroville’s Tamil
Heritage Centre and Ilaignarkal School, the festival brought together artisans,
performers, farmers, VIPs and visitors for festivities on Auroville land.
Fifty stalls displayed the contemporary and traditional
crafts of local artisans and nomadic tribes, including metal, wood and stone
crafts. Performances included storytelling, street theatre by local artists, a
puppet show and traditional folk dance. Children participated in drawing games,
and girls played “checks” (a game similar to hopscotch). Young women took part
in a kolam drawing competition,
tracing their elaborate designs in white powder on the red earth. The
traditional games of breaking pots and lifting heavy stones drew large crowds.
“In the old days, if a man could lift the stone, th...
>> More
>> More