Chennai’s public areas flip efficiency venues with rap music and French horns for Tamil Nadu Day

The South Indian fashionable snack, combination, brings collectively an assortment of tastes. For, this tasty, crispy providing is a little bit of every thing.

Chennai’s public arts competition Mixtura Vizha, a reputation derived from the Latin phrase for combination, was a bit like that. In its second version this 12 months, the competition — held in three completely different metropolis places on Tuesday night — provided a dynamic combination of genres and inventive types to have a good time Tamil Nadu Day. Shreya Nagarajan Singh, a city-based arts advisor whose drive to carry reside arts to public locations led to the beginning of Mixtura Vizha final 12 months, says, “Not sufficient is going on in public areas. We at all times have performances in auditoriums. What about those that are on their strategy to work, assembly their buddies, or travelling? Allow them to additionally likelihood upon reside arts. The very fact is that not everybody has the luxurious, time or assets to look at reside arts. So we considered going to areas the place individuals are already there.” They partnered with KM Music Conservatory, Higher Chennai Company, Chennai Good Metropolis and Chennai Metro Rail for the occasion. Nuggets from the competition:

MGR Central Metro

The transit between the MGR Central Metro Station and the Chennai Central Railway Station is an image of haste. Many race in opposition to time, with swift strides and the occasional run with luggage in tow, to make it their mode of commute in time. Nonetheless, within the midst of all of the hurry, a pocket of calm, or quite artwork stops them on their method. They likelihood upon trombones and French horns as Sizzling Brass, the brass ensemble of Sunshine Orchestra takes over the sq. with an brisk efficiency that blends effortlessly with the hum of approaching trains infrequently. The setting solar, and a towering Victoria Corridor made for a picturesque, familiarly-Chennai backdrop.

“Situating arts in areas like this actually assessments you on viewers constructing,” says Shreya. In a fast-paced area like this, it’s doubtless that at any given time, not less than 50 to 80 individuals keep for at least 15 to half-hour, between their commute. Because the night progresses with a movement-cum-spoken phrase efficiency by artiste Preethi Bharadwaj, the group grows in measurement and involvement. The solo act that discusses ‘trash’ from various views via motion and music is punctuated by exclamations of reward from the floating, largely interactive viewers. “It was a really relatable piece. A few of the points addressed are confronted by girls every day,” says a pupil who stops by on her method again from school. 

Carnatic fusion music charactised by beatbox and mridangam interludes follows because the evening falls. An enthralled viewers grows in measurement, usually breaking into thunderous applause, when the younger band, Thisram, ups the tempo with fascinating renditions of Tamil movie songs. Hoots and whistles characterises the ultimate efficiency, a robust, foot-tapping near the day.

Dr Visvesvaraya Tower Park

“Attending this competition on the day the title Tamil Nadu was born makes me admire the cultural tapestry of our State much more. The music right here represents the soul of our individuals,” says S Prabha, former Madras Excessive Court docket Choose.

Amidst the sprawling greens of Dr Visvesvaraya Tower Park in Anna Nagar, a feast for the senses was underway. The general public artwork competition sprang to life because the KMMC Sufi Ensemble took the stage. The gang of over 150 swayed in unison with each observe, carried away by songs like ‘Kun Faya Kun’ and ‘Khwaja Mere Khwaja’.

“I may really feel the music reverberating inside me,” exclaimed Okay Selvam, a smile gracing his weathered face because the competition then delved into Carnatic music. Brindha Manickavasakan’s rendition of raga Nalinakanthi left the viewers tapping their laps. A wave of nostalgia hit the group with every composition, comparable to ‘Endhan Nenjil’ and ‘Alaipayuthey Kanna’.

Songwriter Gabrial Gladson and guitarist Jestalt Srishanth, took the viewers on a musical journey of affection and innocence. Their efficiency narrated the journey of two people who grew up collectively. From an opportunity assembly at a ferris wheel on the tender age of 5 to encounters at college and bus stops as they matured, their story unfolded via groovy vocals and soulful guitar strums.

Within the phrases of T Linda, a spectator, “This competition has proven us the magic of ‘namma Chennai’, and I can’t await the surprises that await us sooner or later.”

Gandhi Mandapam

A younger boy goes up a sturdy kambam inside seconds. His pal follows him, and shortly, one other lady climbs up. A formation is prepared, and so they all strike a pose.

These acrobatics are part of Mallar Kambam, a conventional Tamil sport that not many Chennaiites would possibly pay attention to and was the spotlight of the thiruvizha at Gandhi Mandapam. Prakash S, who trains many kids on this sport, says, “It has its origins through the Chola interval, and was utilized by wrestlers to maintain their our bodies in form. Kids nowadays can turn out to be extra versatile in the event that they follow this sport that entails doing many asanas inside a stipulated time.”

If sport kickstarted occasions right here, Tamil rap took it ahead. Rapmad Udhay and Younger Castiel Praveen dished out traces on many topics, from Tamil Eelam to like failure. The poor acoustics didn’t assist, however the two carried on, similar to how they should have after love failures, about which they rapped fairly a bit. “Our rap is influenced by our life and struggles,” says Praveen, who collaborates usually with 23-year-old Udhay Kumar aka Rapmad.

The third act of the night was a novel operatic presentation by Subin Sebastian Mathai and Gerardo Sanchez Lara. Hailing excessive notes with ease, the duo took audiences far-off from Chennai with their selection of poems, largely from French and Spanish literature. Whereas one spoke about laziness, one other revolves round dwelling within the second. One other monitor, titled ‘An Invitation for Voyage’, spoke about one other world the place there’s extra magnificence and abundance. Higher than Chennai? Perhaps not.