CHENNAI: A row of make-shift shops, a noisy railway station, the drilling and deafening sounds of the Metro construction, crowds squeezing through the barricaded roads towards the Madras High Court and the heavy traffic at the George Town signal. Ironically, nestled in the middle of all this cacophony is the Tamil Isai College of Music, which has been running since 1943. But the name board isn’t displayed prominently, as it’s hidden by the Metro barricades.
The college was set up by Raja Annamalai, who laid the foundation of the Tamil Isai Sangam, and his main aim was to protect, preserve and enrich Tamil instruments, music and dance. It remains the only institution in the world to continue to teach Thevaram music— Divyaprabhandam. “What makes us stand apart from other music colleges in the city is that we concentrate only on Tamil music, compositions and dances. We continue to live up to what our founder aimed at,” said Lakshmi Poduwal, principal.
Besides diplomas in veena, mrudangam, violin, nagaswaram and thavil, the college offers bharathanatyam for women. While sounds from the streets manage to creep in through the ancient windows of the three-storey Raja Annamalai Mandram building, the long corridors and the soundproof walls keep the college quiet. It’s only when the classroom doors are pushed in, do all the different sounds of the instruments come rolling out, drowning out the traffic noises that finds its way through the windows. However, the loudest sounds can be heard on the staircases, where bharathanatyam students run up and down with their salangais.
Deepika Lakshmipathy, who has just finished Class 12 and joined the college for a diploma, said, “I hope to stay on even after I finish and also be able to come back and teach as well.” Were her parents supportive of her decision to choose dance as a profession? “I told them where my interest was and they accepted it. I have been dancing since I was child so they knew there wouldn’t be anything else I would do,” she smiles.
Two other students, Bhavani Lingarajan and Nirmala Muruganandam are mothers, who have chosen to pursue dance after marriage. “My daughters studied dance here, I was inspired by them and took it up,” said Nirmala.
Despite dedicated students, the number of people joining this college has seen a steady decline over the last few years. But nobody seemed to know the exact reason. “It could be due to the increase in the number of colleges…we expect at least a Class 10 certificate here, that could be one of the reasons,” said the principal. N Padmini, a teacher, said, “Music, dance and the arts are seen as hobbies. Parents pressure their children to pursue other ‘more secure’ professions. That could be the reason,” she shrugged.
But 17- year-old Deepika does not buy this argument. “If someone is passionate about the arts, they’d fight against all odds to make their dreams come true. When it comes to dance, you have to be dedicated with every fibre of your body. It’s very demanding but when I dance, I feel completely at peace. Nothing comes close,” she smiled.
The college is affiliated to the University of Madras and offers courses to people of all ages.