CHENNAI: The Tapovan hall, Chinmaya Heritage Center, was filled and the audience, a mix of children, teens, adults and senior citizens were glued to the stage that was set for 30 Tibetan artistes to perform through the evening. Wearing layers of colourful ‘Chuba’ (long sleeved coats), traditional skirts and vibrant head-gears, the senior artistes from the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA), Dharamshala, moved to soft beats and filled the auditorium, with the words ‘Thank you India’.
“Our institute was established in 1959 and we have been working towards preserving our culture and tradition. But, we want to thank India for all that it has offered and supported us — not just in the recent past, but since 7th Century! This song is our own composition,” shared Wangdu Tsering Phesur, director, TIPA.
The event, presented by Garden of Peace (a holistic school for the rural children in Vellore), showcased music and dance performances by TIPA to support and promot rural education in India. “The Garden of Peace is a community-based education system, which takes holistic education to people,” said Ramu Manivannan, founder, Garden of Peace.
“We want people to relate and identify with other people, cultures and challenges…to interact and share. Having worked with Tibetans for their causes, to have TIPA support this initiative and inspire us with their culture is heartwarming.”
As the evening led the audiences into the vivid culture of Tibet and it’s plethora of dance styles — reflecting and symbolising each province, Lharik, a senior artiste of TIPA shares, “It’s always nice to perform here...the feedback and response keep us going,” he says.
From joining the institute at 9, Lharik has been learning different traditional dance styles, for 13 years. “When I was a kid, I remember seeing my grandparents perform these styles during occasions and ceremonies. But with time, things are changing and people are moving towards modern or western dance and music. But in TIPA, we haven’t given up and we want to preserve and restore our culture,”
he smiled.
From showcasing the famous ‘Ache Lhamo’ or the Tibetan opera to the exhilarating snow lion dance, the performers brought a piece of Tibet to the Chennai audience and namma makkal couldn’t stop saying ‘romba pudichiruku’ (We are loving it). Receiving thunderous applause at the end of every routine and the non-stop whistles that echoed inside the auditorium, the performers showed 14 different styles on stage.
“Our institute has preserved over 500 traditional Tibetan dresses and we are all wearing some of that for the dance. It is heavy, but it’s traditional and we don’t want to lose it!” shares Lharik, the star performer of the evening.
They dance, sing, and their boots give you the needed background music. “Though we have our traditional instruments, when it comes to performing arts, like dance, we use this…it gives a rhythm,” said an enthusiastic Kalsandolma who has been part of TIPA since 2008.
Several Chennai-based Tibetans were among the audience. Tenzin, who has been in the city for over two decades, added, “I feel nostalgic… I remember my mother singing these folk songs and
my family dancing around during birthdays. Though I miss it all, I felt at home being here!”
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