CHENNAI: Set on the east coast of Tamil Nadu, the fourth annual Covelong Point classic surf, music & yoga festival started on Friday and will continue through the weekend till Sunday night.
TT Group and Earth Sync tied up with the Surfing Federation of India, the national governing body for surfing, to put together this festival that has former South African cricketer Jonty Rhodes promoting it since its installation four years ago.
In the backdrop of the Indian Ocean, Rhodes said, “It’s beautiful to see the birth and growth of this festival.” The cricketer who surfs in South Africa regularly said that the Covelong Point is now nothing short of international standards.
Covelong - India’s first surfing village - has quickly become a hub for surfing culture in South India, bringing surfers from all over the world.
The primary aim of the festival is to use surfing as a catalyst for bringing about positive change in the local fishing community in Covelong. The school and the festival have promoted the sport among the village children too. Parts of the fund that the school receives from surfing classes are used for training the local community freely.
Murty Megavan, founder of the surfing school and festival, said that fisher community boys who learnt surfing from him have now moved on to starting their own schools.
The festival is open to everyone and the local community celebrates it just as much as visitors from around the world. “It’s fun to watch people from everywhere enjoy our village,” said a local fisherwoman.
The festival also has India’s first Slack Line championship, volleyball tournament, kayak races, and a rangoli competition.
The music stages, on the other hand, host a range of musicians, which will feature acts like Thaikkudam Bridge from Kerala, award-winning recording artist Tanvi Shah; Mauritian blues trio Tritonik; Bemet from Israel, a live electronica act who blends live instruments with infectiously electric beats; Chennai-based favourites Oorka, Carnatic violin maestros Dr M Lalitha and Nandini Kalaimamani; and transglobal urban outfit Bombay Bassment, being a few.
The Acoustic Stage features intimate soulful performances by artists including musician/theater personality Abhi Tambe and Australia-based singer/songwriter Ben Goldstein. Various yoga retreats offering courses in Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Hatha yoga are a part of the festival. The ‘Yoga Shala’ offers tranquillising music, and meditation and chanting classes.
For further information, browse through www.covelongpoint.com.