KOCHI: A long time ago, before the tribal communities became dependant on the changing governments, Irula dance was performed during the busy harvest season in Attapadi. As time passed, the art form lost its appeal among youngsters who left the settlement for higher education. “Most of our children were scared to sing the Irula music at school, as they feared people would find out they belong to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category,” remembers Pazhani Swami, who heads Azad Kala Sangham, a community that is working towards reviving the artform among members of the community.
Irul performance was on the verge of extinction when Pazhani Swami and his troupe started Azad Kala Sangham in 2004. “We released a CD with Irula songs, which gained popularity in the state. This created interest among members of the community to learn the art form,” says Pazhani. The team has improvised on costumes but everything else remains the same — the songs and instruments. “The artists now adorn blouses with sarees and shirts and dhothis while performing,” says Pazhani, who has won many awards for his works related to tribal art forms.
The introduction of Nanjiyamma, the community’s renowned singer, in 2010 became a turning point for the sangham. She lent her soulful voice to many Irul performances across the country, including the National Tribal Festival and the Kerala government’s ‘Ulsavam’ event. Even before the song “Kalakkatha sandana maram” — from the movie ‘Ayyapanum Koshiyum’ — became a hit, Nanjiyamma was a popular figure in the community, through YouTube videos and audio CDs released by the kala sangham. Pazhani feels that Irula dance is a powerful art form that requires energy and perseverance, and can thus be popular among youngsters. He is currently working as an officer in the Kerala Forest and Wildlife Department.
Digital preservation
The sangam has started mobilising knowledge on the art form for generations to come, and the first step to this digital journey is their YouTube channel Gothra Kalamandalam. Its debut video featured Mudhaa Moopan, the chief of the community in Attapadi, who died in 2013 and was over 100 years. He was an interesting man who had married 23 times and had around 113 children and grandchildren. “We haven’t been able to make a lot of content due to the pandemic. But soon, we will have data on indigenous customs, cuisines and art,” Pazhani says.
Harbinger of harvest
Earlier, each family or ‘ooru’ would have vast farmlands waiting to be harvested. Reaping used to be a group effort involving almost every member of the community. Each family will release a ‘Kambalam’ asking for assistance, marking the beginning of the festival. A group of traditional artists will dance to the rhythm of traditional instruments to cheer those working hard in the field. On summer nights, men and women of the Irula community will groove to the rhythm of dhavil and elathalam. Manporai and kuzhal will accompany the vibrant, powerful performance. After the harvest, the profit from the crops is distributed among the artists and those who worked in the field.
Soul’s music
Irula dance is also performed during the death of a member of the tribe and the ‘adiyanthirum’ (funeral rites). Irula dancers and singers will spend the night singing and dancing for the soul. The performances during the harvests and those at funerals are differentiated by the presence of a joker, who is a joyous, mischievous presence at the harvest festival.