Wails of struggle and survival

On the fifth day of Margazhiyil Makkal Isai, Neelam Panpaattu Maiyam brought oppari and parai artistes under the limelight to educate the audience through their reverberating performance
Wails of struggle and survival

CHENNAI: On the last Monday of 2020, the road leading to Mylapore Fine Arts club was dotted with vehicles parked on both sides. A steady stream of patrons were welcomed by the loud sounds of parai inside the auditorium. As the curtains drew open, we couldn’t help but notice a prominently-placed bamboo stretcher used to carry a dead body to the funeral pyre.

If the description wasn’t loud and clear, the theme for day-5 at Margazhiyil Makkal Isai was a satti parai oppari show by Pesu JK and team. While this may not be the auspicious start you may be accustomed to, at a concert during the Margazhi music season, the festival, presented by Neelam Panpaattu Maiyam, does not shy away from taking pride in bringing the dying folk arts to forefront in its raw form.

An age-old tradition
Oppari. The word conjures up visuals of women sitting in groups, wailing and beating their chest around a lifeless body, helping mourners bring their suppressed grief to the surface. This has been the general idea about the ancient form of lamenting. Little did we know that it was only the tip of the iceberg, for, the threehour performance by professional oppari singers from various parts of Tamil Nadu, brought to light some unknown facets.

Speaking about the age-old art form, JK Jayakumar, founder, People’s Education for Social Unity, said “The origin of oppari is yet to be deciphered. But like how there’s a scientific reason behind every aspect of a funeral cremation, oppari has its purpose too. Mostly performed by Dalits, it conveys the meaning of how one should live until death. It brings out the depth of sorrow and pushes people to cry their heart out. It’s more effective with the sound of parai and conch.

But it’s unfortunate that what was once considered mandatory in households during death is slowly fading away.” JK’s team of parai artistes played 16 different types of the instrument through the performance. JK ensured that the programme was interspersed with trivia and science behind the origin, forms and making of parai.

Packed with emotions
The show kicked off with a performance by Ramadoss and team from Kaganam village in Tiruvannamalai. A quartet of elderly men, dressed in white shirts paired with green dhoti, set the mood by narrating the significance of oppari in folklore and the subtle message it conveys about the names and events associated with the bereaved person. If Ramadoss’s earpiercing voice that accompanied the beating of parai wasn’t enough to give us goosebumps what followed was another power-packed performance by Attakathifame Muthu.

He rendered a song that covered the emotional aspects as to how oppari is often centred around the relatives of the deceased and stresses the nature of the blood relation between the relatives and the deceased. Jayakumar feels that oppari is often not seen in a positive light unlike a lullaby. “As much as we welcome a newborn baby into the earth with joy, we must also learn to bid goodbye to the dead keeping in mind their good deeds so they reach a better place. That’s exactly what oppari aims to do. It’s a mix of eulogy and lament. It summarises the life the person lived on earth.

Oppari deserves recognition and there are artistes who need support to improve their living conditions and further the art,” he said. Capturing the essence of his feelings was Shakila’s performance that offered a combination of a lullaby and oppari. Every corner of the auditorium reverberated with whistles and applause as the audience received Susila, Muthamma and Backiyamma on stage. All the three women, in their solo performances, highlighted how oppari songs do not follow a set pattern; rather, the lyrics are sung impromptu, mostly improvised.

Dressed in bright pattu saris, wearing pottu and malli poo, the ladies swayed gracefully to the beats. The best is often reserved for the last. And staying true to that, the show concluded with Serikuyil Setu’s performance on oppari and protest. Penned by Tamil rapper Arivu, the song touched upon topics such as problems plaguing the society, the discrimination faced by the Dalits, farmer protests in New Delhi, and more. The event was presided over by directors Pa Ranjith and Naveen Mohammed Ali.

Addressing the audience, Naveen said, “They say music is inborn and runs in the blood. I don’t believe in all that. Any form of music or art requires practise and a platform to showcase its beauty and garner the appreciation it deserves.” While the programme may have achieved its purpose, it left us with thinking about some of the most relevant questions revolving around caste and politics in today’s conflictridden world.

For details, visit: https:// www.townscript.com/e/ margazhi-makkalisai- 2020-201204

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