Listening to stories has always had a certain charm. They captivate minds of all ages, young and old alike. And when those stories are about an ancestor of the land, brought to life through a blend of art forms and local folk art, they resonate on a much deeper level.
Integrating this idea and bringing to Chennai stories of Tamil freedom fighters this weekend is Heritage Stories and Performing Arts (HSPA). Titled ‘Itihaas Ke Pannon Se’, the show has been curated for the Tamil audience for the first time, after successful runs in Bengaluru, Visakhapatnam, and Mumbai over the last four years.
The idea originated after HSPA’s videos about freedom fighters were received well online during the pandemic. Sarita Nair, the founder who is also a storyteller herself, believes, “Through stories, music, dance, and folk art forms drawn from India’s rich cultural tapestry, we hope to reconnect audiences with the courage and the values of our freedom fighters, inspiring us to learn from the past and build a better future.”
In its previous editions, stories of valour were shared in Visakhapatnam through Burrakatha, in Bengaluru through Geegi Pada, and in Mumbai through Chitrakathi art; each a rich folk art form that integrates story telling with music or visual aid, or both. “For Chennai, we are beginning with Villu Paatu, one of the oldest oral folk art traditions and through it we are doing the story of an unknown protagonist who was a freedom fighter. She is well known for her work as a singer and actor, but her work in the freedom struggle has not been captured,” Sarita teases.
‘Kalaimamani’ Bharathi Thirumagan, S Thirumagan, and Kalaivalarmani T Kalaimagan will be presenting Villu Paatu, followed by an oral storytelling by VR Devika on Khadi and its role in India’s fight against the British. Vocalist Shreya Ramnath is then set to take the stage and sing songs of freedom while Satwik Gade will simultaneously paint live the emotions Shreya’s songs evoke in him. The event will conclude with a dance drama inspired by the life of another “relatively lesser-known freedom fighter”, which will be presented by the students of Rukminidevi Natyakshetra.
Venkatesh, principal secretary, Department of Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textiles and Khadi, Government of Tamil Nadu, will be the chief guest. Since in the last four editions it has been a tradition to have a guest who is a family member of a freedom fighter, HSPA has invited Niranjan Bharathi, eminent writer, speaker, and the great-great-grandson of Mahakavi Subramania Bharathi, as the guest of honour. “We hope that he brings very interesting and unknown stories to our audience,” Sarita signs off.
‘Itihaas Ke Pannon Se’ is set to take place on August 16, from 6 pm onwards, at Rukmini Arangam, Kalakshetra Foundation. Tickets: `200, `300, and `500. Available on MDnD.
Ticket link: https://mdnd.in/event/Ithihaas_Ke_Pannon_Se?ci=Y2kxMDE=&e=ZWlkOTA1Nw==&editEvent=cXI=&isPvt=undefined