TIRUCHY: Sunday evening saw a huge crowd at Anna Science Park in the city. From 5:30 PM, the amphitheatre at the park drew more crowds than usual, to listen to the lively notes of three college students.
While such programmes are not new to the city, the pandemic had brought them to a screeching halt for a little over two years now. With several States withdrawing all Covid restrictions, major cities are coming alive with cultural programmes. Parks are the biggest source of recreation for Tiruchiites, and they are next only to movie theatres when it comes to recording high footfall.
On Sunday, SV Sundaram, M Ifthikar and Swaminathan , who are part of a band, performed the latest Tamil hits.
"Our friends have performed at this park almost three years ago. Now that things are getting back to normal, we thought of staging a show. We took the necessary permission for the performance and are happy with the turnout," said Sundaram.
According to sources, the permission of the Junior Engineer of Tiruchy Corporation has to be secured before performing at parks. Anna Science Park is one of the few parks in the city which houses an amphitheatre.
Manimaran, who is in charge of the park, said, "I am glad such performances have started again.
This park draws huge crowds. We see thousands of people coming here on weekends. It is one of the few places which has something for every age group. We hope to see more talented people performing here."
After facing the pandemic and restrictions for over two years, such shows come as a well-earned relaxation for many residents.
"Musicians, dancers, and all artistes didn't get a platform to exhibit their talent in the past two years. Such outlets help artistes and are also much needed for people to relax. The past two years have been stressful for everyone, from children to adults," said Dr Chitra, a psychiatrist.