Tamil Nadu - Chennai

An experience of sheer bliss of art

— Photo: S. Thanthoni

Deep insight: Students take a look at the photographs put up as part of the exhibition at the Government College of Fine Arts, in Chennai, on Thursday.

CHENNAI: A small coastal village in Tuticorin has come alive here in Chennai. Villagers attired as Gods are strutting about, even as the baby Gods are playing along the beach. Candid moments capturing Kulasekarapattinam during a 10-day festival have been featured in a photo exhibition organised at the Government College of Fine Arts, Egmore.

Photographer, artist and film- maker B. Kathir recorded two editions of the annual festival using his film camera and says every frame he viewed through his lens had so much to say.

“People from nearly 50 neighbouring villages culminate at Kulasekarapattinam on the tenth day of the festival (held around Navarathri). Each of them observe a fast and are dressed as someone for the 10-day period. On the last day, they all come to this small village, pray and change into their regular clothes,” explains Mr. Kathir, a product of the Government College of Fine Arts, Kumbakonam.

“For example, someone who aspires to become a police officer will fast and be dressed as one for the 10 days. Others with different prayers dress up as Gods.”

A ritual that typifies the life villagers lead, the aspirations and dreams gives so many insights about life, he adds.

Apart from his photographs, a documentary made by him titled ‘Thannai marandu’ was also screened for students. It is precisely these kinds of insights that principal of the college (Chennai) G. Chandrasekaran wants students to have. “This is an attempt to expose students to a wide range of arts and cultural practices. Art, literature, music, dance and theatre are communicative media. They reflect socio-political and even economic contexts beautifully,” he says.

For folk artistes, art is a mirror of their lives. “That was how it was for everybody. Composers like Thyagaraja or Arunagirinadar were able to travel so deep into their art because they sang for themselves and not to please any king. Art was always bigger than the artiste.”

“They had very rich experiences in life and could translate those into their respective arts. Students, these days, tend to limit themselves to what they see in art exhibitions. On the other hand, if they have beautiful experiences, their vision expands. This wide vision could enrich their own art and make it a wonderful experience for them,” he added.

The college has planned trips to rural areas and interactions with artistes in villages next year too. “Once they experience the sheer bliss of the art itself, then, they can come up with truly original works,” Mr. Chandrasekaran emphasised. The exhibition and a series of lectures and discussions on folk arts will be held at the event, on at the college till Sunday.

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