Cultural tribute to India at 60

AS part of the 60th year celebrations of Indian Independence Day, the Consulate General of India in Dubai is holding a four-day cultural event in different parts of the UAE from Thursday.

Doyens of classical Kathakali dance will be participating in the four-day extravaganza.

Indian Consul General Venu Rajamony said the celebrations will culminate with a Salaam India music gala evening on Jan.25, the eve of Republic Day, in which legendary singers Asha Bhosle, Dr KJ Yesudas and SP Balasubramanyam will participate.

"The celebrations had started in August this year with competitions for children, music concerts, fusion music, talks show, jazz music and other programmes presented by Indian maestros in their concerned fields," he said. This time, the Kathakali, a total classical theatre performance and other art forms are presented by Thiranottam, a Dubai-based cultural organisation of Indian expatriates.

A press conference to announce the events was held at the Consulate General on Wednesday. The press conference was attended by Rajamony, Thiranottam office-bearers Santhosh Pookkammon and Rajan Menon and veteran Kathakali artist Kalamandalam Gopi.

Rajamony said in the coming days, a musical concert by Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa will be held on Dec.7 followed by, on Dec.9, an inter-school quiz competition at the Indian High School, Dubai.

"On Dec.27 Rhythm and Raga music extravaganza, titled Sur Taal, will be held. It will be a fusion music event by world renowned jazz drummer Trilok Gurtu and Roop Kumar Rathod. Jan.11 will witness an elaborate India Day Parade3 at Dubai Global Village involving various schools and cultural groups in the UAE," Rajamony added.

"The event named Utsavam (festival) 2007, is bringing Kathakali to the UAE for the first time. This programme will be inaugurated at the Consulate Auditorium at 6.30 pm on Thursday by Chairman of Dubai Cultural Council, in the presence of foreign dignitaries," he said.

Detailing the aspects of Kathakali, Nair said that eight different stories will be presented in four days of Kathakali performances, in addition to performances of other traditional Kerala art forms like Thayambaka, Keli, Melappadam, Cholliyattam and Mohiniyattam. The event will start with a Mohiniyattam performance by Ranjini Sajeev, followed by Keli, a heralding percussion, by Kalamandalam Balaraman and Cherpulasseri Sivan. The first day will include two stories, Kuchela Vrutham and Keechaka Vadham.

On Friday, programmes will start with a Thayambaka, percussion performace, and Cholliyattam by Kalamandalam Balaraman followed by Mohiniyattam by Kalamandalam Sujatha and Asalatha. Friday's Kathakali will present two stories, Nalacharitham Naalaam Divasam and Thoranayudham.

On Dec.1, two stories, Duryodhanavadham and Karnashapatham will be performed from 6pm at Ras Al Khaimah Indian Association Hall. On Dec.2, the programmes will be held at Abu Dhabi Kerala Social Centre from 6pm with a Thayambaka followed by two Kathakali performances, Bali Vadham and Kiraatham.

The major set Kathakali artists include Kalamandalam Gopi, SK Kutty, Narippatta Narayanan Namboodiri and Kalanilayam Gopalakrishnan. Kalamandalam B. Namboodiri and Kalanilayam Vinod will accompany them with songs, Kalamandalam Balaraman and Kalamandalam Sivadasan on Chenda, Cherpulasseri Sivan and Cherpulasseri Hariharan on Maddalam, and Jayan Abu Dhabi will perform Chutti and Unnikrishnan Koppu.