Chennai’s public spaces turn performance venues with rap music and French horns for Tamil Nadu Day

The South Indian popular snack, mixture, brings together an assortment of tastes. For, this tasty, crispy offering is a bit of everything.

Chennai’s public arts festival Mixtura Vizha, a name derived from the Latin word for mixture, was a bit like that. In its second edition this year, the festival — held in three different city locations on Tuesday evening — offered a dynamic mixture of genres and artistic forms to celebrate Tamil Nadu Day. Shreya Nagarajan Singh, a city-based arts consultant whose drive to bring live arts to public places led to the birth of Mixtura Vizha last year, says, “Not enough is happening in public spaces. We always have performances in auditoriums. What about those who are on their way to work, meeting their friends, or travelling? Let them also chance upon live arts. The fact is that not everyone has the luxury, time or resources to watch live arts. So we thought of going to spaces where people are already there.” They partnered with KM Music Conservatory, Greater Chennai Corporation, Chennai Smart City and Chennai Metro Rail for the event. Nuggets from the festival:

MGR Central Metro

The transit between the MGR Central Metro Station and the Chennai Central Railway Station is a picture of haste. Many race against time, with swift strides and the occasional run with bags in tow, to make it their mode of commute in time. However, in the midst of all the hurry, a pocket of calm, or rather art stops them on their way. They chance upon trombones and French horns as Hot Brass, the brass ensemble of Sunshine Orchestra takes over the square with an energetic performance that blends effortlessly with the hum of approaching trains from time to time. The setting sun, and a towering Victoria Hall made for a picturesque, familiarly-Chennai backdrop.

Preethi Bharadwaj’s performance at MGR Central Metro
| Photo Credit:
JOTHI RAMALINGAM B

“Situating arts in spaces like this really tests you on audience building,” says Shreya. In a fast-paced space like this, it is likely that at any given time, at least 50 to 80 people stay for a minimum of 15 to 30 minutes, between their commute. As the evening progresses with a movement-cum-spoken word performance by artiste Preethi Bharadwaj, the crowd grows in size and involvement. The solo act that discusses ‘trash’ from varying perspectives through movement and music is punctuated by exclamations of praise from the floating, largely interactive audience. “It was a very relatable piece. Some of the issues addressed are faced by women on a daily basis,” says a student who stops by on her way back from college. 

Carnatic fusion music charactised by beatbox and mridangam interludes follows as the night falls. An enthralled audience grows in size, often breaking into thunderous applause, when the young band, Thisram, ups the pace with interesting renditions of Tamil film songs. Hoots and whistles characterises the final performance, a powerful, foot-tapping close to the day.

Dr Visvesvaraya Tower Park

“Attending this festival on the day the name Tamil Nadu was born makes me appreciate the cultural tapestry of our State even more. The music here represents the soul of our people,” says S Prabha, former Madras High Court Judge.

Amidst the sprawling greens of Dr Visvesvaraya Tower Park in Anna Nagar, a feast for the senses was underway. The public art festival sprang to life as the KMMC Sufi Ensemble took the stage. The crowd of over 150 swayed in unison with every note, carried away by songs like ‘Kun Faya Kun’ and ‘Khwaja Mere Khwaja’.

“I could feel the music reverberating within me,” exclaimed K Selvam, a smile gracing his weathered face as the festival then delved into Carnatic music. Brindha Manickavasakan’s rendition of raga Nalinakanthi left the audience tapping their laps. A wave of nostalgia hit the crowd with each composition, such as ‘Endhan Nenjil’ and ‘Alaipayuthey Kanna’.

Songwriter Gabrial Gladson and guitarist Jestalt Srishanth, took the audience on a musical journey of love and innocence. Their performance narrated the journey of two individuals who grew up together. From a chance meeting at a ferris wheel at the tender age of five to encounters at school and bus stops as they matured, their story unfolded through groovy vocals and soulful guitar strums.

In the words of T Linda, a spectator, “This festival has shown us the magic of ‘namma Chennai’, and I can’t wait for the surprises that await us in the future.”

Sufi music at Chennai’s Mixtura Vizha 2023, at Anna Nagar Tower Park
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Gandhi Mandapam

A young boy goes up a sturdy kambam within seconds. His friend follows him, and soon, another girl climbs up. A formation is ready, and they all strike a pose.

These acrobatics are a part of Mallar Kambam, a traditional Tamil sport that not many Chennaiites might be aware of and was the highlight of the thiruvizha at Gandhi Mandapam. Prakash S, who trains many children in this sport, says, “It has its origins during the Chola period, and was used by wrestlers to keep their bodies in shape. Children these days can become more flexible if they practice this sport that involves doing many asanas within a stipulated time.”

If sport kickstarted events here, Tamil rap took it forward. Rapmad Udhay and Young Castiel Praveen dished out lines on many subjects, from Tamil Eelam to love failure. The poor acoustics didn’t help, but the two carried on, just like how they must have after love failures, about which they rapped quite a bit. “Our rap is influenced by our life and struggles,” says Praveen, who collaborates often with 23-year-old Udhay Kumar aka Rapmad.

The third act of the evening was a unique operatic presentation by Subin Sebastian Mathai and Gerardo Sanchez Lara. Hailing high notes with ease, the duo took audiences far away from Chennai with their choice of poems, mostly from French and Spanish literature. While one spoke about laziness, another revolves around living in the moment. Another track, titled ‘An Invitation for Voyage’, spoke about another world where there’s more beauty and abundance. Better than Chennai? Maybe not.

Mallar Kambam performance at Gandhi Mandapam
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement