Chief Minister MK Stalin is seen with award winners at the 43rd Vazhuvoorar Dance and Music Festival in Chennai on Thursday. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday appealed to artistes to use art to protect Tamil Nadu and Tamil Nadu, the way Vazhuvoorer used dance for Indian independence.
“Art and literature are the primary reasons why Tamil Nadu and Tamil Nadu have survived for several thousand years,” he said at the 43rd Vajuvoorar Dance and Music Festival at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan here.
During the programme, the Chief Minister presented the Vazhuvoorar Award to renowned violinist Padma Shri, Sangeetha Kalanidhi ‘Kalaimamani’ A Kanyakumari.
“Tamil Nadu has faced many invasions. Art and literature are due to face all those attacks for this,” he said. Mr. Stalin said that modern art should have scientific and rational thought. He said that not only modern form but also modern thinking should be used in this art. The Chief Minister also highlighted the legacy of the Vazhuvoorar family and its contribution to the world of dance and music. He outlined a personal connection with the Vazuvoor family and recalled how his daughter Senthamarai was a Bharatanatyam student of the ‘Natya Kala Samrat Kalaimamani Vazuvoor Samaj’ and staged her own performances at Natyanjali in Chidambaram and also at the Music Academy in 1998 .
According to an official release issued by the state government, Mylapore MLA Dha. Velu, former Madras High Court Justice GM Akbar Ali, Hindu Among those present at the event were Group Director N. Ravi, philanthropist Nalli Kuppuswamy Chetty, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan director KN Ramaswamy, Cleveland VV Sundaram, Vazuvoor Samarjan Kumaran, secretary of the Sri Vazuvoor Classical Bharatanatyam Arts Academy.