srimylaporetrio: 2019

“INDIAN CULTURE CONGRESS” – A FIRST OF ITS KIND CONFERENCE FOR Ph.D RESEARCH SCHOLARS – WHO PRESENTED PAPERS ON “INDIAN CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION” DURING THE DECEMBER SEASON.

Sri Sumukhi Rajasekharan Memorial Foundation organised the Second Annual “INDIAN CULTURE CONGRESS” on Sunday, 8th December 2019 at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mylapore, during this cultural Season and turned a New Leaf in the Annals of “Cultural History”. It was an Exclusive Conference on “Indian Culture and Civilization” exclusively for Ph.D Scholars and Connoisseurs. The Mylapore Trio – Kalakshetra Alumni and Cultural Ambassadors of Mylapore organized the Conference. Professors and Heads of Dept. of History, Archaeology, Tamil from various City Colleges, Historians, Archaeologists, Cultural Activists, Heritage Lovers, Artists, Ph.D and M.Phil Scholars and Foreign Students, actively participated.

The Highlight of the conference was the presense of a group of CHINESE STUDENTS IN TRADITIONAL ATTIRE, who have come to India to study Tamizh Culture. They have christened themselves in Pure Tamizh Names and spoke in Chaste Thamizh. Also an Assistant Professor in History, from Stella Maris College presented a Research paper. True to the uniqueness and exclusivity of the Culture Congress, a DAMSEL DANCER Swathy Mohan decked up in a Typical Traditional Devadasi Style, danced with the Traditional Kumbha Arathi which engulfed the intellectual audience and left them spellbound. It was the Icing on the Cake. This was an extension of Sugathan’s research paper on the “Cultural Life of the Devadasis”.

The Conference was Presided by “Chithrakaara Puli” Smt. Leela Ganapathy, an Art Historian and an Octagenarian - Professor and Head, (Retd) Department of History of Arts, Govt. College of Fine Arts, Chennai . The Chief Guest was “Sakala Kala Valli” Smt. Revathy Sankkaran – Versatile and Cultural Personality.

The programme began with the Foundation Anthem. Dr.S.Amarnath welcomed the august audience and spoke about the importance of Culture and emphasized the importance Mylapore on the Cultural arena. He further said that Nataraja being the Symbol of Indian Culture and all disciplines weave around him.

Surendranath opined that the Sumukhi Rajasekharan Foundation has been a pioneer to promote unsung heroes in Fine Arts and likewise this venture would support academic novice to lime light. Surendranath an Art director by profession, expressed love and gratitude to his Professor Smt. Leela Ganpathy, who was Sumukhi Amma’s Student and also happened to be his own Professor. He recalled the moment when the Trio conferred the title “Chithrakaara Puli’ for her Life Time achievements.

Ms. Aparna introduced all the Research Scholars, their Topics and their Research Supervisors and Professors. She also shared her experiences in Kalakshetra with Smt. Sharada Hoffman under whom she learnt dance for nearly a decade.

The Chair Person Smt. Leela Ganapathy commended the earnest efforts the Mylapore Trio in endorsing Culture and Tradition. She elugized their Golus in Temples and other cultural value based Events. She offered her pranams to Sumukhi & Rajasekharan and Nagammal Paati. Smt. Revathy Sankkaran showered encomiums on the Cultural Endeavours of the Trio.

The Conference was a very Unique and Innovative conjoined platform for both Academicians and Cultural people. It was an Artistic and Intellectual gathering for Givers and Takers of Cultural Knowledge, held during the Iconic December season in the cultural capital of Mylapore.

The specialty of this Culture Congress was, it was for the students, by the students and of the students, unlike other music and dance seminars, where few experts speak and few remain as audience. The Highlight of the Culture Congress was that all of them were in Traditional Attire. Scholarly Men in Dhothi and Scholarly Women in Saree which was an unusual but ethnic sight.

Ph.D Research Scholars presented research findings on various genres of Culture – Temples, Dance, Music, Sculptures Architecture, Puppetry, Inscriptions, Koovagam, Devadasis, Tamil Culture, Kalakshetra etc.

All the research papers presented, truly reflected the various genres of Culture and Civilization. Many interesting questions were shot at the Scholars. The Chairperson, Chief Guest and the President of the Foundation, Aparna and Amarnath added facts and flavor to the students' content. The whole session which lasted for Three hours, was blended with culturally intellectual ethos. The proceedings of the session were very interesting, mingling Art and Intellect. It had a scholarly ambience with a cultural touch. The conference satiated the intellectual hunger and quenched the cultural thirst of the highly educated audience.

The Conference was the brainchild of Surendranath who exclusively designed the Brand for the ‘Indian Culture Congress’. Lord Nataraja became the Symbol of the Culture Conference since He is the representation of Indian Culture. The Banner, Invite, Folders, Files, Writing Pads, Certificates were all created with a cultural touch – a traditional temple style wood carving design was adapted in all these to give an ethnic and traditional look.

The Professors and Scholars congratulated and showered encomium on the Trio for organizing such a unique event and pledged their support in promoting “Cultural Academics” in future. The research students were given a platform to express their cultural views for more than 10 minutes which otherwise not given anywhere in other forums.