Irula musicians' Delhi debut
Four Irula musicians get a chance to fly to Delhi and perform at a prestigious event
For Kadan, Swaminathan, Murugan, and Kaliyappan, the Irula musicians from Attappadi, the opportunity to perform at the Jyotirgamaya Fest organized by the Kendra Sangeet Natak Akademy was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This event marked several firsts for them: their first time flying on an airplane, their first stay at a reputable guest house in Delhi, and their first performance at the prestigious Meghadoot Auditorium in New Delhi. The event celebrated the musical diversity of the country and featured 75 unsung musical talents from all across India as part of the 75th-anniversary celebration of Indian independence, known as Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, which took place on June 22, 2022.
The four musicians came to the attention of the organizers after they stumbled upon a video created by ARPO featuring their musical performance as part of the Earthlore initiative. During their performance, they showcased their traditional musical instruments, including 'Porai,' 'Davil,' 'Kogal,' and 'Jalra,' which are unique to their community. ARPO Secretary Sruthin Lal accompanied the four as their artist manager, as requested by the Akademy.
Tragically, Kadan, a talented Kogal player, passed away around two months after the event. One of the musicians later shared that "He used to say that you people gave him the best moments of his life."
Watch an interview of the team done at Delhi by Main Bhi Bharat team:
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