From Singapore to learn ancient TN martial art, dance, games

As gentle breeze whizzes past the sprawling Madras Christian College Higher Secondary School grounds here, young Tamil students from Singapore swish long bamboo poles in precision synching with the commands of the trainer.
Part of a group of young students from Singapore, they were here for a week-long programme to learn ancient Tamil dance forms, games, martial art and nuances in studying the Tamil language.
The group of 15 Tamil students comprising boys and girls of Classes nine and 10 were from the Bartley School of the City State.
They learnt 'Silambattam,' an ancient Tamil martial art, and also underwent a crash course in 'Karagattam,' and 'Kummi,' which are dance forms in vogue in Tamil Nadu for well over a millennium.

Students were delighted to learn to balance pot on their heads for Karagattam and swing swiftly for Kummi with poise.
"Not only martial art and dances, they also learnt traditional games including 'Pallanguzhi,'and the programme was in a way a connect to their roots," Correspondent, MCCHS School, GJ Manohar and programme coordinator, K Muthumony told PTI.

They said there was a renewed interest in learning ancient martial art dance forms, and games native to Tamil Nadu among the Tamil diaspora.
Children were quite happy and were joyous to learn games like 'Kilithattu,' 'Sangili Bungili Kathava Thora,' and 'Poo Parikka Vaarigala' were games that are in vogue for a very long time, Muthumony said.

Also, the students had a primer on folk songs from noted Tamil folk singer Anitha Kuppusamy, he added.
The Singapore students, whose mother tongue is Tamil attended lectures on learning the nuances of Tamil language in a holistic manner.
"We arranged a special exhibition of Tamil literature in our library starting from the Sangam age to give a glimpse of the growth of the language, its vast literature and significance," Muthmony who is also a Tamil teacher said.
The students, who also interacted with the students of MCCHSS left for Singapore on October 28 on completion of the programme.