Muthtamil Sangam plans New Year Festival

Venkat Raman

Culture and tradition will combine with modern day youth to promote an evening of entertainment ushering in the Tamil New Year later this month.

Organised by Muthtamil Sangam, which is marking its 14^th anniversary this year, the event, called, ‘Chithirai Vizha,’ will be held at Freeman’s Bay Community Hall, 52 Hepburn Street, Freeman’s Bay, Auckland on Saturday, April 25, 2015 from 530 pm.

Sangam Secretary Kathiravan Sivaprakasam said that the ‘Vizha’ (Festival) will bring together a cross-section of our communities.

“As well as performances by our people, the forthcoming event will be glorified by multicultural performances by various ethnic groups. Entry to the programme is free and vegetarian and non-vegetarian food will be sold by Saffron Restaurant,” he said.

Great Times

Treasurers Sheba Soundararajan said ‘Chittirai Vizha,’ signifying the birth of the month of Chittirai (or Chitra) marks the beginning of the New Year for Tamilians all over the world. Sinhalese also mark the day as the beginning of their New Year.

“The dawn of a New Year always brings with it new hopes for a new era, with people wishing for peace and harmony, higher levels of growth and prosperity and greater community amity and social cohesion. Such hopes are more pronounced in a multicultural country like New Zealand where people join in the festivities of various cultural groups, expressing their joy and solidarity,” she said.

Passion for Culture

Mrs Soundararajan said that Tamilians have a passion for culture and tradition and a penchant to preserve and promote time-tested arts of Bharata Natyam and folk dances.

“These will came to the fore at our ‘Chittirai Vizha.’ We are also proud that our sons and daughters are evincing interest in learning Tamil, one of the oldest and purest langauges of the world,” she said.

The Festival usually comprises patriotic songs of Tamil Nadu, India and New Zealand, followed by a number of items that give opportunities to the younger members of the community- some of them as young as five years of age- to give vent to their talent.

Indian Newslink has been promoting the Sangam since its inception.

Sangam President Thangamani Periasamy said that the organisation aimed to promote and coordinate cultural, educational and community activities that fostered Tamil language and Tamilians in the greater Auckland region.

“Muthtamil Sangam is not-for-profit organisation that is open to all persons interested in promoting the Tamil language and culture. We provide a forum for cultural and social interaction with a special emphasis on literature and performing arts of Tamil-speaking people,” he said.

Art & Culture

Its activities have included programmes covering various aspects of Tamil art and culture, including classical vocal and instrumental music, dances, drama, literary events, debates and film music.

Mr Kathiravan appealed to the members of the community to seek membership of Muthtamil Sangam and express their Tamil spirit of unity and strength.

“We conduct free Tamil classes every week for children. Tamil is one of the oldest languages in the world, with its literature dating thousands of years. It is spoken by more than 85 million people, including 70 million in Tamil Nadu and rest of India and other parts of the world,” he said.

Among the other activities of the Sangam are fundraising for charitable projects involving educational, cultural and humanitarian activities, blood donation camps and social gatherings, he added.

The Sangam conducts a weekly Tamil programme on 104.6 Planet FM Radio on Saturdays from 8 am to 830 am.

www.planetaudio.org.nz/muthtamilsangam