The cultural mega fest of north-eastern states, Octave 2008 is currently underway at Nishagandhi festival grounds, Thiruvananthapuram. Artists from eight states display the cultural vibrancy of their land. The festivities are enjoyed by massive crowds.
Day 2 (Sunday) Specialty)
Since it was a Sunday yesterday, I just decided to give the event a try. The first thing you will notice is the different dress styles existing within our country. The girls and boys from the north eastern states are also beautiful, you will stop and take a second look to secretly enjoy the beauty they are gifted with.
The singers from Mizoram also greeted the audience in a unique way, I think like the Japanese do. I have seen Japanese way of greeting others only on TV. It was quite nice to watch the girls lowering their heads and backs as a whole to greet the audience.
After some songs by beautiful singers from Assam and Mizoram, there was a breathtaking display of Tang-Ta, the martial art of Manipur.
Tang-Ta was combined with Kalaripayattu, the martial art form of Kerala. While Tang-Ta performance received applauses and cheers throughout, the Kalaripayattu team received booing during most of their performance.
It is the first time I witness the Manipuri martial art, I am really amused at the agility, control, sharpness and swiftness of the martial art form. No wonder British rulers were afraid of the martial art form of Manipur and banned its practice.
Since Kalaripayattu and Tang-Ta was performed side-by-side, everyone in the audience got a chance to compare the two martial art forms of India. For me, the difference in speed of movement was like the movement of a pregnant cow and that of swift stag.
Though the performers made Kalaripayattu appear far inferior in skill, movement, strength and physical control, it need not be the case.
Both forms of martial arts use swords – the practice of Tang Ta allows swift use of sword, even inside a small room, as swords are moved at quick pace, closer to the body. However, in Kalaripayattu the swords are flashed away from the bearer's body and it normally requires more free space for proper use of the sword.
The belt sword fight was unique to Kalaripayattu, while the balancing of a Tang Ta artist on the sharp edges of 12" spikes (darts) literally took the breath away from the audience of about 10,000.
After seeing the martial arts performance, the only thought I had was the Kalaripayattu team could avoid handheld weapon fights, which were performed badly and immediately received loud boos from the crowd.
The eight day festival is on till Saturday. Artists from Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Nagaland exhibit their skills and cultural tradition.
Other attractions include a food court dedicated to North Eastern cuisine, handicrafts stalls and an exhibition of musical instruments.
