A group of destitute children from a village in Cuddalore won the hearts of audiences in France’s Reunion Island with thappattam and other folk art shows.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

A group of destitute children from an obscure village near here has overnight turned ambassadors of the Tamil folk art form of “thappattam” following performances in the Reunion Island, a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean.

A contingent of 15 boys and girls in Kilinjikuppam hamlet, which was adopted by the NGO Volontariat India, established in the city in 1962 by Belgian social worker Madeleine Herman, recently returned home after showcasing the folk form in the Reunion Island.

The children also displayed their other talents by performing Karakattam, Kolattam, Oilattam, Silambam etc. Another highlight was the kummi performance set to Sega, the traditional music of Reunion Island, and a fusion show with the island’s thappattam troupe Tambours Sacres.

Besides, in the true spirit of cross-cultural collaboration, several children and youth from Reunion Island danced to Tamil film songs.

According to Sendil Coumarane, after the Volontariat adopted the Kilinjikuppam hamlet near Puducherry, the most marginalised students were being provided educational assistance alongside training in arts such as Silambam, thappattam and karate. A thappattam troupe has also been established in the village.

The 14 day-tour of the youngsters to the Reunion Islands and cultural performance at the Cinepalmes at Sainte-Marie, followed a visit last year by a team of young artists from the the Reunion Island. Then, the French group had staged a dance programme that also featured members of the Kilinjikuppam troupe. It was this combination show that set the stage for an invitation to the children here to perform at Reunion Island under the auspices of the Pondy Superstars, a dance school led by Selvakumar, he said.

Following a special cultural programme at Sainte-Marie, which was presided by Selvam Shanmugam, of the Tamil Sangam of Reunion Island, the children were even invited to have lunch with Bhupendra Singh, the Indian Consul General in Reunion Island.

“Needless to say, these children who may have not even ventured afar from their village, are absolutely over the moon after the experience of flying to a foreign destination where they were treated like special guests, and doing a lot of sight-seeing to boot”, Mr. Sendil said.