Arunthathiyer Cultural Night .........

From indignity to rebellion

A cultural night to celebrate the arunthathiyar spirit, an attempt to strengthen the arunthathiyar artforms’ transformation from caste practices to weapons against caste oppression…


The parai originally called as thappu is undeniably a symbol of Dalit assertion today. But unlike pillars and parayars who have asserted themselves to some ectent remain the arunthathiyars the dalits amongst the dalits of tamilnadu
Who are Arundhatiar
Arundhatiar (also known as chakiliar) is one of the most marginalized even among the dalits and are exploited by the dominant communities in India. There are 60 lakhs Arunthathiars in Tamilnadu out of which major people live in the Districts of Western Tamil Nadu. They can be called Dalit among Dalits. They are often compelled to do very menial / low dignified jobs. In way of life they are said to be very honest and hospitable people.

Key Challenges faced by this Community

Social: This community speaks a language which is Tamil and Telugu mixed. They are separated by the language they speak since Tamil is the foremost language of Tamilnadu. The children of Arundhatiars are further separated since their parents do low dignified work. Because of the poor socio economic status of the community the children are normally not sent to school. Children of this community are deprived of basic necessities in life and even education and childhood.

Economical: When we look at the economic status of the Arunthathiars only 10% of the population has a small piece of land. Majority of the people work as bonded labourers and others work as scavengers, agricultural labourers etc. Most of these families are landless and they earn their living from main occupations such as agriculture labour work, cleaning toilets and public places, repairing the torn shoes, burning the dead bodies etc.,

Educational Status: Only 1.75 % people of this community are literates while 98.16% are illiterates. Only 0.16% of the people have at least completed their 10th grade in education. Because of the poor socio economic status of the community the children are very rarely sent to school. Children in the urban areas work as coolies at the hotels and other places like mechanic shed, garages etc., The status of the children after completion of the high school education is even more worst, there is no economical stability to continue their education after schooling.
The dalits as a whole and the arunthathiyars as a community at the lowest rung of the dalits themselves have art as an inseparable part of their lives. But the practice of their art is an indignity heaped on them as it is a caste designated function more than a cultural expression. Arunthathiyar art forms have been the symbols of their existence as low caste people for ages. Today they are the symbols of their assertion.

Not so popular there are many other fundamental contributions arunthathiyar artforms have given to mainstream music and art. But more than their artistic contribution what marks their emergence in the popular conscience is the legitimacy and right they gave to the arunthathiyar existence and voicing the unbridled anger against caste oppression and sub human treatment meted out on arunthathiyars.

Caste is a unique kind of oppression in that it systematizes an hierarchy which is perpetuated by social and cultural sanctity. In the past decade a wave of arunthathiyar art and literature have questioned the halo of culture within which caste purity and hierarchy have been preserved. [ the continuing struggle against the all Brahmin karnatic(classical south Indian music a brahminical stronghold) singing mela in Chidambaram is an example.] what has irrefutably come into being is a new art form – the arunthathiyar art – which has not only questioned mainstream art practices and theories but has redefined the very notion of artistic expression and the tone of expression.
“Dalit art(literature) is marked by revolt and negativism, since it is closely associated with the hopes for freedom of a group of people who, as untouchables, are victims of social, economic and cultural inequality.” – Arjun Dangle, poet,activist.

An Example…

Thappattam

While seeing some of the arunthathiyar men and women perform this art form now in stages of art festivals and meetings one would not even recognize the beginnings of this art. It was compulsory for the arunthathiyars to go and play the thappu in the death of any caste Hindu who dies. Infact each caste hindu family had one or more arunthathiyar families attached to it in a kind of slave-bonded labor way and it was the duty of these arunthathiyars to beat the thappu for any death in the caste-hindu’s house. Also is their duty to go to all relatives’ houses and inform of the death. For doing this which is compulsory the arunthathiyars get the left over food in the house of death which they have to sit in the back yard and eat. It is compulsory that they eat as part of the hindu ritual of feeding these people during a death. In many instances the men who play the thappu will be beaten to a frenzy asking them to beat fastly in the funeral procession. From these depths of human designed indignity the arunthathiyars today present a thappattam cultural presentation – a truly inspiring and revolutionary art form which brings to the fore the pent up anger in them over their condition.


Art is a very crucial record of transformations within and of the society. Some of the most popular art forms have come from the oppressed sections of the society. And some of the most revolutionary movements working for liberation of the oppressed people have used music as a powerful weapon of change. In southern India where attempts are being made to rewrite caste equations and to question existing notions on culture and language, understanding the arunthathiyar artforms with a clear perspective about their historical position as agents of change and an undeniable requisite of the arunthathiyar struggle for liberation is a culturally and democratically necessary action.


What do we propose to do?


In April the Arunthathiyar human rights forum proposes to hold a cultural night which is a 24 hour event. The day is for an exhibition (photos, paintings, graffiti…) which will talk about the past present and future of the arunthathiyar life and struggle.

The whole night will be of performances of the Arunthathiyars – Thappattam, Jiggattam, Kadavu mathattam, Oyilattam etc., many of these are percussion based martial dance forms.
Interspersed within these performances would be the orations by arunthathiyar and social leaders on the arunthathiyar struggle for human dignity.

As a whole the event is expected to inspire the arunthathiyars to take part in the arunthathiyar struggle for liberation and to announce to the outside world the artistic capabilities of the arunthathiyars and the political social and cultural strength of their struggle.
We will sent final invitation …………….

Budget

1 Stage Rs.6000
2 Lights and Gen set Rs.10000
3 Advertisement –Wall painting ,Posters ,Notice and Banners :Rs.30000
4 Invitation Rs.5000
5 Special Gust Travel ,Food and Accommodation Rs.15000
6 Food , Water and Accommodation for cultural groups Rs.25000
7 Travel for Cultural groups Rs.25000
8 Exhibition Rs.15000
9 Video and Photos Rs10000
10 Local travel and Car Rs5000
11 Extra Rs. 5000

Total 151000

Contact Address


R.Karuppusamy
Convenor