Music on sands: Urur Olcott Kuppam Vizha is back

CHENNAI: Fishermen residing at Urur Olcott Kuppam are in a celebratory mood as their vizha returns after a six-year hiatus. Amid their daily work, the locals are busy setting up a grand stage in front of the Sridevi Ellaiamman Temple in Urur Olcott Kuppam, Besant Nagar. Fishers are ready to host an evening of music on the sands, featuring performances by TM Krishna, Motta Maadi Music, traditional fisher songs, and more.

The event, which will be held on February 23 from 6 pm onwards, aims to highlight the sentiments of the fishers regarding Chennai’s coast as ‘Living Beaches, Life-giving Beaches’. The village’s public celebration on the beach sands serves as a reminder of the importance of healthy, inclusive beaches where leisure, recreation, ecology, and livelihoods harmoniously coexist.

Residents of the Urur Olcott Kuppam fishing village and volunteers from across the city are the organisers. Sundaramurthi, one of the organisers from the village, expresses his excitement about the festival. He shares with DT Next, “The vizha was first held in 2015, and we were happy that many people in Chennai got to know about us. They understood the work that we were doing and started supporting fishermen. Festivals like this emphasise the importance of equalising arts, artists, platforms, spaces, and people.”

TM Krishna, slated to perform at the vizha, reflects emotionally on returning for its sixth edition. “I still recall the initial discussions about hosting a festival that celebrates unity among people, culture, art, and spaces. Conversations with Saravanan of Urur Olcott Kuppam and Nityanand Jayaraman were impactful. Despite our diverse backgrounds, we shared a common belief - we understood the significance of bringing together diverse communities and how it enriches conversations. The arts have a unique ability to touch people’s hearts. Through this vizha, we have forged lifelong friendships and learned a great deal from the residents of the kuppam. Their kindness, grace, and hospitality have left a lasting impression on us. We are thrilled to return to the kuppam for another edition of this remarkable festival,” TMK says.

The vizha will kick off with a parai oorvalam, where the team will travel through all the lanes of the kuppam, inviting people to join the event. “The parai performance will be by girl students from Avvai Home. Following the parai attam, there will be villu-paattu by students from Olcott High School. Both Avvai Home and Olcott Memorial School have strong connections with the vizha. I will be hosting a concert, followed by a special performance of amba-paattu (fisher work songs) by S Palayam, a veteran hook and line fisher from Urur Kuppam. Palayam is the co-founder of Science of The Seas - an initiative aimed at popularising the fishers’ traditional science of understanding the seas, skies, and weather phenomena. He is also the ‘resident cultural carrier’ of the traditions of Urur Olcott Kuppam. Additionally, the Motta Maadi music team will also be performing,” shares the musician.