Thoranam

Thoranam ( தோரணம்) are hanging decorations in Tamil traditions. Rooted in Tamil culture it got a history way back to the Sanggam period which was 2000 years ago. The main purpose it was used on those days, since no printed invitations, to differentiate whether it is a happy occasion or mourning for the people who visit that place. It is made up of tender coconut leaf blades and has two types.

• Mangala Thoranam - Auspicious are used during festival season and happy occasions in houses and temples.Thoranam has a bird like design and got four or five them which faces upward direction.

• Amangala Thoranam - Inauspicious are used at mourning places. It has three birds which faces downwards.
Another thoranam is Maavilai Thoranam made up of mango tree leaves which will be tied up on the main door of a temple or house for auspicious. Mango leaves are good disinfectant which helps when there is a gathering of people for festivals are good occasions

Veppilai thoranam is made up of Neem leaves where veepam (neem) + ilai(leaf) = veppilai. Neem is a very good disinfectant for various diseases like small pox and mysterious fever especially during the summer season. In the Amman(Paarvathi) festivals were celebrated during summer and neem leaves are very prominently hung in temples, houses and streets. It is believed that the green leaves hung on the entrance would filter the air and provide cleaner air for us to breathe.

- Aaron Prasad

Art of Draping Saree

Selai(சேலை) or Saree

Styles of Draping

There are over 80 recorded ways to wear a sari. The most common style is for the sari to be wrapped around the waist, with the loose end of the drape to be worn over the shoulder, baring the midriff. However, the sari can be draped in several different styles. Although some styles do require a sari of particular length or form. 

How it's Made

Sari are made of various kinds of threads which a weaver will weave them all together on a handloom. The body of a sari is woven in a plain weave and the cross border of the sari is woven into a rib weave. It is then soaked in water overnight to be woven in a wet condition, this will prevent the sari from coiling on itself or tangle. After a few inches of weaving, a solution of gum Arabic is applied to the sari in order to stiffen it.

- Yen Li

At Malaysia...

Satellite television provider Astro provides several Tamil satellite television channels. Astro Vaanavil and state-owned RTM TV2 broadcast locally-produced Tamil shows. India-based channels available in Malaysia are Sun TV, Jaya TV, Chutti TV. Thanga Thirai and Velli Thirai are Tamil movie channels while Astro B4U is a Hindi movie channel. The Malaysian Indian community is an important market for the Tamil film industry Kollywood. There are 2-Tamil radio stations of the state-owned Minnal FM and the privately owned THR Raaga.

It is also customary for major Malaysian corporations to produce television commercials in conjunction with Deepavali. They generally pay tribute to the contributions of the Indian community to the nation and are well received by Indians of all faiths. The heart-warming Deepavali commercials by the state petroleum company Petronas are especially popular.

Indian Malaysians have also contributed to the mainstream Malaysian entertainment industry. The Jayhawkers from Seremban led by one Joe Chelliah was the first non-Malay pop band with only Indian musicians that recorded popular commercial albums in Malay in the mid 1960s itself. More recent notable Indian Malaysian artists with multiracial appeal areReshmonu, Jaclyn Victor, and Alleycats. Indian Malaysians have also made significant contributions to the Malaysian English theatre scene. Tamil hip hop was started in Malaysia by pioneers like rappers Chakra Sonic, Yogi B and several others, which had since then made its way to Kollywood.

Bharata Natyam, the Tamil classical dance of India, is an important feature of Tamil culture and is hence popular in Malaysia. Ramli Ibrahim and Mavin Khoo are two non-Indian Malaysians who are world-renowned Indian classical dance performers. The Temple of Fine Arts in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur is an academy that provides training in traditional Indian dance and music. The urumee drums are often played at religious and cultural events. The nadaswaram is a traditional Indian wind instrument often played at Indian weddings in Malaysia.

Indian Dance and Music

Indian dance and music considered to be just another form of entertainment, traces its origins back several thousands of years. Music is the language of emotion and is an integral part of the Indian culture. Music and dance are languages by themselves, capable of expressing subtle thoughts and refined ideas. While naturally evolving with the dynamic forces of history and creative influence of great masters, these traditions have maintained the integrity of their fundamental heritage. Their purpose was to enrich life of mankind through aesthetic experience and pleasure. Audiences all over the world relish the rich tonality of Indian music and the grace of Indian dance. Music and dance in India are among the oldest forms of classical arts with traditions that date back several centuries.

Musical forms prevalent today have roots in the book 'Samaveda'. The source of Indian dance forms is the 'Natya Shastra', regarded as the fifth Veda, written between the second century B.C. and second century A.D. The uniqueness of Indian classical dances is that they are all devotional in content, using the body effectively as a medium of communication to express moods and emotions. Indian music has developed within a complex interaction between people of different races and cultures. Today, Indian classical music can be classified into two broad traditions, north Indian and south Indian. The north Indian tradition is known as Hindustani Sangeet. The different forms of Hindustani music are Dhrupad, Dhamar, Khayal, Tappa and Thumri. The south Indian tradition of music is called Carnatic Sangeet. Both traditions are fundamentally similar but differ in nomenclature and the way they are performed.

 Dance and Music is a part of the Indian life. Our day starts with the morning prayers in temples and at homes. Folk lore and hymns are sung in the praise of the Lord. Each region has their own way of doing it. The diversity of the same and yet the similarity of concepts makes India so unique. One can hear the Azaan coming from a local mosque early in the morning. As the day progresses people like to hear music to their tastes and there is lots to choose from. Traditional folk, classical music, Bollywood music and so on The classical music be it Hindustani Classical, Carnatic,Ghazal or Qawwali is so well practiced in India is as popular as its contemporary music. It has stood the tests of time and is being carried on by the new generation. Dance There is sculptural evidence from all parts of India that underlines the rich tradition of dance that flourished over a thousand years ago. Through this evidence, we see that in ancient India dance and music were not only seen as ways to celebrate, but also as offerings of worship and thanksgiving to the deity.

 Over the course of time, the dance forms practised in different parts of the country were codified and developed distinct identities according to the geographic, socio- economic and political conditions of each region. All dance forms were structured around the nine 'Rasa' or emotions. They are Hasya (happiness), Shoka (sorrow), Krodha (anger), Karuna (compassion), Bhibatsa (disgust), Adhbhuta (wonder), Bhaya (fear), Viram (courage) and Shanta (serenity). The Classical forms of dance are Bharatnatyam,Kathak,Kuchipudi, Manipuri,Kathakali,Mohiniattam,Odissi Chhau. Folk Dance One of the surest ways to experience the diversity of India's culture and tradition is through its folk art. They are different for different regions. They folk art is needless to say more popular than classical forms of dance in India as they are easier to understand and perform. The Indian folk dance is simple, but behind the simplicity lies both insightfulness of conception and a candor of expression that are of great artistic value. In folk dances, the effect of the overwhelming resilience of the spirit
and the well-expressed effortless ease with which the dance is articulated is what stands out. Almost every village has its own folk dances performed on every possible occasion such as the birth of a child, to celebrate the arrival of seasons, weddings and festivals. On most occasions, the dancers sing while being accompanied by artists on instruments. Each form of dance has a specific costume. Most of these costumes are flamboyant with elaborate jewels. All-night dance dramas and music are popular throughout India and mark major festivals. The journey into various regions brings one closer to the life and spirit of the ordinary folks.

-Alison Hon

Tanjore Painting

Tanjore, or thanjavur painting is a form of art dated back to the 16th century. This miniature type of painting is named after the palace Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, India. Deeply rooted in tradition, it is a classical South Indian painting style known for its rich colour and compact composition. The history of the painting is dated back to 1600 AD during the Chola dynasty. It is practiced by two main communities, namely the Rajus in Thanjavur and Naidus in Madurai. The artists (Rajus & Naidus) who are originally Telugu speaking people from Rayalseema region, moved to Tamil Nadu in the wake of the Nayaks' rule of Madurai & Tanjore. The art was sacred to those master craftsmen who chose to be anonymous and humble.

The theme of the paintings are usually God, with Krishna being the most depicted in his different poses and stages of life and major buildings such as palaces and residences of the Maratha kings. Nowadays, it is hard to find thanjavur paintings out of India. They can be bought from artists based in India, for example from the Ramana Arts and Crafts. Many private museums and collectors like to collect these paintings.

The painting is usually done on canvasses, usually a plank of wood with a layer of cloth pasted on it with arabic gum. Unboiled lime water is used to prepare the wood surface and then let dry. Then, a detailed outline was drawn using a stencil based on the original hand drawn figures. It is decorated with precious and semi-precious jewels of varied hues, and finally colours are applied. The pigments are prepared from natural ingredients such as vegetable dyes, whereas the present day artists use chemical paints to enhance the sharpness and provide different shades. To add to the three dimensional effect, the South Indians adorned the artwork with glass pieces and limestones.

The frames (teak wood) used for tanjore paintings are of two types. The first type is the wooden type, where plain wood is used. The other type is the Chettinad type which is more ornamental with various designs. Instead of breakable glass, transparent acrylic sheets are used to avoid breakage during transit. After framed, the painting is kept in temples or houses for worshipping.

Notable for the adornment of semi-precious stones and 22 karat gold foils, the creation of a tanjore paintings involves a lot of dedication and several stages of meticulous artwork. It is admirable that this tradition is still kept alive by a few hundred dedicated artists mostly based in Tamil Nadu, India.

- Charmaine Caryn