Documentation
Adipatti Nayanmar Ritual
This socio cultural ritual is celebrated by the fisher community at Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu. Each year the community jointly rejoices the final emancipation of Adipatti Nayanmar from worldly attachments. The highlight of the festival is the enactment each year by a fisherman chosen to represent Adipatti himself. Observed once in a year the festival was celebrated for many years but it is only in recent times that the ritual has gained considerable popularity. IGNCA SRC has documented the celebration of this festival. Report featured in Vihangama Vol VI November-December 2003.
Aptoryama Soma Yaga (April 10-20, 2004), Trissur
The seventh and the biggest of the seven important Soma yagas, this included the Garuda Chayana, the main fire altar which is constructed with one thousand baked clay bricks. in the shape of an eagle with outstretched wings.
The Yaga was conducted by the Vedic Yajna Prathistan, Mulankunnathukavu and Om Shanti Dham, Bangalore. A team of scientists from NIMHANS, ISRO, NAL, IISc and other National institutes conducted studies of the Yaga's effect on nature, human beings, animals and plants.IGNCA SRC co-ordinated the documentation of the event. The Media Unit of IGNCA telecast episodes of the event on DD Bharati.
Documentation of Vanishing Folk Traditions (September 2005 - August 2006)
This was a collaborative programme undertaken by IGNCA SRC and Directorate of Kannada and Culture. The programme under the title ‘Evening in Samsa’, vanishing folk traditions. Scheduled on the last Tuesday of each month, twenty four presentations, held between September 2005 and August 2006, have been documented.
