A dedication to those in need

CHENNAI: AIM for Seva, an organisation working towards offering education and healthcare for children in rural areas, has roped in city artists Bombay Jayashri Ramnath, Gowri Ramnarayan and Anita Ratnam to present their productions for the first edition of its fundraiser festival, Ananda.


To be held from March 7 to 9 in the city, the festival’s proceeds will go towards AIM for Seva initiatives — 97 chatralayams or student hostels across 16 states, the Krupa Home, a residential facility that provides lifetime support for differently abled people at Sriperumbudur, and the integrated community development project at Manjakkudi village in

Tiruvarur district

in central Tamil Nadu.

Ananda, which is being planned as an annual fundraiser, will feature three unique concepts by the artists.

Bombay Jayashri’s presentation “Chintaye Guruvaram” will be the musician’s tribute to her gurus and will include a narrative that will touch on experiences and key learnings presented in a novel musical format.

Gowri Ramnarayan’s play “Kurukshetra: When Things Fall Apart” will look at key characters from the

Mahabharata

— Drona, the teacher of the Kuru princes, his wife Kripi, and their son, Ashwatthama.

The play explores their complex relationships, the tug-of-war between duty and preference, and the final choices they make. Anita Ratnam’s production, “A Million Sitas”, will focus on Sita, the heroine of the Ramayana who stands at the centre of a power tussle between two men who battle with their egos and divergent ideas of duty and honour.

“My performance will be a tribute to my gurus Lalgudi Jayaraman and Dayananda Saraswathi and strung together with a new perspective. I visited Krupa Home a few months ago and was overwhelmed by the warmth of that place. It’s a home for specially-abled adults and Dr Radhika who is like a mother to them. I’m deeply touched that I have an opportunity to perform for them,” says Bombay Jayashri.

The festival will be held at The Music Academy from 6.30pm on all the three days. Passes are available at AIM for Seva office and bookmyshow.com.