London’s Tamil Heritage Shines Bright: Inside the Vibrant Kamban Festival
Wembley, London – The Alperton Community School auditorium was ablaze with vibrant cultural festivities on the 13th and 14th of July as the London Kamban Festival commenced with grandeur. The festival, dedicated to celebrating the literary brilliance and cultural heritage of Tamil poet Kamban and organized by Arivu Trust UK, saw an enthusiastic turnout and participation from renowned speakers and scholars.
It marked a milestone in the cultural calendar of Tamils in London, reinforcing their connection to their roots while celebrating their vibrant community in the diaspora.
The festival concluded with Mr. Navendran, Chairman of the Arivu Foundation, reflecting on the journey to realize this long-held dream. Inspired by a suggestion from Jayaraj during a 2022 visit, Navendran shared his determination to establish the Kamban Festival, culminating in the successful 2024 event.
Day 1 Highlights: The inaugural day began solemnly with a minute of silence in memory of those who lost their lives in conflicts. The solemnity quickly gave way to celebration as the event was officially opened with hymns in praise of the almighty and the Tamil language anthem sung by Mrs. Bhavanusha, whose clear and melodious rendition captivated the audience. Praba Selladurai from the Arivu Trust extended a warm welcome to the attendees.
The occasion was graced by the presence of celebrity orators including Ilankai Jeyaraj, Bharathi Baskar, Bharathi Krishnakumar, Professor Sri Pirashanthan, and Tamilaruvi Sivakumaran.
Distinguished guests included Malaysian MP and Vice President of the National Tamil Language Council, Dato’ Saravanan, who delivered a keynote address that set the tone for the festival. Emphasizing Kamban’s significance, Saravanan underscored the importance of passing on the literary legacy to future generations.
His speech was followed by an engaging session titled “Chintanai Arangam” featuring school student Anbu Devan, multifaceted artist Madhuran Thamilavel, and the esteemed Bharathi Bhaskar, whose insightful commentary on Kamban left a lasting impression.
Poet Madhuran Thamilvel’s eloquent speech titled “Nadaiyil Nindruyar Nayagan” highlighted the unparalleled literary prowess of Kamban, drawing connections between his poetic brilliance and moral integrity.
This session was followed by a grand honor ceremony for Mr Selvaraja, Professor Sriharan, and Jayaprakash for their contributions to their respective fields and community service.
The first day concluded with a highly anticipated debate on whether Kamban’s teachings can guide the current generation presided over by renowned orator Ilankai Jeyaraj. The spirited debate featured notable personalities like Bharathi Krishnakumar, and Sivakumar, who argued in favor, while Bharathi Bhaskar and Prasanthan presented counterarguments. The debate drew a large audience, filling the venue to capacity and beyond, leading to an overflow of spectators.
Day 2 Highlights: Contrary to concerns about attendance due to the Wimbledon finals and a football match, the second day saw an even larger turnout. The day’s events commenced with a devotional song by Jayasree Padmanabhan, followed by Dato’ Saravanan’s enlightening speech comparing Kamban with the modern Tamil poet Kannadasan. This juxtaposition left a deep impact on the audience.
Bharathi Krishnakumar inaugurated the “Chintanai Arangam” alongside young talents Archana Ilakanthan and Aakash Thiruchelvan. Krishnakumar’s discourse on “Avar Thalaivar” was a highlight, his linguistic prowess evident as he detailed the multifaceted dimensions of the phrase.
The day also saw tributes to Dr. Paramnathan, Mr. Dharmendran, and Mr Nada Mohan for their community service.
The climax of the second day was the debate “Ayodhya: Land of Heroes – Ayodhya or Lanka?”, chaired by Ilankai Jayaraj. This spirited debate, filled with historical and literary references, kept the audience enthralled and concluded the festival on a high note.
Significant milestones included the formal inauguration of the Kamban Kazhagam by Ilankai Jayaraj, who presented the Kamba Ramayanam book to the Arivu Foundation team. Special awards were conferred to speakers.
The festival concluded with Mr. Navendran, Chairman of the Arivu Foundation, reflecting on the journey to realize this long-held dream. Inspired by a suggestion from Jayaraj during a 2022 visit, Navendran shared his determination to establish the Kamban Festival, culminating in the successful 2024 event.
Chair of the festival committee Mr. Kumaranayagam expressed his gratitude, echoing Bharathi Bhaskar’s sentiment that the Kamban Festival seed planted in London will grow and flourish.
As a vibrant celebration of Tamil culture and Kamban’s literary legacy, the London Kamban Festival has firmly established itself as a beacon of cultural pride and continuity for the Tamil diaspora in the UK.
