Saarang begins with tribute to India’s freedom struggle

Flautist Shashank Subramanyam performing at the inauguration of Saarang at IIT-M, Chennai, on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: B. Velankanni Raj

For India, this is the time of renaissance — we must be rooted in our culture, heritage and build the country, said Governor R.N. Ravi, who inaugurated Saarang 2025, the annual cultural festival of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras here on Thursday.

“Folk art and culture is the soul of our life,” Mr. Ravi said, congratulating the institute for developing knowledge and remaining rooted in culture.

The cultural festival began with a parade by folk artists, witnessed by Mr. Ravi and music maestro Ilaiyaraaja.

A thought-provoking hour-long dance drama, Moovarnam (tricolour), narrated through national poet Subramania Bharathi, traced the Indian freedom movement. The dance-drama was choreographed by Dakshayani Ramachandran. Mr. Ilaiyaraaja sang Bharathiar’s song ‘Vande mataram enbom’. Youngsters Spoorthi and Vipraha presented a fusion of carnatic songs with guitar and drums.

R. Varadarajan, father of the martyred Indian Army officer Major Mukund Varadarajan was a special invitee. The lighting of the lamp by the invitees was performed to the music of siva vaadhyam. Saarang 2025 is presented by The Hindu.