Mohanam Performing Arts Youth Group

Mohanam firmly believes that young people play a significant role in addressing social issues and that a space should be provided for self-expression among them. We see art and cultural expression as a key medium for promoting the positive impact youth have on the world.

We involve young people, provide them with a space where their energy and creativity can be channelled in a background that promotes the brotherhood and solidarity between them and at the same time, make them conscious of the problems that are a human responsibility, through inviting them to take part in an activity to discover our culture and traditions.
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The group's programmes

The group through their arts and culture activities not only preserves the original culture but also raises awareness about social issues like HIV/AIDS, labour and employment, indigenous rights, sustainable development and agriculture, peace building, human rights, health, youth culture and empowerment and environment education.

Our performing youth group consists of young boys and girls from the rural village backgrounds. Though they may be from under-privileged sections of the community and without much education, they possess knowledge and skill in their native arts and culture which makes them outstanding from other youths.

The group is led by a Tamil Aurovillian Balasundaram, who is a cultural activist and a youth leader. The boys' wing of the group performs original Tamil folk dances Kolattam and Thappattam. The group has been trained well in the Tamil Martial art Silambam. They also perform the traditional Tamil folk theatre art Therukoothu.

As some of them are working in Svaram Musical Research Center in Auroville, they also get an exposure in musical improvisations with newly developed musical instruments.

The girls' wing performs the classical dance, Bharatnatyam and the folk dances Karagaattam and Kummi.

Seasonally, the group gives dance presentations in Auroville and other parts of the country. The group has also started participating and performing cultural and theatre festivals in other parts of the country.

Youth Learning Garden (Thoppu Veedu)

The Learning Centre is in Thoppu Veedu, a quiet coconut grove and a learning center for the youngsters in Sanjeevinagar village near Auroville. Here they practice and rehearse various performing arts.

It has a Music House, a traditional hut which is a platform for the youngsters to play and learn various sound and percussion instruments. It is also a musical laboratory wherein they experiment with different sounds for their dance and theater performances.

The learning garden offers the youth a deeper connection to nature and its cycles and helps to create environmental awareness and responsibility.

Cultural Festivals in the Village

Mohanam conducts cultural events and festivals throughout the year. The centre organizes events to celebrate special occasions like Pongal, Republic day, Independence day, Children's day, Teachers day, Women's day, Earth day,  Christmas and Vijayadasami.

 During Pongal, the special festival of the Tamil people,  the centre conducts cultural and traditional events for the villagers around Auroville. Traditional games like Kabaddi, Ilavatta Kal Thookuthal and Nondi aattam are conducted along with contemporary sports like slow bi-cycle race and slow motor-bike race.

Village women get a chance to show their artistic talents through the traditional Tamil art ‘Kolam’. Every year, a number of them participate in the competition and show their exemplary and beautiful designs in Kolam. Kolam is a local art, performed daily by women decorating their doorsteps with chalk drawn traditional geometric mazes. Mohanam has been conducting Kolam festivals for the last four years in Sanjeevi Nagar village.

Mohanam hopes that these events will stimulate similar happenings in other surrounding villages and inspire the youth not to give up their traditional games. In future, Mohanam Cultural Centre will be introducing more traditional games and events with the collaboration of the villagers.

Nature and Awareness Camps

Every year Mohanam organizes special summer camp trips to Kolli Hills and sometimes to the Western Ghats mountains stretch. The participants in these summer camps are the Mohanam team along with international students and visitors to Auroville. Focusing completely on nature preservation and environment awareness, the participants merge their heart, soul and body in these trips as much as possible and experience energy and healing from Mother Nature.