The Making of Adishakti, A Unique Art Research Space Near Puducherry

My entry into the world of performative art and storytelling started with I was 10 years old. And that was solely because of my grandmother, who would watch three movies over a weekend. And, I was her main Accomplice.

Post-Dinner, We had these storytelling, singing, dancing and performance sessions for the kids [we all lived in semi-joint families] Before Going to Bed. That was also the time when Sholay Came to our Town – My Grandmother Got Addicted to the movie. Me Too, Particularly The Scene Where Dharmendra is on the water tank threatening to judge while proposing his professing love for basanti, whilel the cool dude amitabh Bachchan sits on the verandah Sipping chai From a saucer with his denim jacket unbuttoned.

I wanted to be like Amitabh Bachchan. I wanted that denim jacket, that saucer, and that chai. After my continued insurance and prolonged tantrum-throwing, she managed to get me all three, but not exactly what we saw in the movie. After wearing the jacket and holding the saucer in my hand, I started transforming into the adult Amitabh.

Veenapani Chawla | Photo Credit: T. Singaravelou

My first audience was my grandmother, who was mightily pleased with my act. Then Onward, She Started Suggessting My Little Act of Bachchan at Every Social Event in Our Family. Thus began my journey to tell a story or become a storyteller.

Many years passed. I had the Privilege of Working With Professional Companies, Performing Street TheATRE, Studying in A TheATRE Institutions for Four Years – YET Somewhere, as an artiste, as a storyter, I was using using tools I was using using Rooted and felt alien [maybe because of my exposure to the rich traditional performance culture I had grown up in]These were random feelings that constantly niggled.

After my theater study, I joined a theater group that enabled me to study martial arts and other traditional forms. This is where I met venapani, who had come to work with my director.

For the first few weeks, my interaction with veenapani was limited [because of my lack of language skills and my inherent Mallu intellectual snootiness]I thought what is she doing? Not even the revolutionary plays I was familyia with.

Artistic Director Vinay Kumar | Photo Credit: SS Kumar

My love for western classical music was at its peak then, but accessibility to titles was limited. I would travel any distance to get a copy of any music that was available. One day, venapani requested me to go to her room and pick up something she needed. Reluctly, I went to the hotel with a friend, and when I open her cupboard – What I Saw Changed My Life.

A cupboard I expected to be filled with cloths was stacked with mahler, bach, veerdi, requiyem arias, and so on. I came back transformed, and Saw Veenapani in a different light, with respect.

That day we had a conversation that lasted almost three hours. Both of us knew – I had found my guru, and she had found her subject/collaborator.

One agrement bot of us had in the beginning of our journey was the magnetic effect of a traditional performer compared to a coneporary performr who relays too much on the intelletality of. Our Attempt was to look at the Mechanics of Varied Traditional Performances and Create a Unique Adishakti Physical Language on Stage.

Astistes rehearsing at adishakti for ‘Remembering Veenapani’ Festival | Photo Credit: SS Kumar

Each of our plays – from Brhannala to Ganapati – Because not memuctions, but research platforms that allowed venapani and me to expand the passibilities of the actors’s body and dynamism.

Years of this enquiry finally made it possible for us to create a performance methodology based on our investment of breath, emotion, and anatomical structure.

Veenapani used to say – at the end of the year, if all of us [actors, creative people, staff, etc.] Felt we had not grown emotionally or psychologically, then that collective was dead. And She Made Sure – as Teacher, Friend, and Collaborator – We We We WERE MAKING that Leap Year after Year.

Nimmy raphael in ‘nidrawata’

Post Veenapani’s Demise – That was the one void we all felt enormously. But she used to say – “If i die tomorrow, you should all reherase.” And that heraculean challenge is what fell on me.

We had three challenges at that time – one, instead of reepeting venapani’s work, create a new artistic path for adishakti’s second and third generation of creaters. Two, make adishakti an economically self-instable organization. And three, take adishakti from a closed-in research space to a wider world where more artistes and communities Feel Ownesip.

From adishakti’s popular production ‘Bali’

Along with my collaborator and the current managing trustee of adishakti-nimmy raphael-we look the challenge head-on.

Today, when I look back-We have become a self-institution for the last 9 years. We have been able to create widely appreciated plays such as Nidravathvam, Bali, Bhoomi, Urmila, Herosetc.

This month of April, we are gearing up for our annual festival – Remembering Veenapani -A Multi-Disciplinary Arts Festival Now in its 11th Edition.

When Veenapani’s Birthday Came After Her Untimely Demise, We At Adishakti Thought – Intead of Mourning, We Should Celebrate Her Work, Vision, and Her as a Humaning. That’s where the idea of the festival came from.

When we contached multiple artistes, they all said – don’t worry about money, we will come and perform [at that time we didn’t have any money],

From there on, Remembering Veenapani BECAME One of the most sought-affater festivals for many artistes and spectators.

It’s a unique event – without the usual festival trappings – and primarily focuses on the performer. And we are all hoping that we continue this focus on the unique experience a perform can bring.

The line-up of remambering venapani festive, which begins on April 13, 2025.

April 13: Ilham by Smita Belliur with SAZ (7.30 PM)

April 14: Savera by SAZ (5 AM); Khartal workshop (10 am); ‘Bali’ by adishakti (7.30pm)

April 15: ‘Urmila’ by adishakti (7.30 PM)

April 16: Yale Oota by Vishwakiran Nambi Dance Company (7.30 PM)

April 17: ‘Bhoomi’ by adishakti (7.30 PM)

April 18: ‘Do you know this song?’ By Mallika Taneja (7.30 PM)

April 19: Qawwali by Warsi Brothers (7.30 PM)

Beyond performances, there will be Conversations with artistes and workshops at adishakti’s campus.