'Drishya' Concludes, Offers Glimpses Of Local Talent

In a spring season that is studded with arts shows and recitals, 'Drishya,' the annual talent competitions hosted by New England Malayalee Association (NEMA), stands out for sheer scale. Held in five venues ranging from Nashua, New Hampshire, to Marlboro, MA, NEMA's annual talent competitions concluded on May 4 at Billerica Memorial High School in Billerica, Mass. The finale, which comprised of classical and non-classical dance competitions, capped off the arts contests held over multiple weekends, beginning on April 7.

What began as a talent competition in 2010 is now a more ambitious event, but Drishya stays true to its founding spirit of friendly competition and celebration of India's artistic and intellectual culture. The event provides an opportunity for children, youth and grown-ups to showcase their talents in singing, dancing, public speaking, drawing, writing and photography. Drishya's competitions in short story writing, poetry, and drawing/painting were held at locations in Nashua and Marlboro on April 7. This was followed by the classical and non-classical singing and elocution competitions held at North Chelmsford on April 20. These contests alone attracted about 155 participants. The photography competition utilized an online component, allowing individuals to vote for their favorite entries via Facebook.

Drishya's finale on May 4, with its classical and non-classical dance competitions, was the focal point of the event, bringing together a larger audience than in previous years. The competitions drew 240 dance contestants and over 500 attendees from the New England region, including Rhode Island and New Hampshire. "Drishya had a record turnover this year," says NEMA President Vivek Nair. "Due to the higher than expected number of entries for dance competitions, the finale ended up becoming an all-day event, lasting from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.," he says, adding that the event was reminiscent of the day-long youth festivals held back home in India.

Well-known dance teachers and schools in the area were in attendance at the finale. Highlights of the evening included non-classical group dances to the tunes of popular Bollywood numbers. In the solo classical dance competitions, students of gurus Sapna Krishnan, Sujatha Meyyappan, Deepa Rajesh, Ranjani Saigal and Kausalya Srinivasan took home top honors in the different age groups ranging from 5 to 18 years and above. Dances choreographed by Raimy Kachappilly, Jai Kishan and Neha Parikh won first places in the different age groups in the non-classical segment.

"There are not many opportunities for Indian classical dancers to perform on stage in the Boston area. Drishya provides one such opportunity," says Nair. "Each year, the contestants return, determined to win the competition in their respective age groups. As a result, the quality of the programs has increased multifold from when Drishya first came into being." This opportunity to showcase talents has also drawn participants from outside the Malayalee community. Many of the North Indian and other South Indian communities were well represented in the competitions.

With about 400 contestants, 24 hours of programs and over 100 prizes given away this year, planning was key. "Needless to say, organizing programs of such magnitude requires so many weeks, if not months, of planning and great teamwork by dedicated individuals. Every effort is taken by each of us to see to it that the programs are conducted well and moved along in the smoothest possible manner," says Vivek Nair.

For children and youth, Drishya is an occasion to perform in a non-threatening environment for an audience with familiar faces. For grown-ups, it is a chance to give expression to their inner artists. But for many, Drishya is quite simply an opportunity to bolster the sense of community and watch the Malayalee spirit shine.