Pathirippala, Palakkad, Kerala
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Eligibility
Anyone, irrespective of age, nationality, profession or religion is welcome to be part of the Center. Openness to cultural differences and the ability to be take care of yourself will be valuable assets. You should be physically and mentally fit to travel and study. Minors, up to 17 years old, unaccompanied by parents should produce written, authenticated permission from their parents or legal guardians.
[spoiler show=”The Classes”]Classes can be one-on-one or as a group according to the subject and the student’s preference. We find language classes more effective as a group, while music classes work better one-on-one. You can choose any two subjects for your study at the Center. That way you will have ample time for practice and other activities during the day. While choosing an art form to study, it is always better to pick subjects which you have a flair for or which attract your interest.[/spoiler] [spoiler show=”The Timings”]Classes will be scheduled between 9.30AM to 4.30 PM. The maximum duration of a single class is two hours. Please note that sometimes the teachers can be better judges of the time duration that each student can take. When you don’t have classes you can visit interesting places around.[/spoiler] [spoiler show=”The Syllabus”]The syllabus for each student is decided by the Sarang faculty according to the length of the stay, talent and commitment of the student. [/spoiler] [spoiler show=”Registration”]
Send us an email for registering with us. We can finalise the dates and duration after discussion over emails. Once we are finalised, you have to pay an advance of INR 1000. Payment should be made only after you receive detailed instructions from us through e-mails. You will be tentatively registered only after the receipt of advance and a copy of your identification document (for Indian citizens, any government approved id will do) or your passport (for all foreign applicants). The documents are to be sent either by post or attached as a JPEG file via e-mail.[/spoiler]
The Fee
The fee includes classes, accommodation and food. It is calculated on weekly basis. Classes are calculated in hours per week. This gives you room for planning free days for exploration by traveling to nearby destinations, relaxation or practice. Teachers charge differently according to their subject, traveling distance and availability. Accordingly the fee varies slightly from subject to subject. The fee calculator will help you in calculating the fee according to subject(s) and the duration of your stay.
Discounts
There is a small discount for longer duration of stay. The fee calculator shows the discount price according to the duration. If you are a group of more than 10 individuals, please contact us, we have special discounts for groups.
Our admiration for man’s capacity for mutual learning is one basis of such a Center. Here, along with the study of different art forms, you can also share your skills, languages and cultures with fellow-explorers. In short, learning will happen not just to you, but through you. You are welcome to share anything under the sun, traditional dance forms, music, stories, theatre, cookery, anything which will lead to some creative or common good.
Classes
Classes can be one-on-one or as a group according to the subject and the student’s preference. We find language classes more effective as a group, while music classes work better one-on-one. Even though you have to choose your subject(s) at the time of registration, you can change it later at the Center after getting acquainted with other art forms. While choosing an art form to study, it is always better to pick subjects which you have a flair for or which attract your interest. You can choose any two subjects for your study at the Center. That way you will have ample time for practice and other activities during the day.
Timings
Classes will be scheduled between 9.30AM to 4.30 PM. The maximum duration of a single class is two hours. Please note that sometimes the teachers can be better judges of the time duration that each student can take. Saturdays and Sundays are kept aside for practice and exploration. You can also use the weekends for visiting interesting places around.
Syllabus
The syllabus for each student is decided by the Sarang faculty according to the length of the stay, talent and commitment of the student. An outline of the syllabus will be sent to each student after registration.
Teachers are revered as gods in India, to be considered only next to one’s parents. In ancient India, the teacher or Guru had the complete authority in his field, his word was final. But times have changed and students are encouraged to question every teaching before accepting it.
Rather than going extreme with any of these ways, we believe in a middle path. Teachers should be treated with complete respect by the students for his knowledge and the students should be free to discuss any part of his studies creatively with the teacher. This will lead to a harmony in the classroom. An effective partnership between the teacher and the student ensures easy flow of knowledge & ideas between them.
We hope our competent and sincere faculty is able to create such a harmonious environment at the Centre with your whole-hearted cooperation.
Vinod
Vinod is a flautist trained under Gurus like Kudamaloor Janardanan. He plays for Carnatic music concerts and is also an active part of alternative music troupes like Vayali.
Along with his wife, he runs an art school named ‘Swathi’, at Koppam, near Pattambi, Palakkad district.
Vasudeva Menon
A mature and experienced teacher, Shri. Vasudeva Menon has been performing and teaching Mridangam for more than 30 years. Based near Palakkad town, he was very active in Carnatic Music concerts and Bharatanatyam performances in his young age. One can see that age has only strengthened his fingers as his fingers fly over the instrument when he plays.
The Center functions in a modern, single-storied ‘Nalukettu‘ with a small, open, central courtyard. In the summer months the outside temperature may soar up but it remains much cooler indoors since the house is built based on traditional architectural principles.The house is set in an enclosed compound with a traditional pond. Except for the dry summer months the pond can be used for swimming and bathing. The house is well-spaced out hence the classes and the living space are combined in the same building. The neighbourhood is generally peaceful being away from the influences of the road. Early mornings and evenings devotional music is played from a nearby temple which takes some getting used to but gradually fades into the background.
The accommodation is on twin-sharing basis in well-assigned rooms. Privacy is ensured within the rooms. During the day classes are conducted in the common spaces so one has to be careful not to disturb them. The students can use the terrace or the garden for reading, writing, drawing or just for private contemplation. There is a well-stocked library at the Center which can be freely made use of.
The Sarang children stay nearby in another house. They have classes on various art forms during the weekdays, some times during weekends according to teachers’ convenience. They bring much life into the Center with their exuberance. Some evenings the whole Sarang family gathers at the cultural center and practice Karnatic vocal music and instruments.
Gautham and Anuradha stay at the Center and coordinate all activities. They are involved in web designing and other free lance work, for supporting Sarang Alternative School. At the Center they look after the arrangements of the classes, housekeeping, cooking, logistics and communication along with their varied activities.
Pradeep Kumar
Inspired by performances at the local temple in his childhood, Pradeep started learning Kathakali at the young age of 12 from the prestigious Kerala Kalamandalam. He has been the recipient of many coveted awards for upcoming talent, like the Sangeet Natak Academy award for the young artists. His talent and pleasant nature combined with enthusiasm for teaching make his classes fulfilling and enjoyable.
What is Sarang
Sarang is an emerging rural university. Please visit http://saranghills.org to know more about us.
Location
Valluvanad region in central Kerala has a rich history of arts and culture. Historically, the banks of river Bharatappuzha have proved to be fertile grounds for the development of a unique culture, many art forms as well as a distinctly flavoured Malayalam language & literature. Valluvanad is home to ancient temples which are nothing less than architectural wonders, centuries-old murals, personalities who revolutionized the cultural scenario of Kerala and many reputed cultural institutions propagating traditional Malayali art forms and culture.
It makes us happy and proud that we could embark on our small endeavour in an area with such a magnificent heritage. This is an ideal location for nurturing the unique concept of multicultural exploration and exchange, which we carry in our hearts after our elevating experience at Vijnana Kalavedi, Aranmula.
The Center
The Center is located in Nagarippuram village, Pathirippala, just 20 minutes from each of the nearest towns, Palakkad and Ottappalam. Nagarippuram is a small village with basic amenities like a post office, small shops, auto rickshaw stand and telephone booths. It is located on the Pathirippala – Kongad road with good bus service. Pathirippala, which is the nearest junction, is just ten minutes walk away and has all facilities like ATMs, internet cafes, bakeries, juice bars, hotels, textile shops, medical shops, stationary shops, travel agents etc.
How to Reach
By Air
[spoiler]Kerala has three international airports, namely, Thiruvananthapuram in the southern region, Cochin in the central region, and Calicut in the northern region. Since Pathirippala is equally accessible from Cochin and Calicut, you can try to find direct flights to either of these cities. There is also an airport in Coimbatore which is in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu but only about 2 hours away from Pathirippala. You can also choose to fly to Mumbai, in northern India, or Chennai, in Tamil Nadu, and travel further to Kerala by air or rail.
You can book seats on most domestic flights in India online. The earlier you plan your travel and book your seats, the cheaper it might be. You can compare the flight rates of various airlines like Indian Airlines, Kingfisher Airlines, Jet Airways, Paramount Airways, Spice Jet etc and choose your flight.
[/spoiler]By Rail
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Palakkad, the nearest major railway station, is 30 km from Pathirippala. There are other smaller railway stations nearby, but only a few trains stop at these.
For all information regarding trains between two stations, train timings, seat availability, fares etc you can visit the Indian Rail Information website.
Your seats can be booked online on the Indian Railways website. The seat reservation facility is available from 90 days prior to the date of travel. Seats in popular trains get reserved very fast so it is preferable that you reserve your seats well in advance. There are also facilities of booking tickets in the Tatkal or Emergency quota, the Ladies’ quota or the Foreign Tourist quota in some trains. Emergency tickets can only be booked 3 days prior to the date of travel.
For short distance trains, called passenger trains, it is enough to buy your tickets at the railway station before boarding the train.
[/spoiler]By Road
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It is also possible to travel to Pathirippala from Calicut, Cochin or Coimbatore by bus but this might mean a change of at least two buses which can be tedious with luggage. You can book your seats for a particular bus at counters at the main bus stations or buy the tickets in the bus. Traveling from Cochin or Coimbatore you have to take a bus to Palakkad first. Then another to Pathirippala. Once at Pathirippala, you can take a bus (Rs 4), auto rickshaw (Rs 20) or walk (10 minutes) to the Center.
[/spoiler]We advice you to download, print and keep the route details for your journey to the center.