The band Vayali cultivated a new music culture. In 2004, some artists sat together and discussed about their dreams. And one day, the band was born with the purpose of blending the local tradition and culture along with its music.
Vayali, a group of 30 artists from the cultural capital of Kerala, aims to be rooted in the traditional milieu. They came together to learn the traditional as well as local knowledge systems practised in and around the banks of River Nila (Bharatha Puzha), the artists started to carve their own instruments with bamboo. They used indigenous percussion instruments and colourful costumes to create foot-tapping music and to preserve the dying Valluvanadan tradition and culture.
Valluvanad, the erstwhile region, was famous for folk art culture, folklore and classical art forms like Kathakali and Mohiniyattam.
Vayali, which initially had only 10 members, has now grown to a community of 200 people making a new way of music, rhythm and band culture. Know more about the varied actions of the Vayali group which celebrated its 15th anniversary last year.
Folklore expression group
Vayali folklore expression group organises programmes for the local audience and international travellers as well. It works with many internationally renowned tour operators in the tourism space. The band welcomes the guests from all over the world through this portal. The guests can also enjoy the rich local culture and various art forms.
Bamboo orchestra
When the Vayali artists developed a bamboo orchestra after attending the ‘Traditional Music and Rhythm Festival’ in Japan in 2007. After knowing about the world famous Japanese bamboo music and instruments, the team promised themselves to germinate a new music pattern. And now more than 10 artists perform with their own new instruments like bamboo drums like ‘mazha mooli’ and ‘mulam thudi’.
Community archive projects
Community archive projects initiate programmes for schools and colleges to impart the cultural and traditional values. The ‘Nila Adolescents Intervention Programme’ and Alter School are involved in these activities.
Nila Actions
Vayali took up key three river action plans under the banner of Nila Actions. It has formed a collective of people across the river Nila basin for these purposes. The Alter School is backing the project in these initiatives.
A community digital archive project to document the cultural landscape of the river is also on. Puzhakottams, another flagship project of Vayali, aims to engage students in the conservation activities of Nila river.
Eco Bazar
Craftila aims to find market space for the artisans, help them to contemporise their product designs and extend financial aids so that the traditional craft sector thrives.
Media action
VIMA or Vayali Initiative for Media Action was formed two years ago for creating a platform for any creative action among the youth. It started as a WhatsApp group and grew fast as it took up many social projects. It made socially relevant films like 'The Magic Weavers of Killimangalam, A Valluvandan Tapestry'.
Mental and palliative care
AiM started as a service group to extend medical support to the needy in the society. It has been called as the social arm of Vayali, It supports is now limited to children and mentally challenged people. AiM works in association with MEHAC, a Kochi-based social innovation group.
As old people say, culture gets nourishment from nature. Without nature a culture can’t exist, without a culture a society cannot.It seems Vayali believes in this dictum as its manifold activities suggest.