– Selvam Ramasamy, Environmental Activist, “The major area of pollution falls within the city limit… solid waste, plastic waste, untreated sewage water from institutions and houses act as the major pollutants. Felicia Young of Earth Celebrations shared her Hudson experience with the participants. Except for the heritage development project, the remaining four projects are more than 90 percent complete. Quick View. Vaigai seems more barren than ever and the crisis is more severe than ever,” she says. The entire pageant will also get three random stops. The project involves construction of a 255.60-kilometre (158.82 mi) long canal from Mayanur in Karur district to link river Kaveri with Vaigai. Vaigai Coir Cluster Pvt Ltd. “It is important to understand that other than the Moola Vaigai, the river receives water from a chain of interconnected tanks and channels. • Work with artists-in-residence to create spectacular visual arts works such as mobile sculptures/puppets and costumes for the procession inspired by the species, habitats, issues, and restoration efforts of the river. Even until five decades ago, washed and bleached white fabric used to flutter on the banks of the Vaigai river in the enchanting temple town of Madurai, ready to be distributed for marking of designs and tying. The trash cans would signify the detrimental effects of such materials on earth’s life forms. Drainage Basin: The Godavari basin extends over states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha in addition to smaller parts in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Union territory of Puducherry. Vasimalai, Executive Director of DHAN Foundation is a post graduate in Agriculture and a management graduate from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. 1. Godavari River. The proposed cultural pageant will stretch over three kms from Kamarajar Bridge near Fatima College on Dindigul Road to the A.V Bridge near Goripalayam where the Meenakshi Temple well is located. Feasibility Report of Cauvery Vaigai Gundar Link Project. “Every city has public spaces that define it. A step in that direction is the making of the cultural pageant in association with Earth Celebrations, a New York-based non-profit organisation. Twenty-five years ago, the Vaigai River was a clean, natural waterway. The project aims to link rivers via a network of canals and reservoirs all across India. Sangam literature (circa 300 B.C) has paid many tributes to Vaigai, extolling it as 'the river that brings water when one touches it', viz the etymology Vai (place your) + gai (hands) = place one's hands. • site-specific performances of dance, theater, music, poetry, and ceremony at significant sites along the route. Men in procession carrying large decorative ambala kalvadis. Add to Wishlist.  S Mahendran, a resident, who is also the manager of the Agriculture Technology Management Association, Mayor V.V. • Restoration and expansion of water storage tanks for agricultural irrigation and drinking water. This project proposes public pools and ecological filtration areas to support and formalize sites for the bathing, laundry, commerce, and recreation that have long occurred along the river’s edges. The concentration of total dissolved solids (TSD) in water here is 3,500 to 4,000 ppm, when the acceptable level should be below 500 ppm. They are scheduled to hold their first meeting in early August. has the apex at Manamadurai. But these monuments to urban life don’t build themselves. Hudson River Restoration Pageant (2009-2012) Hudson River Restoration. “The A cow, considered holy by many Indians, grazes on refuse left behind by the drying of the Vaigai river. The pageant would include native dancers, model horses decorated with polluting objects and nine stage ‘Kavadis’ which will celebrate earth’s life forms. She says she is counting on the ‘Million Dollar Arm’ factor! Lake Carnegie Pageant. asiainitiatives.org. The artistic works were featured in the culminating spectacular Vaigai River Restoration Pageant on May 12, 2015. ... Ken – Betwa Link Project Phase-I. Pena Manoharan, a policeman-turned-poet who took part in the pageant recalls how he was abhorred by the sight of people defecating in the river on his first visit to the city in 1975. The Vaigai River Restoration Pageant Project raises awareness to mitigate the severe environmental crisis of pollution and contamination of a major natural water resource and to counter the effects of climate change including: • Household waste and sewage dumping. http://www.cmcentre.org Copyright © 2010 Earth Celebrations. She was surprised when students shared their ideas for restoring the Vaigai River with parks, organic shops, fishing, sports, recycling bins, clean public toilets, playgrounds for children along the embankment. asiainitiatives.org, David Blake Willis, PhD Redevelopment of Periyar bus stand, Vaigai river front development, street scape redesign of four Masi Streets and construction of convention centres at Tamukkam with the total project cost of Rs 324 crore are to be completed by March 2020. Prior to Chithirai Festival in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, South India. Vasimalai, Phd, Co-Founder/Co-Sponsor is the Founder/ Executive Director of the DHAN Foundation in India. Designed by local craftspersons Ravi and Amudha, it is designed in the shape of a giant goddess with 16 arms. • River Cleansing Ceremony will engage community participants in a choreographed movement and clean-up along the river bank. Environmental & Art Workshops: January — April 2015: An educational workshop series builds community engagement and awareness of the Vaigai River for 3 months leading up to the culminating Vaigai River Restoration Pageant. He has a B.A. • Build partnerships and engage, city officials, corporations, environmental organizations, activists, farming groups, schools and universities active on the river. But, construction of the dam affected its flow and the release of industrial and bio-medical waste and domestic sewage into the river and decreasing rainfall has led to the river’s woeful state. AI has pioneered the use of Social Capital Credits (SoCCs) to incentivize local people to undertake social good activities, and will develop the SoCCs system to incentivize attendance in the workshops, and the restoration the Vaigai River, working closely with the local community and other stakeholders. Copyright 2021 | MH Edition lite WordPress Theme by MH Themes. degree in English Literature from American College in Madurai These custodians would be honoured during the pageant. Image Source: R. Ashok; “And Quietly Flows a Much Sullied Vaigai,” The Hindu, Image Source: R. Ashok; Photo Feature in The Hindu turns PIL Petition, The Hindu, “Once the preliminary work of clearing garbage is completed, measures will be taken to stop public from letting sewage water into the river. For press on recent and continuing restoration actions: Panel to Guide Vaigai River Restoration Soon, Vaigai Restoration Works to Begin from October 10, Columbia Architects Will Travel India Work Clean Major River, Students in Action for Vaigai Restoration, Copyright 2021 | MH Edition lite WordPress Theme by MH Themes, Engaging Communities to Generate Ecological and Social Change through the Arts, HUDSON RIVER RESTORATION – ECOLOGICAL ART, OVERSIGHT: ART AND CULTURE AS A CATALYST FOR POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CHANGE, ART & ECOLOGY WORKSHOP – COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & PARTNERSHIP BUILDING, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ART WORKSHOPS – SAVE OUR GARDENS PROJECT, SAVE GARDENS WINTER-ART FOR SOCIAL CHANGE, ECOLOGICAL CITY – VIRTUAL PAGEANT SCHEDULE 2020, COVID-19 UPDATE – ONLINE- ECOLOGICAL CITY – ART & CLIMATE SOLUTIONS WORKSHOPS, ECOLOGICAL CITY – VISUAL ARTISTS BIOS 2019, ECOLOGICAL CITY – VISUAL ARTISTS BIOS 2018, ECOLOGICAL CITY: Art & Climate Solutions WORKSHOPS, DIA DE LOS MUERTOS CANDLELIGHT PROCESSION & PROJECT PRESS, ELLE MAGAZINE (FRANCE), BLICKPUNKT (GERMANY), AND CHINA PRESS, HIGH PERFORMANCE: PROCESSION TO SAVE OUR GARDENS, RITES OF SPRING: PROCESSION TO SAVE OUR GARDENS ARTICLE, SOLSTICE PROCESSION, BATTERY PARK, NEW YORK CITY PRESS. The work created in the workshops will raise awareness for specific issues and will be presented in the Pageant. The Vaigai riverbank was witness to a colourful pageant on Tuesday that sought to create awareness among the community of the need to protect and preserve the ancient river, the lifeline of Madurai. Image Sources: Left- Heritage of India; Right- Indian Temples History; Middle- rémi Karner and Pema; Bottom- Wikipedia. Later on, we full-fledged entered into the field of preparation of a thesis in supporting Research scholars all over India. The Vaigai river delta covering an area of 2,500 sq.km. He has over three decades of experience in development work and is one of the key people in setting up Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN). She has produced and directed theatrical pageants and community-based arts projects for numerous organizations including: the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, the Alternative Museum, Lincoln Center for The Performing Arts, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Brookfield Properties> arts World Financial Center, The World Trade Center, and Earth Day New York. In Stock. Only by increasing the water flow of the river, it can be brought to life again. Lord Kallazhagar`s advent into Madurai, Prokerala News, Visual art and performances for the Pageant: Marco Polo called Madurai the most splendid province on Earth. This project proposes public pools and ecological filtration areas to support and formalize sites for the bathing, laundry, commerce, and recreation that have long occurred along the river’s … Asia Initiatives will bring in their unique system of Social Capital Credits (SoCCs) as a way to incentivize the community to attend the workshops and contribute towards the river restoration. • Live Fish Release: ceremonial action – children offer fish back to the river. Earth Celebrations, which restored the Hudson River in New York, is holding the event in cooperation with Dhan Foundation. The native third generation New Yorker who is also a community cultural development artist and theatrical pageant director is working on Vaigai River Restoration Pageant (VRRP) with local stakeholders and aims to stop further ruin of the river. All Rights Reserved. On Tuesday, the grand show of the pageant was replete with colourful processions of mulaipaari, water pots, Karagattam, Oyilattam and Kavadi. The Vaigai River Restoration Project hopes to make the river the grand waterway it was at one time. “Only the community that uses and needs the river can honour and protect it,” says Felicia Young, the Founder and Executive Director of “Earth Celebrations”, a non-profit organisation in New York. Here the ancient past exists alongside the modern world, with its people still practicing sacred and ancient traditions rooted in its legendary history. 3 Different views of Kamarajar Bridge – the second over bridge constructed in Vaigai River. Maharam was a symbol of the Pandiya dynasty and can be seen on its flag. Even after the heat, dust and excitement of the ongoing Chithirai festival settle down next week, Madurai will continue to reverberate with the sounds of the cultural parade that roll down the Masi Streets during the celebrations marking the celestial wedding of Lord Sundareswarar and Goddess Meenakshi. 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