India is a land of diversity and culture. Every corner of the nation has something rich and vibrant to showcase. May it be rituals or art, dance or music, India is home to some of the most mesmerizing art forms.
Aadyalakshmi Arangamela Private Limited in Chennai is an organization working relentlessly to take the Indian dance forms to the global platforms. Founder Lakshmi Sivakumar is to be given the credit for providing a stage. And the opportunity for youngsters to display their skills. As well as their rich culture through her organization.
From Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak Mohiattam to Carnatic/Hindustani vocal/instrumental, the organization has been promoting the rich art forms of the country.
Forgotten temples
To achieve this goal, the organization finds historic temples that are rarely visited. It is here that the organization puts up its stage. And transforms the very temple grounds into the resplendent stage, offering opportunities for aspiring performers.
Melas are typically held on important or significant occasions. Such as MahaShivaratri, Navaratri, Ganesh Chaturthi, New Year, and others, where a large audience is expected. For their outstanding effort, the Gurus of all participating teams are honoured with the title “AadyaNatyaMahamani,” and the participants with the title “AadyaNatyamani.”
The number of teams that participate in each event is used to determine productivity. The annual income is Rs. 4 lakhs. Students, learners, and performers of Indian traditional art forms make up the majority of the target market.
The organization’s greatest competitors are temples and other sabhas that provide such platforms to artists for free. And it becomes tough to persuade the target market to abandon the alternative and utilize their platform. But the firm offers cheap participation fees and a wider social media reach, which is a competitive advantage.
The most difficult task remains, persuading the teams to pay and appear on stage. That is why they emphasize upcoming talents rather than well-established ones. WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram are some of the marketing platforms they employ to promote their business.
During the pandemic
However, given the continuous pandemic scenario, the firm did not lag behind and embraced digital techniques. Using the internet and online channels, the firm successfully held 9 online/virtual events on the Aadyalakshmi Arangamela Facebook page. Throughout 80 cultural academies and 1000 performers from India. And around the world have taken part in the organization’s events, both on-stage and online so far. “Silver Jubilee celebrations are due through Mela-25, scheduled for Diwali on 4th November 2021, whereby the Gurus and the participants will be honoured with the next level of Titles. These meals give a revitalizing and joyful experience for the Gurus, participants, parents, connoisseurs, and bystanders, which act as Aadyalakshmi Arangamela’s ” Unique Selling Proposition.
‘Project Paduka‘ is an entrepreneurial effort that solicits donations from bystanders to offer footwear/chappals to a few children from a low-income school, once a year.
Recognitions
The organization was named a winner in the category of ‘India 500 Start-up Awards 2019-for Quality Excellence’ by India 5000 Business Awards, Rajkot, Gujarat. Blossom Media Private Limited, Mumbai, has named the enterprise “Iconic Brand of the Year – 2021“.
Lakshmi Sivakumar: Woman behind this success
A passionate, energetic, and self-motivated individual with double postgraduate degrees in Commerce and Psychology, she is setting out to discover the uncharted. She holds the “Scientific principles of management” in high regard and applies its principles to every walk of life.
She has been teaching for over 15 years, with a focus on the commerce function and a holistic approach to training pupils. But she considers Kiran Mazumdar Shaw as her biggest motivator. She has bagged Best Teacher Awards from separate educational forums in Chennai and Delhi. For her efforts through her venture, she has also received the ‘Senior Woman Entrepreneur Award-2019‘ – a National Award, powered by the National Foundation for Entrepreneurship Development (NFED), Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, and the ‘Woman of Excellence Award, 2020,’ by the Indian Achiever’s Forum, Delhi. During her time as a teacher, she noticed that students have become so engrossed in technology. And sophistication that they are unable to socialize or appreciate our rich cultural elegance.
A sense of responsibility and concern for this serious issue prompted her to start her own business, Aadyalakshmi Arangamela. In 2016 to pull the young talents to culturally rich ancient temples by providing an opportunity for them to showcase their talents in Indian. Classical art forms of music and dance, while also learning about our cultural history.
Adyasree Prakriti Sivakumar: Co-Director
Just like the director, the co-director is also the holder of many degrees and a competent and skillful woman. A skilled Bharatnatyam performer and an aspiring lawyer. And with a focus on intellectual Property Rights is the company’s director Adyasree Prakriti Sivakumar. She holds a BBA LLB (Hons.) in Law from the VIT School of Law, VIT Chennai Campus, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. She is a Merit Holder and got 9th position for the course BBA LLB (Hons. ), with an “Achiever Award” for the Academic Year 2014-2019 at VIT School of Law, Chennai campus.Completed the DELF (Diplômed’étudesen language française) test up to DELF B1 level at Alliance Française de Madras, Nugambakkam, Chennai. In April 2018, she graduated from Annamalai University in Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, with a B.Dance (Bachelors in Dance) degree.
She began studying Bharatanatyam at the age of six in Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, under the instruction of renowned Gurus. She has been enthusiastic about Bharatnatyam dancing since then. And has traveled this path for 15 years, achieving the following milestones along the way. But she has performed in a number of dance festivals, including Chidambaram Natarajar Temple, Mahabalipuram Dance Festival, Brighadeeswara Temple (Dance Festival and Ashada Navratri Festival in 2015), Tanjore, Natayanjali Dance Festival, Kunbakkonam, and Thirupathi for two years for ‘Nadhaneeranjanam,’ the show by Thirupathi Devasthanam Channel. In addition to the December Margazhi Festival, she has also performed at more than a dozen organizations. But including Dasyam, Krishna Gana Sabha, and Aadyalakshmi Arangamela.
Future Plans
After achieving so much, Lakshmi Sivakumar has a vision of expanding her business overseas and organizing events and meals in other countries. Also, Promoting the culture and beauty of Indian art forms.
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