Kalai – Aksharam – Ashram
A shelter for arts and learning
In Vittalapuram on Thirukulakundram Road, off ECR
Between Chennai and Pondicherry
Village No. 77 in Kancheepuram District, Tamil Nadu
Sponsored by Kalairani Natya Saalai (KNS Inc.)
A non-profit tax-exempt organization – 501 (c) 4 – Tax Id
An established Bharatanatyam academy in Maryland, USA, since 1984.
A colony of six buildings in two acres: Studio and hostel and four cottages. An ambitious project indeed!
A gurukulam for university curriculum – college students from all over the world can now take up Indian arts, dance, music, paintings, sculpturing, drama and film-making, etc. and stay on campus for intense training and accomplish a semester’s work in two months, gearing towards a Bachelors and Masters degree program. This is a center location where renowned exponents will be brought from Chennai, Kumbokonam, Chidambaram, Trichy, Madurai, etc. Also, Mahabalipuram is our neighbor where expertise thrives in sculpturing, folk arts, dance festivals, etc. The studio and the hostel will be used for this purpose.
Arts for the destitute and disabled and destitute – the four cottages are designed with a large floor in the ground level and living quarters in the first floor.
• Doll-making Industry by the needy locals
• Tailoring, embroidering by destitute
• Bharatanatyam for the hearing impaired
• Recording studio for the blind
• Painting and art work for the handicapped
• Arts for the Autism and the list goes on..
Kalairani Natya Saalai, untiringly serving the Indian community for nearly a quarter century in USA, now lifts its passion for both art and our dear motherland to the next level through this Kalaaksharam. Rani the dance guru has single handedly initiated this, bought the land, faced many issues, and the first building is completed as of December 2008. She believes funds will pour in to implement the rest. Besides running a dance academy in USA, she was the first to bring Thamizh Cinema to USA theatres. Placing Bharatanatyam in prestigious indescribable, indelible platform includes Christian Bharatanatyam tours all over USA and India, teaching at George Mason University, teaching Bharatanatyam for the hearing impaired, promoting programs for the vision impaired, etc. Her passion for social work includes STHRI (support teach heal reform India for women), Adventist ADRA International, Christian Children’s Fund, and many private projects.
Her two sons stand as her pillar and spine: Swithin Ahilan David
is a rare combination of neuro-science therapist and an improv dramatist and
Sumithrin Elango David
is a film editor and producer going places.
Mr. Ganapathy and Mr. Bhaskar from Chennai are the overseers of this project. Her list of supporters are large and almost impossible to name them all; key consultants are Atty. Meena Cherian, Rani’s brother Dr. Thambi Thomas, Rani’s niece and nephews Priya Morlock, Ranjit Masilamani, Franklin David, etc and her all-time friends Evan and Sunder Moses who designed the studio, and KNS’ students and parents just too many list.
Rani says: I am not sure how far my dreams will take me, but I rely on some of Mahatma Gandhiji’s quotes: "satisfaction lies in the effort not in the attainment", "the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others" and "be the change you want to see in the world".