A festival that will centre around the vanishing rhythm music traditions of Kerala is being organised here by Keli, a Mumbai-based cultural group.

The Keli Festival 2005, which started today, will see ensemble performances by over 150 veteran rhythm artists from Kerala, Keli said in a press release.

The organisers say that though rhythm music is part and parcel of Indian music, Kerala has unique tradition of group (ensemble) performances of rhythm artists -- independent of vocal performance.

The programme includes performance on Mizhavu -- a copper drum -- on December 13. Very few exponents of this instrument are left in the country now, organisers claim.

On the evening of December 14 there will be 'Adantha Melam', which is a kind of extempore performance by hundred-plus artistes playing variety of rhythm instruments.

The festival will take place at Prithvi Theatre and Horniman circle while the opening ceremony will be held at y b Chavan centre at Nariman Point on December 12.

Preceding it, there would be lectures, film shows and an exhibition of rhythm instruments.

Bureau Report