The Shantanand Festival of the Arts (SFA) is held for the second time (Photo: Temple of Fine Arts)
When the Temple of Fine Arts (TFA) founder Swami Shantanand Saraswathi lit a lamp in 1981 to open and create a space for the nurturing of art in Malaysian youth, he had in mind a wholistic and holistic academy for performing arts, a sanctuary for artists – where one would be inspired and enlightened by the potential within themselves to seek knowledge in the arts, and to then inspire others to do so.
This is the essence of the community work done by TFA for the past four decades. The work took many forms – music, dance, drama, culinary arts, visual arts, and travel to heritage destinations rich with history and culture – with a primary aim to share knowledge and wisdom that would have a direct and positive effect on the human psyche.
The Shantanand Festival of the Arts (SFA), held this weekend for the second time, aims to celebrate the institution’s many epic dance dramas that were once its signature – many theatre-going KLites will be familiar with shows like Ramayana, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Butterfly Lovers, Legend of Mahsuri and Taj Mahal, which would be staged over two weeks with invitations based purely on donations. This move, unheard of at the time, allowed unprecedented access to arts aficionados of all inclinations to enjoy these productions. Another key aspect was its Malaysian-ness, as the shows always included the rich cultural heritage of this nation and of the region.
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The programme for year’s SFA not just celebrates TFA’s legacy in the performing arts, but also, the many partners it has worked with over the years that have served to further enrich its cultural coffers. A three-day festival that includes a variety of workshops, performances and activities, the 2022 edition of SFA has something for everyone. Ahead of making your bookings, here are five things you should know.
Pay as you wish
In line with TFA’s lifelong goal of making the arts accessible to all, access to all events of the festival will be provided on a ‘pay-as-you-wish’ basis. Invitations are available through an online ticketing system at sfa.tfa.org.my, simply indicate however much it is you would like to contribute – no amount is too big or small. All proceeds will be channelled towards sustaining the artistic endeavours and charitable activities of TFA, which include a free clinic for the community also located in Brickfields.
Of timeless tradition
A good number of the workshops part of SFA are relating to traditional dance and music. Raga Laya Abhinaya by with Guruvayur Usha Dorai discusses the role of music in classical Bharata Natyam, Nimal Raj will take on the complexities of playing the nattuvangam, Prakash Kandasamy invites you to you learn more about drums used in Indian percussion while Kumar Karthigesu, one of the founding members of world music group Akasha, celebrates emotions and expressions with his sitar.
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Outside of the ordinary
Even though classical dance and music forms the core of TFA’s offerings, the Brickfields-based arts institution has since evolved to offer a number of other classes. This all-encompassing approach is expressed in SFA’s list of workshops that include yoga, a session on Malay dances headed by the ASK Dance Company, a romp through Shakespeare’s works with Lam Ghooi Ket and a demonstration on contemporary dance techniques with Kishore Krishnan.
Work with your hands
Born with two left feet and can’t carry a tune in a bucket? Nae bother. Learn about the time-honoured tradition of kolams and its significance – it is said to announce auspiciousness and that all is well in the household – and its technique. For art that extends to the human body, make a beeline for a specialised workshop on henna art.
Star quality
The pièce de résistance of this year’s SFA is Legacy, which will be staged on Saturday and Sunday evening. Reminiscent of TFA’s large-scale productions of old, Legacy will see a younger generation of dancers reimagine and reinterpret some of the institution’s most well-loved productions. Legacy also fetes some of TFA’s most outstanding partnerships with some of Malaysia’s most well-loved artists, including a guest performance by Datuk Zainal Abidin.
The Shantanand Festival of Arts 2022 runs until Dec 12 at The Temple of Fine Arts, 116 Jalan Berhala, Brickfields, KL. More information here.
