SHC-TIRUPATTUR, MAY 31, 2025: INM Province and its apostolic ministry dimensions namely Education to Faith (Deepagam) and Youth Ministry Delegation together with Sacred Heart College (SHC), Tirupattur has organized ten-day (May 21 to May 31, 2025) Leadership Training Camp and Youth Catechesis for sixty-five youth and children hailing from seven parishes in Vellore and Tiurpattur regions.

Ten days of totally free Residential Summer Camp at sprawling, homely and serene environment of Sacred Heart College, Tirupattur provided an apt setting for the KVIM-25 thanks to the generosity of SHC Rector and community.

Children and youth (some of them were working women/men) came from seven rural/poor parishes namely: Pavunjur, Thirukazhukunram, Jolarpet, Polur, Veeralur, Maranodai, Vyasarpadi (Chennai) and four sisters belonging to FSAG (Shalom Province) - Tindivanam. In all, 70 people (along with SHC research scholars) took part in the camp that was inaugurated on May 21, 2025 and concluded on May 31, 2025.

The organizers of the KVIM-25 camp were Salesian Province of Chennai (INM), Youth Ministry Delegation, Sacred Heart College and Deepagam – Don Bosco Catechetical Center. The activity venue of the camp was accommodated on Carreno Hall of happy-memory and Mother Teresa Hall within SHC Campus.
 

Program – KVIM25

Kalai Vazhi Irai Mozhi (KVIM–26) கலைவழி இறைமொழி (Catechesis through Folk Arts) is a Deepagam’s catechetical program through which, youth and children learn to appreciate and inculcate their cultural identity, a paramount requisite for contextualized faith formation (inculturation). Primary highlight of KVIM is God-Talk (இறைமொழி) – the building block for Catechesis. God-Talk (Irai Mozhi) is ‘dialoging with culture’ as encountered by the adults and young people to feel the presence of God in one’s life and also accompany one another in all walks of life. Drama is a predominant art that imbibes all other disciplines (music, poetry, speeches, writing, acting, dance, drawings and so on); it is the bedrock for appropriate leadership formation of the young people. Only an integral person with self-awareness/consciousness can raise his/her mind and heart towards Divine. The crux of the program is “through Folk Arts, God can be known, spoken and loved”. The priority of the program is God-Talk (Irai Mozhi) in relation to Kalai Vazhi (Folk Art). KVIM25 aims for renewal of the parishes and forming youth to become social transformation agents like missionaries of earlier years.

Visit by Fr. Provincial

Rev. Fr. Don Bosco, Provincial who visited the campers on May 24, 2025 (Feast of Mary Help of Christians and Salesian Renewal Day) thanked Fr. Rector, Principal and SHC Community for making the KVIM25 camp possible. He said “We are God’s creation, redeemed by Christ and perfected by Holy Spirit”. Wherever youth are, there is liveliness. Drama has captivating power (ஈர்ப்பு சக்தி) and it is a joyful event. Fr. Provincial lauded Fr. Jesudoss for his music ministry who composed many hymns and devotional songs leading people to God. He also quoted Lk15 highlighting the power of the Father who is drawing the lost ones’ to Himself. As Education to Faith commission makes effort to express reality through art, Fr. Provincial shared his prayers and wishes to Deepagam. He exhorted the community thus: கலைவழியில் இறைமொழியை பறைசாற்றுவோம்!

Day-to-Day Camp Life

The daily intensive and rigorous training program began with Yoga and Silambum (drill) in the morning followed by Eucharistic Celebration presided by Rev. Fr. John Alexander (Vice Provincial), Fr. Jesudoss (Director-Deepagam), Fr. John Christy (Youth Ministry Delegate), SHC Rector and Principal, and Fr. Geoffrey (Parish Priest - Tirupattur).

The activities for the day are assortment of games namely, ice-breakers, group dynamics, self-awareness, personality improvement, confidence-building, team-spirit, time-management, leadership development, body-mind integration, personal motivation, problem-solving, breaking cliché, group formation, team coordination and so on. Prof. Parthiparaja (Camp Coordinator who have 23 years of academic services) engaged young people with his didactic animation that won the hearts of the youngsters – who quipped, “He was more like a dad to us.” (in their social gest).

The participants were divided into two groups and trainers engaged them with Leadership Training and Folk Arts sessions separately by swapping them between groups.

Only demands made from the part of trainees were: communication norms with trainers (“while they speak, do not speak”); punctuality in the context of intensive/rigorous training; what to be done and what not to be done (“do this and don’t do that”); use of instruments and things responsibly (“don’t waste food”) be at peace and respectful towards all and fuller participation in Eucharistic celebration (prayers and singing).

Our campers inquisitively learned theatric art creation; such as face-mask making (using newspaper) guided by Mr. Purushothaman; free-hand drawing, creative prop using balloons, face-makeup and body-wound designs by makeup expert Mr. Bhushan engaged children with speech on Authenticity, Purity and Sanctity. He also did a guided meditation recollecting life according to the advancement in age.

Similarly, body, mind and voice coordination exercises was well adopted by the camping people (தா-தை-லா-மா; - தை-லா-மா; - - லா-மா; - - - மா; - - - -); Prof. Parthiparaja who invented it commended the children and youth participants for catching-up with the exercises easily.

The training program aimed to be lifelong memorable experience, which in turn will be life-changing event for the youth. A trainer said to them: “Training will make you brisk with discipline.”

Children and youth were introduced to the practice of journaling personal experiences in the light of faith, recollecting and noting down the date, event, experiences and reactions as directed by Fr. Jesudoss.

Few folk art songs of classical nature were taught to the children and youth: என்னை நேசித்திரே இறைவா! எத்துனை மொழிகளில் இன்னிசை பாடினும்... தமிழ் இசை போலில்லை (by Mr. Gunasekaran); அந்தகாலம் – இந்தகாலம் (தெம்மாங்கு பாடல்) and வெறுங்கை என்பது மூடத்தனம், விரல்கள் பத்தும் மூலதனம் (by Prof. Parthiparaja).

Young people were trained in three traditional dances: namely, Paraiyaattam (பறையாட்டம் or தப்பாட்டம்), Oyilaattam (ஒயிலாட்டம்), Kazhiyalaattam or Kollaattam (கழியலாட்டம் / கோலாட்டம்) and Silambaattam (சிலம்பாட்டம்) by Mr. Rajasekharan in which, all participants were involved. Paraiyaattam is for announcing news, while Oyilaattam depicted form-cultivation activities and Silambaatam was for self-defense.

Mr. Velayudham (Chennai) and Mr. Murugan from Bangalore (both were theatre artists) motivated the children and youth through various group activities, life skill, and instructional games. They taught to connect art with divine, through ways of communication and ways of living. Dance, music, story-telling, arts and crafts were used to increase faith and make faith relevant. Moreover, it helped to identify oneself and build team-spirit.

Modern Dramas

Mr. Valayutham and his team staged on May 26 - as acme of the camp - a most startling play titled Adharma Dhesatthu Maranangal - அதர்ம தேசத்து மரணங்கள். It was a modern drama centered on most startling theme – ‘Authority of Death’ (மரணத்தின் அதிகாரம்) and Cognitive Communication. Three persons engaged in dialog on the scaffold-setting. It is an interplay of existential I - Thou (நான் - நீ) discourse portraying gender conflicts associated with social problems: மொழியால் இனத்தை அழிக்கும் கொடூரம், சமத்துவம் அற்ற கல்வி, மதம்-தவறுகளுக்கு பரிகாரம், பணமான அறிவு, மூளை சலவை and so on. The strong provocative statements emanating from human sexuality (‘life is opportunity for sin’) and Freudian interplay of consciousness – Ego (dead man), Super Ego (living man), and Id (dead woman) suggests that only art can reveal the hidden and private secrets of persons and society at large. Audience reacted to the play thus: இனி வருங்காலங்களில் மரணங்கள் இயற்கை அல்ல. மனம் நினைப்பதை பேசுவதில்லை. மன மரணம் - கருத்து மரணம் - வாழ்க்கை மரணம். Deepest and most complex problems of life were explicated simply through art. The play highlighted the specter: Culture of Death (சாவு கலாசாரம்) and human malice – வக்கிரத்தனம் and challenged conflict repression over cultures and traditions.

Likewise on May 28, Mrs. Sneha Parthiparaja performed a mono-act (ஓரங்க நாடகம்) titled என் ஆடை, என் உரிமை. It is a five character play lasting 30 minutes, highlighting women rights, feminism and caste repression. The central themes of the play are: cultural repression of women and fundamentalist perspective of women based on their dress. Children expressed spontaneous attitude of assertiveness (உரிமை குரல்). Mrs. Sneha acted for five characters namely, Dhraupadi, Nangeli, Thangjam Manorama, Peshawar's Ayesha, and Modern Girl (of social media). She said, from children point of view, it is Dress Freedom – ஆடை சுதந்திரம். “Dress is a comfort aspect from ancient times”, the actor said. “Denial of comfort is repression over the body (உடல் மீது செலுத்தும் ஆதிக்கம்). Male dress and female dress is cultural imposition on person”. It is feminism against flesh: women are humiliated for their feminity, expressed in extreme way through physical and sexual violence emanating from human malice (வக்கிரம்). It was suggested that the plays must be staged for parents and adults.

Drama is உடல் மொழி that is body language (‘communicating through body’). It expresses the அந்தரங்க எண்ணகள் and சமுதாய பிரச்சனைகள்.

Celebration of Irai Mozhi through Kalai Vazhi

Mrs. Rupa and co. trained the participant and prepared them for the valediction during the last three days of the camp. Fr. Geoffrey (Parish Priest) celebrated mass for the Folk Art Campers along with Fr. Jesudoss and Fr. John Christy. The sermon was centered on Mary’s Visitation. Two types of visitations (by face and by heart). Art meeting divine is ‘The visitation’. Movement of visitation are: inside-out (personal), top-down (social), forward-backward (spiritual) – this is the gist of the sermon. Everyone enthusiastically took part in the Eucharistic celebration.

The valedictory was live broadcasted on YouTube: கலைவழி இறைமொழி நிறைவு விழா | 31-05-2025 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mty1MZlj97M&list=UUDJZHfHNgEATGuP4ZtVDSzw). Prof. Parthiparaja welcomed all and declared the fulfilment of Fr. Jesudoss’ dream of Catechesis through Folk Arts by integrating mind and body with art and divine. The camp was for seventy persons in 10 days with food and accommodation and also with expert trainers hailing from Chennai, Tirupattur, Bangalore and Andhra Pradesh. “What is important is not the Show/Execution (outward manifests), but inward progress; the process-within, that is important”, he said.

After the devotional song: ஆண்டவரே! வானளவு உயர்ந்துள்ளது உம் பேரன்பு (composed by Fr. Jesudoss, Camp Trainees staged their simple skits: பதவியும், சேவையும், and கொலை சம்பளம் மரணம்.

Resounding Kollattam and Oyilaattam were performed followed by student feedback session in which everyone shared their experiences spontaneously.

Sudha-Maranodai said: “God does not grant favor but opportunity” referring to her stay in the Camp.

Santhosh, Jolarpet: “I had lot of positive experiences; Prof. Parthiparaja was like a dad in his instruction”.

Vasikaran: I thank God, Fathers, Teachers; I learned to speak on the stage with confidence; Eucharist was very thought-provoking and reflective; Can we have one more week?

Fr. John Christy (chief guest of the day) in his address to the small community of participants recapped everything he had catechized during the ten days. Following the Certification of Participation and appreciation of involvement, the vote of thanks was proposed by Fr. Jesudoss (Director-Deepagam). He concluded saying: “all are equal and belong to God’s love.”

Observations

While sharing objectives to join the camp, girls manifested strong motivation and confidence to communicate. There is a marked change in the personal life of the participants after ten days of their stay. There is improvement in listening skill and attitude, which in turn will create tremendous impact in life (family or community). The most spoken word during the Camp was “Don’t talk”. In the end, campers learned to listen authentically. Throughout the program there was lots of confidence and spontaneity among participants. The trainers were not acting out of condescending attitude, rather they demanded and treated the youth and children cooperatively (equally). The pedagogy was cooperating learning and everything they taught was very didactic to life.

Participant youth are now open to cultural reading through observation, concentration, attention, alertness and adaptation to situation. They learned to understand the space (சூழல் உணர்வு) and became time-conscious (time management). They expressed myriad of emotions such as fear, confusion, disorientation, doubt, and surprises while participating in the exercises and games, which they overcame easily after taking part in the various motivation games/exercises numbering over forty in ten days.

The fundamentals of drama is imagination and creative vision. An ordinary shawl was used to reveal a character or as various prop for street plays. “Creative imagination and realistic acting changes the prop for the audience” the trainers said.

Some of the inspiriting messages spoken by trainers, animators and Salesians were:

God experience is very personal. God is to be found wherever we are in the spirit of accompaniment (Fr. Jesudoss).

Basic motivation questions such as, Why was I born? For what I am living for? And my purpose of coming here… were posed to the trainees. Thus, young people shared their goal, purpose and orientation for the Camp (Mr. Murugan, Bangalore). He trained the youth to be responsible for others in simple ways.

Fr. John Christy (Youth Ministry Delegate) during the camp exhorted the youth community with Madonna asking the little boy Johny Bosco to grow strong in body and mind with humility (உடல் திடம், மன திடம், தாழ்ச்சி). He also quoted Ignatian prayer of generosity of the heart. He made children to remember Kural (திருக்குறள்) Nos. 382, 616 and 619 as qualities for leadership. And, made use of well-known Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, ஏழு வெற்றி சார்ந்த பழக்க வழக்கங்கள் for value formation in children (‘Be Proactive, Begin with the End in Mind, Put First things First, WIN – Win, Seek First to Understand than to be Understood, Synergize, and Sharpen the Saw’).

“There is nothing not understandable, not knowable” remarked Mr. Amelia Martin; he addressed the inferiority complex from the fact that we are all God’s creation.

Life and Prayer has got strong connections. Our mind is swirling with WhatsApp messages, notifications, uploaded documents, status, polls, and contacts, even during the Eucharistic celebration. We are losing personal spirituality and confidence in others; but our spirituality and commitment to God foundationally begins from home/family. It is queer that we are able to believe in (super intelligence) PI – AI – KI (human intelligence); but, we don’t have faith in God (Mrs. Amelia Martin).

Notably, on May 23, 2025 the camping community celebrated Prof. Parthiparaja’s birthday and thus broke a SHC campus norm.

Thanks to the training assistants namely Ms. Kavya, Mr. Navish V., and Mr. Suraj V. (SHC Tamil research scholars) along with Deepagam staff members who accompanied the trainees throughout the camp.