“When I was a child, cities were hubs surrounded by a thriving rural economy. Villagers relied on the city, and vice versa. Growth should be seen as an ecosystem. Now, the story is about developing cities at the expense of villages. From climate change to health issues, we can trace the root causes to the disrupted urban-rural balance,” says Himakiran, trustee of Thondaimandalam Foundation.

The theme of this year’s Sempozhil is Ainthinai. It brings together tribal and folk artistes from various regions. “There will be workshops to introduce people to traditional skills such as pottery, kitchen gardening, coconut craft, and palm craft. We also have a wellness display featuring more than 100 varieties of spinach,” explains the 47-year-old.

Through workshops and performances, the team aims to explore topics related to Ainthinai, Sangam literature, Tamil trade history, the Indus Valley, Keezhadi, and many more. The stalls will feature organic food producers, women entrepreneurs, eco-friendly product companies, handicrafts, seed savers, farmer-producer cooperatives, handloom brands, and organic cotton producers, among others.

“Moreover, Sempozhil will align with the Sustainable Development Goals of our TN government to promote Tamil Nadu and Chennai as visionary leaders in sustainability,” he shares. The event will also include many fun-filled traditional games to ensure a memorable celebration.