![Taala Tamate at Kochi Biennale: A Drum That Was Silenced Now Takes Centre Stage [Feb 15]](/content/images/size/w320/format/webp/2026/02/drum-svgrepo-com.svg)
The Tamate drum has been played for centuries. It has announced deaths, celebrated births, and kept entire communities in rhythm. Yet the people who played it were pushed to the margins. On Feb 14th evening, choreographer Dayanand Akhilesh brings the Tamate to the Kochi-Muziris Biennale - not as a relic, but as a living, breathing force.
A drum that was pushed to the margins. A performance that pulls it back to the centre.
The Tamate - also called Parai in Tamil Nadu - is one of India's oldest percussion instruments. For centuries, it has been the heartbeat of Dalit and transgender communities. It announced births, mourned deaths, and kept the rhythm of rituals alive.
But here's the thing. The same communities that kept this drum alive were told they didn't matter. The instrument was marginalized along with the people who played it.
Taala Tamate changes that story.
What is Taala Tamate?
Taala Tamate is a dance production choreographed by J. Dayanand Akhilesh and produced by the Beru Art and Cultural Foundation. The production is built in collaboration with three powerful collectives: Aravani Art Project, Adavi Art Collective, and Damarugam.
Trailer, Clip of an earlier show
The performance uses the Tamate drum not just as a musical instrument but as a character. The rhythm becomes movement. The movement becomes memory. And that memory carries the weight of centuries - of caste, exclusion, resistance, and celebration.
Think of it like this: the drum is the narrator. The dancers are translating its stories into something you can see and feel.
Who is Dayanand Akhilesh?
Dayanand Akhilesh is a dancer, choreographer, and artistic director based in Bangalore. His work sits at the crossroads of Indian classical dance, folk traditions, and contemporary performance. His choreographic works include Chadara (selected for Concurso de Choreographia in Mexico), Kathe, and now Taala Tamate.
He is also the Founder and Artistic Director of Beru Art Space in Bangalore - an open artistic hub that has supported over 20 productions in the past four years. Beru is not just a rehearsal space. It's a place where artists from different disciplines come together to experiment, collaborate, and create without boundaries.
When and Where
Date: 15 February 2025
Time: 6 PM
Venue: Aspinwall Ground, Fort Kochi
Presented by: Kochi Biennale Foundation
Aspinwall Ground is one of the key Kochi-Muziris Biennale venues. If you're visiting for the Biennale, this is one of those performances that stays with you long after it ends.
If you're exploring the Biennale, check out our guide to the Kochi-Muziris Biennale for more events, venues, and tips on making the most of your visit.
Ginger
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