Isha Gramotsavam, a unique celebration of the land and culture that has nourished thousands of generations of people in this part of the country.
Gramotsavam literally means "celebration of the village" and this has been the focus of a number of Isha's carefully designed interventions aimed at bring health, wellbeing and prosperity to the rural masses, which accounts for 75% of the country’s population.
60% of the rural sector falls in the working-age group. Unfortunately, the rural spirit is withering away against the onslaught of unviable agriculture and a non-inclusive growth path. The rural youth find themselves engulfed by abject poverty and become addicted to tobacco and alcohol.
It is our endeavour to rekindle the rural spirit and bring back the celebratory mode in the rural community. This has been successfully implemented by initially involving rural people in sports, Yoga and rural festivals like Isha Gramotsavam.
To begin with, Gramotsavam is a feisty annual celebration in the villages of Tamil Nadu through Isha’s initiative Action for Rural Rejuvenation.
A month-long celebration of sports which culminates in a two-day mega event, the most prominent aspect of Gramotsavam is the grand finale of the "Isha Rejuvenation Shield" tournaments – men's volleyball and women's throwball, as well as kabbadi for men and women – with the participation of thousands of people from various parts of Tamil Nadu.
A rural food festival, rural cultural festival and concerts by the Sounds of Isha enrich the event and showcase the culture of the land – a rarity in these days of wanton urbanization. It is a celebration of village life showcasing the essence of rural Tamil Nadu through an elaborate display of rural games, art, drama, dance, music and food specialities. The event highlights the role of sports in rural life by featuring the final rounds of a state-wide inter-village sports tournament.
Sachin Tendulkar presided over Isha Gramotsavam in 2015 and appreciated the efforts taken up by Isha in taking sports to the villages. Over 12 lakh people have been rejuvenated through Isha Gramotsavam since 2004.
In 2018, Gramotsavam sports teams from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry participated in the tournament. For 2020, Gramotsavam will include teams from Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.
