The music and dance festivals in Chennai are locally referred to as the Margazhi Music festival. It commemorates the essence of traditional dance forms and Carnatic music. It is a 10-day long music festival that is celebrated according to the Tamil calendar. It is also known as ‘December Season’ as it is held between mid-December and mid-January. The celebration of music and dance is organized in various places in Chennai and attracts a large number of audience.
The Margazhi Music Festival honors the Almighty with the mystical dance forms and musical rhymes. The festival is organized at several venues like famous auditoriums, temples and heritage bungalows and showcases talent and art of renowned artists from all around the world.
‘Margazhi’ is the only occasion of the year when Chennai is recognized for its conservative and traditional ambiance. Women are seen flaunting their local apparels like pashmina shawls, Kanchipuram sarees, etc. and local jewelry. Spectators also come here to enjoy the South Indian delicacies, where small vendors or sabha put up small food stalls.
Every year Margazhi festival brings a large number of amateur young talents who go on to have promising careers later in the industry. Some of the young musicians like Sowmya, Bombay Jayashree, Sanjay Subramaniam, Nithyashree Mahadevan and many more.
Classical dance forms like Bharatnatyam and a large number of traditional dance forms of Deccan India are performed by the artists. More than 400 performances are staged in the Margazhi festivals and nearly 2,500 perform each year.
The festival primarily revolves around the traditional songs in Tamil, Telugu and Kannada dialects played along with instruments like Veena, Flute, Thavil, Nagaswaram, Ghatam, etc.
Why Visit the Margazhi Music Festival?
Listed below are five reasons that you should check out to know why you need to visit Marghazi Music Festival this winter.
To Enjoy different Festivities
Several festivals are organized all over the city, at different venues by various sabhas. Brahma
Gana sabha, Dance festival, Bharat Kalachar, Natya Kala conference, Vempati’s Marghazi festival, and Thrimoorti sangeet sabha festival are some of the eminent cultural galas. This Marghazi festival not only showcases the art of music and dance but also hosts debates, lectures, the exhibition of courses by some renowned scholar, etc. You can visit LBB to find out more about the shows.
With the finest combination of melody and divine spirit, the festival presents great solo, group dances, music gala and vocal performances by the junior and senior artists. Therefore, you should make sure that you try the South Indian culture with the touch of music, dance, foods, art and literature.
South Indian delicacies
In the Marghazi festival, you can enjoy the taste of appetizing local foods at the sabha canteens with many vegetarian dishes from the Brahmin-Tamil cuisines. You will definitely crave for more after tasting South Indian foods like podi dosa, kuzi paniyaram, adai, sappadu, vendhaya dosa, Ashoka halwa.
Lastly, do not forget to try the South Indian special beverage, filter coffee. These finger-licking food are served on a banana leaf which makes the experience even more exciting.
A chance to meet some famous musicians
Apart from enjoying South Indian food and festivities, you can see some famous musicians who perform in Marghazi festivals. They attract a massive crowd with their performances on traditional and western songs.
You can have a chance to meet popular musicians like KP Nandini, Sanjay Subramaniam, Bombay Jayashree, Apoorva-Anahita (sister duo) and many more.
Experience an aura of the heritage festival
The Marghazi festivals have turned into an economic segment with a plethora of South Indian cuisine, Carnatic music and dance forms, technological start-ups, classical arts, traditional apparel, and jewelry.
The festival has created a benchmark of its own, which is not only meant to entertain audiences but also help in showcasing different talents and connecting people from different cultures under one roof.
Chennai is itself a paradox of culture that spreads uniformity through Marghazi festivals. Back in the year 1927, when the first Marghazi festival was celebrated to observe the anniversary of Madras Musical Academy, it started as a small occasion.
Soon it began to gain popularity and become one of the biggest music festivals of Chennai. It has maintained its legacy from several years and is still a phenomenon occasion in the city.
Take some memories with you
When you visit the festival, you create enriching memories that you will not forget at least for the next ten years. Therefore, make sure you create memories that you can cherish forever. Apart from it, you can buy much traditional apparel, jewelry, books and religious discourses that will always keep you attached to this great festival.
The next time you plan a trip to Chennai during the winters make sure that you visit the Marghazi Music Festival to experience the art of various dance forms, Carnatic music, cultural workshops, etc.
You don’t need to be a devotee of music to go for this festival, but a little interest in music is enough to attract you. Chennai without Marghazi Festival is like a body without a soul, and this great festival comes to an end before the beginning of the Pongal festival.
Nisha Pandey
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