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Classic treat
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The number of participants in the Natyanjali festival rose significantly this year.
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ART IN MOTION A danseuse doing what she does best.
Come March and the hallowed precincts of the Nataraja temple at Chidambaram reverberates with the sound of the rhythmic footwork of sprightly dancers and the strains of devotional music during the annual Natyanjali, a five-day dance festival.
The occasion, coinciding with Maha Sivaratri, enlivens the atmosphere and accentuates the spiritual experience. It is the ambition of many budding as well as veteran artistes from India and abroad to performin the renowned temple. Visiting the temple premises is in itself is a fulfilling experience for them as they feel it augurs well for their dance career.
Natyanjali is hailed as the mother of all dance festivals and enjoys popularity across the globe.
A. Sambandam, secretary of the Natyanjali Trust that organises the event, says, “Every year there is a rise in the number of aspirants who want to perform in the festival.This year, which was the 27th chapter of Natyanjali, the number swelled to 300.” It was impossible to provide them with slots within five days and hence, the number of performances (group and solo) was restricted to 60. The Natyanjali Trust has been nurturing classical art forms such as Bharatanatyam, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Kathak and Mohini Attam and honouring artistes. It encourages young artists aged 18 and above to participate.
Ever since the inception of the festival, several dance schools have come up or have been revived because they feel their students can get an opportunity to perform on the right platform. And this time too the artistes excelled, at Natyanjali. For instance, the Kuchipudi performance by Shallu Jindal from New Delhi on the inaugural day deserves special mention. She was concentration personified and performed difficult mudras with ease and grace. Her dance on a bronze plate drew applause from the audience that comprised a sprinkling of foreigners.
The Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, the South Zone Cultural Centre, the Neyveli Lignite Corporation, the Annamalai University and City Union Bank supported the festival.
A.V.RAGUNATHAN
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Mangalore
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Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
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