Chidambaram Natyanjali begins

Natyanjali from today - The Hindu

CUDDALORE: The five-day Natyanjali festival will begin at Chidambaram Natarajar temple on Monday evening. Classical dance forms such as Bharatanatynam, Odissi and Kuchupudi will be featured.

Artists from across the country and abroad will participate in the annual event.

Performances will be staged from 5.30 p.m. to midnight every day, according to organisers of the event.

Natyanjali begins with fanfare - The Hindu

CUDDALORE: The five-day Natyanjali festival got off to a colourful start at the Natarajar temple at Chidambaram on Monday evening.

The takeover of the temple administration by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department from the Podhu Dikshithars has not deterred the Natyanjali Trust from going ahead with the annual event. The Department has given permission for the festival and arranged for police protection, according to K. Sivakumar, Executive Officer of the temple. The Sangeeth Natak Akademi, New Delhi, the South Zone Cultural Centre, the Neyveli Lignite Corporation, Annamalai University and City Union Bank Ltd have lent a helping hand to the trust.

Jayant Kasthuar, secretary of the Akademi, who inaugurated the festival, told The Hindu that ever since the festival started in 1981, his organisation was supporting the trust in its endeavour to propagate the classical dance forms.

A.K. Natarajan and A. Sambandam, trust president and secretary, representatives of the Podhu Dikshithars and Joint Commissioner (HR & CE) N. Thirumagal took part.

The programmes will go on from 5.30 p.m. to midnight, with a time slot of 20 minutes-one hour allotted to every artist or troupe.