It is the time of the year when migratory birds from Europe flock in to Chennai. Nearly 50,000 birds belonging to more than 30 rare species fly in to Vedanthangal Sanctuary, 75 km south of Chennai during December and January because of the placid weather. Along with the birds, come hundreds of Non Resident Indians (NRIs) who are settled in USA, Canada, Europe, Australia and Africa. What draw them to Chennai is the annual Maargazhi Music and Dance Festival.
Maargazhi is the Tamil month which begins mid-December and lasts up to mid-January. This is the period when Chennai plays host to hundreds of Carnatic musicians and danseuses who throng the city to entertain and enthral the Rasikas (Tamil for fans or lovers of music and arts). There are nearly 250 Sabhas in Chennai city alone organising music and dance festival from morning 8 to evening 10 pm. "This is the world's biggest music and dance extravaganza. It has no parallel anywhere in the world," V Ramnarayan, a cricketer-turned-music critic told The Pioneer.
The Margazhi music festival began as a four day concert in 1928 when Chennai hosted the annual session of the Indian National Congress. That was the time when Congress had sensible persons like Rajagopalachari, N Satyamoorthi, Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel who could enjoy good music. "The music concerts were organised as a diversion for the leaders of the freedom movement to relax for a couple of hours. But over the years, it has become part and parcel of Chennai, " said N Kalyanasundaram, veteran scribe, who shuttles between various Sabhas to listen to "Cutcheris" rendered by his favourite musicians.
Those who love Carnatic music flock in to Chennai from all over the world, according to Kalyanasundaram. "Chennai has emerged as the Mecca of Medicine. And this is the most positive season in Chennai . It is a musical feast lasting for almost two months . The added attraction is the catering of food by specialist cooks. A visit to the Sabha to listen to the Cutcheri satisfies the soul as well as the stomach," he said.
The jostle to render a concert in the Maargazhi Festival is intense that musicians from USA and other countries do not charge anything.