All aboard the Margazhi Express

CHENNAI : It’s that time of the year when besides the slight nip, ragams and thalams fill the city’s air with Carnatic joy. The Margazhi season is upon us, blending melody and divinity, bringing befitting performances of budding artistes and stalwarts alike.

Over a hundred concerts, sabha canteens boasting heady filter coffee and authentic south Indian food, rasikas who turn up in their ethnic best — the Margazhi magic is inexplicable. No wonder then that many non-resident Indians want a sample of this to satiate their culturally worn-out souls. Margazhi, for them just like us, is not just a season, but an emotion that lets the them stay rooted. 

Subramaniam Ramamurthy, has been attending the December festival for the last ten years. “The whole city is vibrant during Margazhi. The people who visit sabhas are very interested in music and the whole city adopts a festive look. I really do miss it sometimes,” said the 75-year-old, who lives in Chicago in the US. He plans the concerts to attend, and comes down to Chennai during the last week of November to catch the pre-season kutcheris.

A huge fan of Sanjay Subrahmanyam, Subramanian makes sure he attends at least four or five of his concerts every time he comes down to India. He also gets a season pass at the Music Academy, and attends kutcheris at sabhas like Narada Gana Sabha. Some of his other favourite singers include Abhishek Raguram and Ranjini-Gayatri, and he ensures to see at least three or four of their concerts when he visits. “You cannot rule out social networking during the season.

More than the music, I like to visit family and meet old schoolmates. We love to meet and go out and eat. Chennai is an escape from the cold winter of Chicago,” says Ramamurthy, who also spends his time in the city shopping for clothes and jewellery for his grandchildren and spend time with his sister.

Conversely, Kruthi Bhat comes down during December not only to appreciate music as a rasika but to also perform. A vocalist, she has been visiting Chennai regularly since 2014. This year, she has decided to take up an online semester from the University of Houston so that she can dedicate more time to performing at kutcheris.

“Chennai gives a huge platform to those who want to perform, and the kind of prestige that is found through performing in the sabhas can’t be found anywhere else. You also can’t find rasikas like the ones you do in Chennai. It’s a blessing to sing here with other musicians,” says the 21-year-old, who is currently pursuing a Sanskrit course.