The imposing 216 ft excessive granite vimanam of the Brihadeeswara Temple, a grand edifice constructed by Raja Raja Chola I, as we speak stands like a silent sentinel wanting over Thanjavur, the traditional metropolis that defines Tamizh life and ethos.

What Benaras is to the north as an axis of tradition, Thanjavur is to the south. So after the pageant to mark India’s seventy fifth yr of Independence held at Kasi, IGNCA (Indira Gandhi Nationwide Centre for the Arts) determined to carry an identical occasion at this UNESCO-recognised world heritage website down south.

The pageant, titled ‘Thanjavur Utsavam of Iyal, Isai and Natakam’, (February 11 to 13) has been curated by eminent dancer-scholar and IGNCA trustee Padma Subrahmanyam, whose private journey in artwork is deeply entwined with the historical past, artwork and structure of town. Her pathbreaking analysis on karanas as depicted within the sculptures at Brihadeeswara temple, Sarangapani temple (Kumbakonam), and Nataraja temple (Chidambaram), and their reconstruction has been a big contribution to the Bharatanatyam vocabulary.

Speaking in regards to the technique of placing collectively a pageant that may mirror the numerous dimensions of Thanjavur, Padma says, “It was extraordinarily difficult to showcase it in simply three days. The try has been to seize town’s huge cultural panorama. Aside from dance and music concert events, we discover its wealthy previous by way of lec-dems and seminars too.”

Padma’s bond with Thanjavur, significantly the Brihadeeswara temple, grew to become stronger when she spent many days within the karana chamber, positioned within the first tier of the vimanam, as a part of her analysis. “The chamber, which accommodates 81 of the 108 karanas, was found in 1956 by an Archaeological Survey of India worker whereas clearing away weeds. They present Shiva within the dancing posture. The then ASI joint director-general T.N. Ramachandran recognized these sculptures as karanas portrayed within the Natya Sastra. Apparently, when Raja Raja Chola was getting these karanas sculpted, distant in Kashmir, Abhinavagupta was writing his commentary on the Natya Sastra, the one one out there as we speak on the monumental work,” says Padma.

The chamber, which through the years remained closed for guests, might be re-opened on the final day of the pageant for a couple of hours by the ASI, which is partnering the occasion together with South Zone Cultural Centre. Padma is delighted to be again at her “analysis and studying lab” to conduct a short lec-dem along with her college students to elucidate the karanas.

Veteran Bharatanatyam guru T. Herambanathan, who belongs to the nattuvanar household of Thanjavur, says such festivals are essential to show the highlight on the normal practitioners of the dance. “How else are you able to protect the id of an artwork type and town the place it advanced? he asks.

On the opening day of the pageant, Herambanathan’s sishyas will carry out melaprapti and alarippu, whereas he’ll current a lec-dem on ‘Thanjuvar bani adavus’ on the closing day. “With a simple trade of fashion as we speak, bani could have misplaced its relevance, however one can not deny that it lends a definite character to at least one’s dance. As an illustration, the Thanjavur bani is outlined by anga suddham, nidhanam, and kalapramanam,” he says.

That is the place the Thanjai Naalvar (Thanjavur Quartet), brothers Ponniah, Chinniah, Sivanandam, and Vadivelu, established the Bharatanatyam efficiency construction by placing a repertoire or margam in place. “We proceed to attract from their valuable treasure of jathiswaram, sabdam, padam, javali, varnam, and thillana. Each bit has been set so impeccably that it hurts to see dancers tamper with it. I hope by way of such festivals we will uphold this heritage,” says Herambanathan.

One of many lec-dems, aptly titled ‘Artwork as a lifestyle in Thanjavur’, might be offered by the 72-year-old scholar, Rama Kausalya. Having lived within the metropolis all her life, she says, “We’re lucky to have been dominated by the culture-loving Cholas, Nayaks and Marathas, who made artwork an intrinsic a part of day by day life. A cause why Thanjavur not solely boasted of eminent artistes, however passionate rasikas too.”

She mentions how Raja Raja Chola introduced Thevaram manuscripts from the Chidambaram temple and employed odhuvars (Swaminathan and Sadgurunathan Odhuvars will carry out on the pageant) to sing at Brihadeeswara temple. He additionally had 400 completed dancers (whose names are inscribed on the temple wall) carry out on the temple day-after-day.

However artwork in Thanjavur was by no means restricted to the classical. The rulers uncovered individuals to myriad genres. “Bharatanatyam, Bhagavata Mela, Yakshagana, Harikatha, Carnatic music (Thiruvaiyaru close by was residence to the Trinity of composers), Abhang and Therukoothu proceed to co-exist right here,” she says.

King Serfoji II went a step additional and launched European music. His deep engagement with it led him to launch a full-fledged European wind band in Thanjavur, which was very fashionable at one time.

It’s this confluence of cultures that the three-day utsavam hopes to showcase alongside the banks of the Cauvery.