There is a sabha on every street corner. But violinist Murari Vadakkancheri — fondly called VVS Murari — is taking us back to a place filled with charm for the third edition of Naadharpanam. Curated to feature young, NRI artistes alongside senior renowned Chennai-based artists, the festival hosts five days of Carnatic music in the heart of Mylapore: the Kapaleeswarar Temple.
“We began in the Arulmigu Sri Varasiddhi Vallabha Mahaganapathi Temple in Besant Nagar two years ago and made the venue transition last year. The current venue holds so much history: great masters have performed there for years,” Murari explains. An initiative by the India-based VVS Foundation and the US-based SaMaa Arts LLC (both founded by Murari), Naadharpanam’s mission is simple: support talent and offer opportunities for NRI children during the city’s most-coveted Margazhi season.
“The atmosphere, the constant influx and outflow of people, the ambience, they all serve as additional challenges that culminate in an unforgettable experience for these children,” he says. The festival has garnered quite the audience, with a concert last year amassing close to 1,000 listeners. He credits the temple’s aura and footfalls for the turnout, all of which have prompted him to host 10 concerts as part of this year’s festival, as opposed to last year’s six. Ask him what drives him in a performance-laden, chaotic Season, and his answer is simple: “Passion. Passion to get involved, to honour talent, and to give back to the community where I came from.”
Naadharpanam takes place at Mylapore’s Kapaleeswarar Temple from December 22 to 26 and is open to all.
