Artistes perform at 24-hour non-stop bharatanatyam marathon for Maha Sivaratri in Madurai

Updated - February 18, 2023 09:11 pm IST - MADURAI

Bharatanatyam dancers performing at 24-hour non-stop marathon in Madurai on Saturday.

Bharatanatyam dancers performing at 24-hour non-stop marathon in Madurai on Saturday. | Photo Credit: R. Ashok

Bharatanatyam artistes from across the State and outside enthralled audience with their performances at the 24-hour non-stop bharatanatyam marathon held in Madurai on Saturday.

The marathon is held as part of the 7th Maha Sivaratri Natyanjali 2023 organised by the Sri Kalakendra Arts and Cultural Academy and Tamil Isai Sangam in Madurai.

“We are aiming to create a world record. The High Range Book of World Records and Spotlight World Records would be assessing it,” said R.M. Sriamsni, director of the academy. The marathon that began at 8 a.m. on Saturday is set to conclude at 8 a.m. on Sunday.

Over 420 bharatanatyam dancers from 17 districts across the State as well as Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are participating. Around 39 dance schools are exhibiting their talent either in solo or group performances. The duration of which is between 30 minutes and 60 minutes, she added.

R.H. Mahadevan, president, Performing Artists Forum, Sri Kalakendra Arts and Cultural Academy, said that it is a way of paying tribute to the Lord of dance, Lord Shiva during the auspicious occasion of Maha Sivaratri.

“When stage performances are losing their sheen, such programmes are aimed at highlighting the need to revive and preserve our culture and classical art forms,” he added.

It is the first stage performance for A. Thaanya, a U.K.G. student of Madurai, who is learning classical art for eight months. Her mother noted that she is happy that her daughter’s interest in the art form is nurtured by participating in such programmes who practiced for the past two months.

While her teacher Sai Banumathi, who also performed with her students, said that dancing to devotional songs on the day when Lord Shiva performed the cosmic dance, tandava is a form of prayer to the Lord.

Participants were awarded shields upon completion of their performances and the best dancers would be felicitated during the valedictory function on Sunday.

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