Every December, Chennai witnesses the music season called the Margazhi festival, where classical music artists around the world get a chance to showcase their talent. More than 500 organisations put up over 2,000 music performances in the city. Slowly and steadily, Margazhi’s relationship with Madras, now Chennai, has evolved into something intrinsic; the two have come to define each other. For the city, Margazhi has been written into its DNA. No other city celebrates the December music season the way Chennai does. It is a marquee event, one that has people not just from the city, but from across the world, waiting in anticipation, and planning for months in advance.