CHENNAI: Chief minister MK Stalin will inaugurate the annual cultural festival, “Chennai Sangamam Namma Ooru Tiruvizha 2025” organised on account of Pongal by the state tourism and culture department here on January 13.

Chief minister Stalin will inaugurate the annual cultural festival at Yekambareswarar Temple Ground on E V R Periyar Salai at 6pm on January 13. The Sangamam cultural events will take place for four days in 18 different places in the city till January 17, a release issued by the state government said. A grand musical and dance event would be performed by the leading artists of Tamil Nadu and 200 folk artists at the inaugural event in Kilpauk.

The cultural festival will take place between 6 PM and 9 PM daily from January 14-17 at 18 different places in the city, including Elliot Beach and Besant Nagar, Thiruvanmiyur Beach, Triplicane Bharath scouts ground, Kathipara in Guindy, Corporation ground in Saidapet, Natesan Park in T Nagar, Nungambakkam playground, Egmore museum, Robinson Park in Royapuram, Tower Park in Anna Nagar, Sivan Park in KK Nagar and Jai Nagar Park in Koyambedu, said the release issued by the state government following a meeting chaired in this regard by Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi at the state Secretariat this morning.

As many as 1500 artist from across the state would perform Naiyyandi Melam, Thappattam, Karagattam, Kaavadiattam, thevarattam, sevaiattam, kolattam, oyilattam and silambattam among the traditional arts during the four-day cultural festival, which was organised successfully in the last three years during the annual Pongal festival to showcase the traditional art forms of Tamil Nadu and enable the people of Chennai to witness the same.