Young rasikas expect fresh version of classical art forms

When it is Margazhi in Chennai, everyone knows it has arrived. After all, the city hosts one of the world’s largest music festivals in the month that is observed between mid-Dcember and mid-January in the Tamil calendar.

Over the years, the event has stretched to almost two months with performances starting as early as mid-November. The sabhas that are relatively quiet all through the years become the centre stage. 

Various artistes — the veterans to the mid-level or the youngest among the lot — from the realms of classical music, dance and instruments present their art to the rasikas or connoisseurs. The rasikas are an eclectic lot, much like the artistes they listen to. 

If the archetypal rasika, one who has for long been assumed to be in his or her fifties, looks for classicism and revels in the traditional format, there is a small segment of young listeners who earmark their season itinerary with equal, if not more, enthusiasm.

Subhiksha Sridhar, a final year college student, finds a unique way to connect to her hometown in Srirangam. Having been raised on a steady diet of Carnatic music as a child, a shift to Chennai after her father’s transfer would have meant losing the links. But in the last three years, every December signals that is time to return to roots. She says, “Though I am a keen listener of many genres of music, Carnatic music is always special. Going to the concerts in the music season takes me back to my roots in the temple town where music was an integral part of my upbringing.”

Apart from the known names like Carnatic singers Sudha Ragunathan and Aruna Sairam, Subhiksha makes it a point to attend a varied genre of performances. “It could be the Kathakalakshebam or even a first time artiste. Some sabhas also give you recommendations and if it seems interesting, I go for it,” she says. Subhikasha feels that it is the duty of young rasikas to encourage young artistes. “There won’t be a young crowd of listeners without young artistes. They have to be supported by the younger lot,” she notes. Sid Sriram has been a revelation to Subhikasha and last season, she followed the singer through his various performances during the Margazhi festival.

And the experience of listening to a younger artiste is different, observes Poornima Ranjit, a young professional. “I personally relate a lot more with younger artistes like Abhishek Raghuram and his likes, though they are religiously followed big names like Sanjay Subrahmanyan through many seasons in the past. The newer singers bring a new approach and style — it is like a breath of fresh air,” she says, adding that this year she is keen to listen to singer Swarna Rethas.

Though known for its strict adherence to the grammar of the arts — be it Carnatic music or Bharathanatyam — over the years, the Margazhi season has become open to experiments, as observed by many.

A dancer, who is from any particular style or bani as they are popularly known as, takes the stage with a surprise each time they perform, observes Abhinaya Sriram, a final year college student and a dancer herself, who has been an avid concert hopper since she was 10.

“It was my grandmother who had a keen interest and passed it down to me. And since then, I make sure that I attend a lot of dance performances every season. Anita Guha’s ballets interest me a lot.  Her professional choreography is something I look forward to, every year. The theatrical narrative she puts into play is extremely captivating. Besides, I find Shobhana’s variation in her performances interesting,” she says.

If the veterans push boundaries, the newcomers write new rules, as Poornima explains. “There are dancers who come from other cities like Bengaluru to perform here. One such person is Rukmini, who has been very impressive with her makeup and costumes—she shows how can be creative in the given structure. She wears sarees as costumes and they are designed aesthetically.”

Moving beyond the concerts, the festive like arrangements inclusive of the famous sabha canteens apart from the grand settings, is yet another draw. Abhinaya says, “Vani Mahal and Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan are among the oldest and best auditoriums with an excellent sound and lighting systems that enhances the quality of the show. 

In the recent times, Smt. Sivagami Petachi auditorium also has a vibrant seating arrangement that brings together the interests of many. Some sabhas also have great traditional food with high quality in taste. That’s another interesting element during Margazhi. To also meet people from different walks of life, sharing the same interest towards the art form is also a beautiful part of the season.”

Notwithstanding the distractions of a pervasive social media, various other forms of entertainment, pure art continues to attract audiences, says Kunniyur Sundaresan Rajagopalan, a working professional from Chennai. 

Now in his 30s, he was just about 14, when he began attending sabha concerts during Margazhi. “Even my parents asked me why I was attending concerts, as there were predominantly older people in the audience. Now, I see a number of teenagers filling up the halls. That is a welcome sign and should be applauded.”