Margazhi: Timeless echoes of lil stars

Margazhi drifts into Chennai like a soft raga at daybreak, relaxed, luminous, and ancient as memory. Dawn unfurls in pale gold over a city that suddenly remembers to breathe slower. Kolams bloom across doorsteps like frost-white mandalas. The air carries a quiet incense of jasmine, temple bells, and the first hum of musicians tuning their inner rhythm. Dancers greet the morning with a whispered prayer, anklets gathered like silver rain at their feet, while sabhas stir awake with the rustle of silk and the murmur of waiting audiences. Margazhi is the city’s annual exhale, a season where tradition glows tenderly, where art feels like devotion, and every sunrise seems strung with possibility.

Another year, its magic feels brighter, as tender voices and with eyes lit up step into the spotlight, ready to shape the season’s oldest tales with their youngest dreams. “Lil Margazhi is a concept that we zeroed in on last year, followed by Lil Navaratri. During Margazhi, mostly performers above the age of 15 are seen widely performing in kutcheris. We wanted to create an exclusive space for children to explore and showcase their skills,” starts Avanti Natarajan, co-founder of Lil Trails.

Lil Trails is collaborating with Akhila Krishnamurthy’s Aalaap for this Margazhi for Lil Margazhi, in which six performers will take the audience on an enchanting journey. Anirudh Ramkumar, Ayushmaan Sairam, Dira Paavai Rajavel, Madhav Prahlad Iyengar,

Om Easwar and Shamanthaka Namboodiri are the young performers from various disciplines within dance and music. Storyteller Janaki Sabesh is the soothradhari or narrator.

“We wanted children to be at both the giving and receiving end. This is very special because all events are exclusively for children. But this event is by the children where they are the showrunners,” adds the co-founder, noting that art has the power to keep us rooted and grounded. “I am a stern believer that art should always be a part of children’s growing up phase. It is us, the adults who decide the initial path of the kids. It is our responsibility to take them on the right direction, where they will have the space, time and exposure to delve deep into their areas of interest,” she shares. Renowned storyteller Janaki Sabesh has taken a backseat to keep the children in the spotlight but is elated about it. “From being a narrator, I have take up the role of a story weaver. I have woven the performances together as one big show. Mentoring is a huge responsibility and I am taking care of Dira’s storytelling part. My duty is to bring out her own style, rather than imposing mine,” she says, emphasising that storytelling is different from narration. “In storytelling, you will have the free hand to express the tales in our own style,” explains the soothradhari.

Love for Andal and tales

10-year-old Dira Paavai Rajavel has been interested in the art of sharing stories from the age of two. “I am an ardent listener of Janaki aunty’s stories and dreamt of becoming like her. It is surreal as well as inspiring to get trained under her now,” states

Dira. Being her first Margazhi performance, Dira did face initial challenges in correcting her flow. “The trick is in understanding each line of the story, which will help to keep the flow balanced. Eventually, my oration skills have enhanced greatly and the habit of reading books is the game changer,” adds the young performer.

“Goddess Andal has always been my favourite god and I was captivated by the tales of the goddess. Now, telling her story is quite exciting,” she notes confidently.

Dancing to mridangam beats

Born to a vocalist mother and mridangist father, Ayushmaan Sairam wanted to take forward the legacy of his parents. “Instead of singing, I chose mridangam because I am always drawn towards the beats of percussion. My dad is my guru,” shares the young mridangist, who has been training from the age of two.

The 13-year-old feels that the instrument is his identity and a part of his own self. “India has been a paradise for different genres of music and Chennai is rooted in Carnatic artforms. Living here is a blessing as we get the opportunity to closely witness the life of various illustrious music legends from the city,” he remarks.

Ayushmaan wishes to pursue music production and sound engineering in the future. With many concerts lined-up this Margazhi, he hopes to explore the infinite opportunities out in the world and also learn the nuances of the beats.

Mastering abhinaya, bhava

This Margazhi season, Shamanthaka Namboodri, all of 11, will be travelling to Chennai from Karnataka to take the rasikas on an enchanting experience. “This is my debut performance and I have been practising since I was seven. My mother is a Bharatanatyam exponent and I think I naturally inherited the flair,” says Shamanthaka, as he gets ready for the practice. He is quite excited for Lil Margazhi and believes that being rooted to our tradition and culture will shape one’s discipline. “Mastering the basics took a little time for me. However, it was not a challenge because I enjoy the artform. I dream to come around the world and take Bharatanatyam to a global audience,” he wishes.

To celebrate the talent of children and immerse in the pool of classical art forms, Lil Margazhi will take place on December 13, from 4.30 pm to 6 pm, at Kuchipudi Art Academy, RA Puram.

From being a narrator, I have take up the role of a story weaver. I have woven the performances together as one big show. Mentoring is a huge responsibility — Janaki Sabesh, storyteller