Immerse Yourself in The Melodies Of Carnatic Music At Madras Music Season

As the winter time approaches, Chennai gears up to host one of the most iconic cultural and music festivals in the world, the Margazhi Festival! This Chennai music festival is one of the biggest platforms that celebrate melodious and divine Carnatic music. The festival starts off with traditional music and goes on to expand its roots in the traditional dance genres, creating a space to appreciate fine arts.

The music festival is celebrated over a period of nearly six weeks. It offers a platform for both well-known and amateur artists to create a mystical experience for the admirers of these art forms. As the festival lasts long enough during the winter season, the audience does not have to worry about the scorching heat. Also known as the Madras music season, the festival is a treat for music connoisseurs.

a close-up view of tablas

The roots of the Chennai music season can be traced back to circa 1927 when it was celebrated to commemorate the first anniversary of the Madras Music Academy, which went on to become an annual event. Over the years, it became a widespread event which is now celebrated at various temples, heritage bungalows, sabhas and auditoriums. The annual music conference gives a stage to fine art performers to showcase and discuss the evolution of the various art forms.

The majority of performances during the Madras music festival include Carnatic music that touches the themes of religion and Hindu philosophy. The dance and music performances offer a passage to pay tribute to God. The festival includes dance, instrumentals and musicals from various languages, primarily Telugu and Sanskrit. However, spiritual music crosses linguistic boundaries and paves the path for Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi and even Hindi languages from the northern part of India.

Along with vocals, some of the instruments that are played by artists are the flute, veena, gottuvadyam, nadhaswaram, thavil, mridangam, and ghatam, which ultimately leads to Nadopasana, which means to celebrate the Almighty through music.

As the mystical event comes to a close in mid-January, it sets the ambience for the Thyagaraja Aradhana Festival or the Thyagaraja Music Festival. The music festival commemorates the birth anniversary of Thyagaraja, one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music. It is celebrated in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu where he attained samadhi (salvation).

Those who plan to attend the Madras Music Festival can book a comfortable sojourn at Raj Park Hotel, Chennai. Offering a comfortable stay, it is located near the Chennai International Airport as well as the venue for the event. At Raj Park Hotel, Chennai, guests can relax in well-appointed rooms, savour various delicacies in the in-house restaurant and have a memorable time in the bar and lounge.