Music and dance graces Sivaratri on the coast, in small towns

Back in Chennai, the Association of Bharatanatyam Artistes ( ABHAI) curated its own anjali for Sivaratri at a Mylapore sabha hall.

It drew a generous audience.

The Sivaratri mood in Chenani isn't restricted only to Mylapore, the hub of classical music and dance. Though Arkay Centre has joined Bhavans to host concerts through the Sivaratri night.

Every Lord Shiva temple now encourages dancers of the area to perform. That adds to the mood of the campus.

As we travelled from Chennai to Chidambaram we spotted large illuminations of gods and goddesses, at the head of streets leading to the local temple. Off the Pondicherry bypass, the strains of dance music from a large temple greeted us.

The Natyanjali has become an integral part of Sivaratri.