Dancing in the Chidambaram temple

For some years now, a Trust made up of the Dikshitars of Chidambaram have been hosting the Natyanjali in the eastern yard of the temple.

They displaced a private Trust that had been curating this unique dance festival for close to three decades.

On Sivaratri night, we spend time in the yard where dance recitals are taking place - the stage is grand and over-the-top and people management is poor. So you have some 200 people, some seated in front of the stage and some standing behind them, watching the dance recitals.

The area, which was sandy has now been relaid with large stone slabs.

Senior dancer Padma Subrahmanyam makes it a point to perform her 'anjali' on Sivaratri evening inside the temple; and she kept her date here this Tuesday.

For us who have been at the Chidambaram Natyanjali for 15 plus years, the setting here is just not inspiring as it used to be.