CHENNAI: The December music and dance season was officially kick-started by the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Cultural Festival 2011 recently. The 25-day-long programme was inaugurated at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Hall in Mylapore on Sunday by G Srinivasan, Chairman and Managing Director, United India Insurance Company Limited. “Chennai virtually becomes a different place during the December season,” he said, speaking about the multitude of dance, music and other performances that will take place across the city during the margazhi season. He added, “The programmes organised by the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan are all free of cost and of high quality and calibre.” Dr Preetha Reddy, Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals, was the guest of honour. The welcome address was provided by Dr Nalli Kuppuswamy Chetti, who is also the chairman of Bhavan’s Chennai Kendra. Dr Balamuralikrishna and popular singer Nithyasree Mahadevan were honoured with the Obul Reddy and Gnanambal memorial awards. Parur M S Anantharaman (violin), Sembanarkoil SRG Rajanna (nagaswaram), Suguna Varadachari (Carnatic vocal), Prapancham Sitaram (flute) and G Abilash (vocal) were awarded with cash prizes for their contribution to carnatic music. The inaugural function ended with a performance by Nithyasree Mahadevan. The festival will include Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi and Kathak performances, among other vocal and instrumental recitals. Literary discourses and a Bhagavata mela will also be organised as a part of the festival. Concerts to encourage young artists will also to be held. Some of the participating artistes include O S Arun, S Sowmya, Ranjani and Gayathri, Dr Sirkazhi Sivachidambaram, Malladi Brothers, Sudha Raghunathan, Priya Sisters, Rajesh Vaidya, and others.
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