Bringing the spirit of Margazhi to Coimbatore

The month of December in Chennai is almost invariably associated with the Margazhi season, a month-long festival of classical music and dance. Bringing the spirit of Margazhi to Coimbatore is Medai - The Stage, with its own line-up of classical dance performances. Curated by Preeti Banerjee, who originally launched the festival at Medai’s Bengaluru space in 2023, the Coimbatore edition carries the theme, ‘Art Beyond Boundaries - Tradition Meets New Narratives’. The festival, organised in collaboration with Shree Natya Nikethan, opened on December 21. The line-up, while undoubtedly inspired by the Margazhi season in Chennai, does come with a twist. The focus here is exclusively on classical dance, and will showcase performances going beyond Bharatanatyam to include Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi and Mohiniattam. “The idea was to take the spirit of the Margazhi festival outside Chennai, by incorporating other classical forms as well. We tried it first in Bengaluru in 2023, and the results were encouraging. With Medai opening its space in Coimbatore a year ago, we felt the time was right for this city to also get a taste of the Margazhi season,” says Preeti. Margazhi festival brings together performances that are simultaneously rooted in tradition and responding to contemporary narratives | Photo Credit: Special arrangement As the theme suggests, the Margazhi festival brings together performances that are simultaneously rooted in tradition and responding to contemporary narratives. The performances, totalling 80 including artists from within the State and outside, are divided into two broad categories : Senior Artists Showcase, where established artists perform along with their students, and Nava Spandanam, which will highlight fresh talent and perspectives. The performances will go on till January 22, 2026, with afternoon shows at 12 and 2pm, and evening performances from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. The festival is co-curated by Shakira, Balakrishnan, Sakthi Madhumithaa and Kriti, and tickets for the festival can be purchased at theticket9.com Published - December 27, 2025 01:14 pm IST

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