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Margazhi Utsav at Chettinad Vidyashram
 The Margazhi Maha Utsav of Maxim Media, which will later be telecast over Jaya TV during the month of Margazhi, began December 1.
Over the past three years, this event has come to be much looked forward to by Carnatic music lovers. The programmes are conducted at the spacious Chettinad Vidyashram premises. There is ample parking space and access to the school is itself through a seldom-travelled road, making it free from traffic bottlenecks and snarls.
The auditorium, the Kumararaja Muthaiah Hall, is extremely spacious and can accommodate around 1,500 people in the main hall and the first floor balcony. The acoustics are excellent and the ambience is most amenable to music appreciation. The stage décor has been in the past invariably done with an ethnic look and this has heightened the appeal.
The organisers have been experimenting with themes and this year many of the artistes are set to present thematic concerts. The entire series spans 15 days and the telecast will begin from December 15 onwards. An interesting feature of this series is that slips are sent around to the audiences asking them to fill in any question that they may want to ask the artiste. The best three are selected and the artistes respond from the stage, with many of them giving sparkling replies that enliven the atmosphere. Those asking the selected questions receive prizes sponsored by various corporate houses.
The event begins with an inaugural programme being jointly organised by Hamsadhwani, the Adyar-based sabha. The first concert is by T N Krishnan.
Each year, awards and titles are also conferred and this year, D K Pattammal gets the Life Time Achievement Award (the title of Bheeshma), T Mukta gets the award for Excellence as Musician and Guru (Dronacharya), Sudha Raghunathan gets the Achiever Award (Arjuna). The title of Sangeeta Poshaka (dedicated service to music) goes to M A M Ramaswamy of the Chettinad family and the Gurukul award for the best institution goes to Kalakshetra. The awards are to be given away by Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam December 15.
Sangeetham's maiden live quiz will also be hosted under the auspices of the same organisers at the same venue December 14.
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