The timing of this visit overlaps the big Indian classical
music and dance festival, held at many venues in Chennai. This is India’s
fourth-largest metro, yet has fewer sights and gets fewer tourists than other
big cities of the country. It’s a mellower place than most of the country’s
cities, although the traffic tends to be very frantic.
My first visit to
India began here in 1983 when the city still had its old name, Madras, and I
began a four-month ride with ol’ Bessie the Bicycle that looped around the south
of India, crossed the central areas to Gujarat and Rajasthan in the west, then
turned east to journey’s end in New Delhi. I’ve returned to Chennai many times
since, once with Bessie Too the Bicycle in 2006,
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/asiaoneyear. Since then I have left the
bicycle behind and just come just for cultural visits. Usually I include Chennai
with other India travels, but this time I will spend all my time here.
Unlike most of India, this corner of the country gets most of its seasonal
rainfall during the north-east monsoon from mid-September to mid-December, while
smaller amounts also come from the south-west monsoon mid-June to mid-September.
So this visit had lots of clouds and occasional rains on the first half before
sunshine took over for the winter dry season.
The Indian classical music
and dance festival season in Chennai lasts roughly from mid-December to
mid-January and runs at a great many venues, some with large auditoriums and
others in small community halls. Music concerts—mainly vocal and a small number
only instrumental—dominate during the first half, then dance performances take
over during the second half, though one can find both forms throughout the
season. Carnatic (South Indian) music predominates, with occasional Hindustani
performances and instruments from the north of India. Musicians and dancers
especially like to perform during the prestigious season, even willing to dance
for free. Some venues charge admission for evening performances, and a share of
this does go to the artists. Most events have free admission thanks to generous
sponsorship. Wikipedia has a detailed introduction at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnatic_music.
Similarly, nearly all
the dancers perform Bharatanatyam, a classical style which originated in Tamil
Nadu and is now widespread across India and beyond. During dances there will be
a raised platform at the side of the stage where a vocalist provides narration.
And will be joined by a nattuvanar who plays tiny hand cymbals called
‘nattuvangam’ to set the beat for the dance and supplement the ankle bells worn
by dancers. The nattuvanar also sings short and fast sections, alternating with
the main vocalist. There will always be the double-ended drum, mridangam, nearly
always played by a man while the other artists can be either male or female.
Most often a violin provides the melody, and can be supplemented or replaced by
a flute, veena, or nadaswaram. Again, Wikipedia provides a good explanation at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bharatanatyam. You can find a great many
recordings of concerts on YouTube by a general search or looking up the names of
artists mentioned here. Some venues are relaxed about photography (non-flash)
and I got some snaps.
On to CHENNAI Part 1: Mostly Music (Indian Classical Music and Dance Festival)