Margazhi Utsav Festival

Margazhi Utsavam   The month in which bhakthi and music engulfs the devotees is more of a heritage and legacy being followed for decades. Several significant Hindu festivals take place throughout the state during this time, and devotees commemorate them with devotion. The month is adored not just by humans but also by the Devas (celestial beings). Every December the state celebrates classical  music and dance forms with  renowned musicians and artists  gathering to play in various temples, sabhas or auditoriums.   Margazhi Maha Utsavam -  Music and Dance Festival in Chennai   Bharatanattiyam, carnatic music along with devotional music rhymes confers mystical divinity to the land of Chennai.  The cultural extravaganza is held in several auditoriums and sabhas as "Music and Dance Festival," which features the performances of vocal and instrumental musicians alluring all the classical music and dance fanatics to participate.  The festival provides a chance for junior performers to demonstrate their abilities while sharing the stage with their older peers in the profession. The performances revolve mostly on Tamil, Telugu, Sanskrit and Kannada songs, showing the enchantment of instruments such as the flute, veena, gottuvadyam, nadhaswaram, thavil, mridangam, and ghatam. The classical dance performances including Bharatanattiyam, Kathakali, Mohini Aattam are also performed during the fest. Special poojas and music events are held within the state's temples to honour the almighty.   Vaikunda Ekadesi - Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Trichy   Thiruvarangam, also known as the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple with Lord Vishnu as the main deity, is a heaven for devotees placed in Trichy, Tamil Nadu. The temple is one of the foremost pilgrimages among ” 108 Divya Desam” dedicated to Lord Vishnu.  Srirangam is also titled as "Boologa Vaikundam'' meaning  (Heaven on Earth). In this temple, the month of Margazhi is divided into two segments of 10 days being honoured as "Pagal Pathu'' and "Ra Pathu". Nalayira Dhivyaprabandham is repeated throughout the day as  throngs of believers are always on the movement for darshan. Teams of devotees engage in non-stop bhajans throughout the day and keep an unceasing guard all night, singing and dancing to the rhythm of cymbals. On the day of Vaikunta Ekadesi, also known as ‘Sorga Vaasal Thirappu’, the  Lord Ranganatha, dressed magnificently, advances in a grand procession through Paramapada Vasal (door to heaven), arriving at Thirumamani Mandapam a thousand pillared hall to the delight of the devotees assembled in thousands from all over India and abroad. The temple receives over 10,000 pilgrims each day and almost 1 million tourists during the Tamil month of Margazhi annually.     Margazhi Car Festival, Thanumalayan Temple, Suchindrum, Kanyakumari   The Thanumalayan temple celebrates the “ Margazhi Car Festival “ for 10 days in the month of Margazhi. The festival involves early morning bhajans along with carnatic music chants by the devotees. On the 9th day of the festival the  intrinsically carved wooden temple car is decorated with silk clothing , aromatic flowers and plantain trees making it look magnificent. The devotees drag the enormous chariot carrying the deity by chanting holy slogans. This festival attracts thousands of pilgrims from all around the state.