About Maruda Natyanjali

In Indian mythology, the entire universe is looked at as the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva . Lord Nataraja’s Ananda Thandavam which is nothing but the combination of sage Bharatha’s Natya sastra and sage Pathanjali’s yoga sastra signifies the three basic divine functions of creation, protection and destruction.Natyanjali is a festival of dance conducted in Shiva temples. It provides an opportunity for the artists to offer their salutations to Lord Shiva .This festival of dance usually falls to coincide with the Shivaratri Day. The Natyanjali festival in Tamil Nadu started in the famous Nataraja temple in Chidambaram almost half a century ago and slowly spread to other temples in Kumbakonam and Thanjavur. During the past decade, a concerted effort was made to conduct this festival in smaller but ancient temples too.

Ms Archana Narayanamurthy - Bharatanatyam artist performing in the professional circuit for 2 decades is the Managing trustee of Pandanallur School of Arts teaching budding talents in Chennai and Dubai . She been performing in the Natyanjali dance festival for the last 15 years including Chidambaram ,Tanjore ,Kumbakonam ,Mayavaram ,Tiruvaroor ,Tirunallar & Pandanallur temples .

Sri. T. Vishwanathan, a reputed Mridangam artist well known in the dance circles as an accomplished percussionist, founder Viswam Fine Arts, which mainly honour’s musicians every year, is an instrument person in successfully organizing Mayura Natyanjali in the famous Mayiladuthurai temple in Nagappattinam District.

At the dawn of the year 2012 , the members of the Tiruvidaimarudur Old Students’ Association (TOSA) contemplated conducting a Natyanjali festival in the ancient temple of Sri Mahalingaswami in Tiruvidaimarudur, a village 10 km from Kumbakonam in the Kumbakonam-Mayiladuthurai road. It was God’s will and inexplicable that the thought of Natyanjali in Tiruvidaimarudur struck as a small spark in the mind of Sri.Narayanamurthy too at this point of time. Sri.Narayanamurthy is father of Archana. This was really God’s will. The possibility was discussed and feverish activities started with prayers to Lord Mahalinga. When a human desire was seconded by the Lord Himself, it is natural that obstacles were cleared by Him to hold the Natyanjali on the dotted line, the Maha Sivaratri day during March, 2012 in His own Abode, the ancient temple in Tiruvidaimarudur. Thus was born Maruda Natyanjali in thetiny town of Tiruvidaimarudur.

With the sincere joined efforts of Sri Mayavarm T Viswanathan ,Ms Archana Narayanamurthy ,Sri Murthy Krishnamurthy with able assistance by live wire Sri Suresh Krishnamurthy the Marudha Natyanjali festival is Successfully conducted every year at the Mahalinga swamy temple Tiruvidaimarudur .

The first ever Natyanjali in Tiruvidaimarudur exceeded the expectations of the onlookers. It was as if the people of the village and from the surrounding places had not experienced a joy of this kind for decades. As far as the participating artists were concerned, they stayed and danced to experience the highest kind of vibration and renewed zeal and enthusiasm. Truly, the beholders’ eyes reflected joy and pleasure, not experienced hitherto, from late evening to early next morning. It was an incredible experience for the artists as well as the audience. They all basked in the blessings of Lord Mahalinga. Ms Archana Narayanamurthy performed a historic inaugural dance, followed by three solo numbers and eight group performances.

The second year Natyanjali was a much improved version in respect of sound and lighting. After a ceremonial start, Srimathi Priyadarshini Govind – Bharatanatyam exponent gave a inaugural performance . It was a bewitching performance with dulcet singing and rhythmic accompaniment from the orchestra.

With the divine bliss from Lord Mahalinga and with the blessings of Tirukayilaya Paramparai Tiruvavaduthurai Adheenam 24th Guru Maha Sannidhanam SRILA SRI AMBALAVAANA DESIKA PARAMACHARYA SWAMIGAL, the third Maruda Natyanjali will be held at the Mahalingaswami Temple at Tiruvidaimarudur on the 8th March, 2024. We are determined to make this yet another success.