Several months ago, Kalakendra.com – a platform, portal and e-commerce website centred around South Indian classical art forms – found itself uniquely poised to respond to how the pandemic would affect Chennai’s vibrant cultural season, which takes places annually in the Tamil month of Margazhi (December 15 - January 15).

As early as June, Kalakendra’s founder Sudhakar Kadavasal began discussions with leading classical arts organisations in the city, offering the platform as a solution. Having already been in the space of recording and archiving performances for educational purposes for some time, the shift to streaming concerts for entertainment was a logical one. In partnership with the Federation of City Sabhas, which is comprised of 13 performing arts institutions across Chennai, Kalakendra.com has been hosting the highly successful Yours Truly Margazhi festival since mid-December. Established in 1975, the Federation of City Sabhas have always taken a progressive, proactive stance on cultivating public appreciation for the arts through a range of initiatives.

Over 20,000 people from over 63 countries have logged in to the platform this season, to enjoy the talents of stalwarts across the fields of music, dance and drama, including: Sudha Ranganathan, S. Sowmya, Sanjay Subrahmanyan, Nithyasree Mahadevan, Ranjani-Gayatri, Vishaka Hari, Trichur Brothers, Unnikrishnan, Jayanthi Kumaresh, Kanyakumari, Akkarai Sisters, Embar Kannan and Shobana. The roster includes over 500 artistes and experts, and over 150 events. 

The Yours Truly Margazhi festival by the Federation of City Sabhas in collaboration with Kalakendra replicates the annual experience in Chennai through a well-designed programme that includes a mix of performances and inspiring discourses. The format consists of two sessions in the morning (a devotional recital and a lec-dem by a leading expert), followed by three performances in the evening (one each of music, dance and drama). Following their premiere, every session remains available online to subscribers until the end of the season, thus enabling convenient access across time zones and schedules. 

Speaking on the festival, Harishankar Krishnaswami, Secretary of the Federation of City Sabhas, says, “Yours Truly Margazhi is the only complete Margazhi experience available to patrons this year. It is a brilliant endeavour that not only supports the livelihoods of artistes, technicians and support staff, but also uplifts the spirits of people all over the world through exceptional performances and sessions.” Sundar Ramachandran, Treasurer of the Federation of City Sabhas adds, “This unique and innovative offering, through Kalakendra’s platform, has brought a sense of vitality back to everyone in the classical arts field. The overwhelming reception both locally and internationally has inspired us all.”

Speaking on how Kalakendra envisions bringing the arts to people all over the world through the pandemic and beyond, Sudhakar Kadavasal says, “The spirit of collaboration, whether from the city sabhas, the artistes or the audience, is what has truly made this endeavour what it is. At Kalakendra, we’ve attempted to go digital for several years, but it is only now that the true value of this format has been understood. We are proud to be able to enrich the lives of people all over the globe, bringing Chennai’s renowned cultural season to them in the safety and comfort of their own homes during this time when travel and congregation have necessarily been restricted. To me, this festival is truly a celebration of the transcendental power of the arts.”

With the success of the Yours Truly Margazhi festival, Kalakendra will continue to explore innovative ways to bring the classical arts to new audiences. These efforts will work in tandem with Kalakendra’s other initiatives, including their in-house music label and Kadavasal’s social entrepreneurship, Rhapsody Music Education.