The annual Natyanjali Dance Fest at Thanjavur was held over seven evenings for the first time.
The hosts were being practical.
It doesn't make sense to have dance recitals late in the evening at a place that is far away from local neighbourhoods; people tend to leave by 9 p.m.
So the Brahan Natyanjali hosts created fewer slots and extended the fest to the weekend.
It worked. There was a sizable audience on all the days. And a fair number of foreign tourists.
The team here has expanded to include more volunteers and they worked like a well-oiled machine. The beautiful posters and promo materials helped - the buzz was created at hotels and restaurants while billboards got the info across to the town.
Thousands of visitors see the Big Temple every day and this is the season for touring school students to stop here. A few stay behind to watch the dance recitals.
The huge stone base of the Nandi is a perfect natural stage for dancers. And on one side, the magnificent gopuram of the temple amazes those who may wish to look up!
Brahan Natyanjali also benefits, like Chidambaram, from the support that the Sangeet Natak Akademi provides - every evening, artistes from different parts of the country perform here. Chau, Odissi, Kathak, Naga dance. . . are included in the schedule.
Next year may well be special.
2010 marks a thousand years of the Big Temple. A variety of events have been planned and the Brahan Natyanjali Dance Fest may well be unique to mark this milestone.
