The second edition of Lil Margazhi – Lil Margazhi 2.0 was held at the Kuchipudi Art Academy, Chennai, and brought together an inspiring group of young performers, parents and rasikas for a warm, thoughtfully curated Margazhi morning. Hosted by Avanti Natarajan and Rajavel Sundararajan of Lil Trails along with Akhila Krishnamurthy of Aalaap, the programme created a relaxed, intimate space where children could explore music, dance and storytelling with confidence and joy.

             

Master storyteller Janaki Sabesh anchored the morning as sutradhar, weaving together stories of Margazhi, Andal and the kutcheri season, setting a meaningful context for the performances that followed. The young artists included Dira Paavai Rajavel singing Thiruppavai and narrating the story of Andal, Madhav Prahalad Iyengar on violin and vocals, Anirudh Ramkumar singing and playing the mridangam together, Shamanthaka Namboodiri presenting Bharatanatyam, and Om Easwar with Ayushmaan Sairam in a charming short kutcheri.

Aryan Varad Vangal, an 11-year-old state-level swimming champion and a student of Sishya School, OMR, neatly introduced the artists of the day, bringing the programme to a close with a vote of thanks.

         

What stood out through the evening was how natural and unselfconscious the children were on stage — no visible stage fear, only a quiet confidence and clarity about what they were presenting. Watching these young artists, so deeply immersed in their music, movement and stories, was both refreshing and heartening. The overflowing hall of rasikas and well-wishers reflected just how warmly this initiative has been received.

Lil Margazhi 2.0 was not just a showcase of talent, but a celebration of how gently nurtured spaces like this can help the next generation experience the joy, discipline and beauty of the arts — in a way that feels playful, meaningful and deeply rooted in tradition.

by

Sukanya Sankar