Chembai Ekadasi Music Festival begins

Carnatic and Hindustani musician T.V. Gopalakrishnan inaugurated the 112th Chembai Ekadasi Music Festival at Chembai village, Kottayi, near here on Tuesday (February 24, 2026). He also presented a vocal concert.

On Wednesday (February 25), Mathangi Satyamoorthy and Sukumari Narendra Menon will perform. Thursday’s programme will feature a classical fusion by Nedumballi Ram Mohan and Meera Ram Mohan, blending Kathakalipadam with Carnatic music.

Friday morning will see Pancharatna Keerthanalapanam led by Mannur Rajakumaranunni, Vellinezhi Subramanian, Sukumari Narendra Menon, Laila Rajakumaranunni, Kallekulangara Anil Kumar, Angadipuram Sreedevi and Radha Ramachandran.

T.V. Gopalakrishnan leading a classical music concert at Chembai Village, Kottayi, near Palakkad on Tuesday.

The evening session includes a saxophone concert by G. Ramanathan (Chennai), vocal recitals by Fr. Paul Poovathingal and Vijay Yesudas, a harmonium concert by Prakash Ulliyeri, and a violin duet by C.S. Anuroop and Parvathy Dileep.

The festival was jointly launched in 1914 at the Chembai Parthasarathy Temple by Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar and his younger brother Chembai Subramania Bhagavathar.

Over the decades, almost every leading Carnatic musician has performed at the temple, including icons such as M.S. Subbulakshmi, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, G.N. Balasubramaniam, Chemmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Palghat Mani Iyer and Lalgudi Jayaraman.