CHENNAI : It’s December for the rest of the country, but it is Margazhi masam for us — the season to celebrate classical music and dance. While Sabhas are busy planning the schedule, hotels, beside these sabhas are gearing up to welcome arts patrons who make Chennai their home for two months. Among the plethora of hotels, there are two that are synonymous with the Margazhi music festival — Hotel Maris and New Woodlands Hotel.
The two hotels have received loyal patronage over the years and hosted many music lovers and artistes. Located a few hundred metres away from The Music Academy, these two hotels are affordable and remind one of their home. This also allows patrons to hop from one sabha to another as most of them are located in and around Mylapore.
“Between December to January, we are packed,” said Vijay Venkatesh, general manager of Hotel Maris. “Chennai is considered the ‘Mecca of Music’ and it is during Margazhi that people flock to Chennai and we get booking well in advance. Sure, there are a lot of other options now and they could be given a better room or view, but like every other hotel, we too have a very loyal clientele that only stays with us during the festival.”
He added that the hotel also organises an open-to-all kutcheri every year on Christmas which is yet another unique feature that adds to the hotel’s charm. “We started this kutcheri in 2007 and it is packed with over 100 people,” he said. “We design the stage in such a way that the musician is in the centre, and the audience surrounds him/her. This makes the musician more approachable to the audience and they get instant feedback from them.”
Factors like a decrease in the number of sabha-hoppers due to their age, increase in the number of sabhas worldwide, and constant competition in the hospitality industry have led to a slight dip in numbers over the years. “It is not the same as it was five years ago,” said Babu, who has been associated with New Woodlands Hotel for over 17 years. “There is a slight difference over the years because some of our loyal customers have aged. Artistes, too, are performing all over the world, so people don’t feel the urge to spend money and come all the way to Chennai. But still, this is the best season for us and we look forward to it every year because we still have the most number of customers during the period.”
What sets these hotels apart from the numerous others that have come up over the years is the ‘experience.’ “When we sell the idea of Chennai as a travel destination in December, we promote the Margazhi festival as one of the main activities,” said the owner of a travel agency in the city, who did not wish to be named. “When we sell the idea of the festival, we have to make sure we give them an experience and Maris and Woodlands are two hotels that provide an authentic Margazhi experience.”
A league apart
What sets Hotel Maris and New Woodlands Hotel apart from the numerous others that have come up over the years is the ‘experience’. Located a few hundred metres away from The Music Academy, these two hotels are affordable and remind one of their home, and provide an authentic Margazhi experience.