Many young learners of Bharatanatyam staged their maiden dance performances after offering the customary ‘salangai (anklet) puja’ at the ancient Sri Thenupureeswarar temple in suburban Madambakkam near Tambaram.
Coinciding with the Thirukalyanam festival at Thenupureeswarar temple, students including Keerthishree, Diviya Darshini, Shivanie, Divyashree, Samyuktha and Madhumitha training at Sri Hari Natyalaya performed Bharatanatyam after the salangai puja.
Salangai puja is done when students complete a formal study of Bharatanatyam. The learners then start formally wearing the anklet and stage dance performances. The custom holds a lot of significance because without performing the mandatory salangai puja no student of the classical dance can adorn the salangai.
Temple officials, parents, and the general public participated.