THANJAVUR: The duration of the 175th Thyagaraja Aradhana festival, which was scheduled to be held at Tiruvaiyaru for five days from January 18, has been reduced to one day. The festival will now be held on January 22, following the rapid spread of Omicron variant of Covid-19.
The festival which used to coincide with the death anniversary of Saint Thyagaraja, one of the Carnatic music trinity, used to attract a large number of musicians from across the country and abroad. However, this year, Sri Thyagabrahma Mahotsava Sabha, which is organising the festival, has decided to conduct the festival only on January 22 (Pagula Panchami), the day the poet attained siddhi. The programmes scheduled from January 18 to January 21 remain cancelled.
On January 22, the Unchavriti procession will be taken from the street where Thyagarajar lived and special ablutions will be performed at his ashram. A limited number of musicians will pay homage to Thyagaraja by rendering his Pancharatna kritis from 9 am to 10 am. Only 100 persons, including musicians, will be allowed inside the pandal during the proceedings. The public will not be allowed. Those who are rendering the pancharatna kritis have been told to bring their vaccination certificates.