Navarathri Dance and Music Festival at Panachikkad

The Saraswathi temple in the Panachikadu village of Kottayam district, Kerala is known as Dakshina (Southern) Mookambi. The temple conducts grand Navarathri celebrations every year. Besides rituals, the dance and music festival conducted here attracts people from all over.  Dakshina Mookambi National festival for dance and music conducted here on these days, participated by renowned artists is famous for its kind. This year the navarathri celebrations will begin on 02 Oct 2016. Live streaming of Navarathri festival is also available. (Navarathri Festival 2016)

After the ceremonial start on the first day morning, music and dance performances are held at the temple premise of Panachikkad Sri Dakshina Mookambi Kshethram throughout day and night on these days as part of the Navarathri festival at the temple. Hundreds of young and experienced artists participate in the programme at specific time periods. The festival continues till 11th  mid night. The daily routine is as follows

4am-6am- Bhajans; 6am-3pm- Classical Music; 3pm-5pm- Classical dance, Solo; 5pm-7pm- Carnatic Music, 7pm- 9pm- Dance/music by special artists, 9pm-4am-Classical Dance by groups.  

Highlights of the 9-day Music & Dance Festival are given .
Live streaming is available at Navarathri Festival 2016

Navarathri Dance & Music Festival 2016 at Panachikkad

02-11 Oct 2016, Venue: Sri Dakshina Mookambi Kshethram, Panachikkad, Kottayam, Kerala

02 Oct, 07.00 pm -
Carnatic Music Concert
Vocal: Ravi Kiran, Bengaluru
Violin: Attukal Balasubrahmaniam
Mrudangam: Changanassery T S Satheesh Kumar
Ghatam: Adichanallor Anilkumar
Mukharsanghu: Gowreesapattom Sajikumar

The concert is followed by classical dances .

03 Oct, 07.00 pm- 

Classical dance
Bharatanatyam by Praseeda Murali & Niveditha, Chennai.
The bharatanatyam recital will be followed by classical dances .

04 Oct, 07.00 pm-
Classical dance 

Bharatanatyam by Rajitha Sreenath, Chennai.
The bharatanatyam recital will be followed by classical dances .

05 Oct, 07.00 pm-
Classical dance 

Odissi by Uthara Antharjanam, Bangalore
Followed by Keralanatanam, Kuchipudi & other classical dances.

06 Oct, 07.00 pm- Carnatic Music Concert

Vocal: Vinay Sharva, Bangalore
Violin: Vayala Rajendran
Mrudangam: Palakkad K Jayakrishnan

Ganjira: Kadanad Ananthakrishnan

Followed by classical dances

07 Oct, 07.00 pm-
Instrumental-Flute Concert

Flute: Jayanth K J, Chennai
Violin: Thiruvananthapuram Sambath

Mrudangam: Cherthala Dinesh
Ghatam: Vazhapally Krishnakumar

Mukharshanghu: Kottayam S Muraleedharan
Followed by classical dances

08 Oct, 10.00 pm (overnight)-
Kathakali
Story 1: Lavanasuravadham
Artists:
Actors- Kalamandalam Soman (Hanuman), Kalamandalam Rajeevan Namboothiri (Lavan), Kalamandalam Gopakumar (Kusan), Kalamandalam Sajan Namboothiri (Seetha) , Kalanilayam Anilkumar (Sathrughnan), Mahesh Natyakala, Gireesh Natyakala (Brahmana Kuttikal)

Story 2: Guruvayur Mahathmiam (Sarppasathram)

Artists:
Actors- Kalakendram Hareesh (Indran), Kalakendram Balu M Nair (Thakshakan), Kalamandalam Bhagyanath (Janamejayan), Anikkad Kannan (yagnakarmmi), Kalamandalam Kasinath (Asthikan) ,Kalakendran Hareesh (Guruvayoorappan), Kalakendram Muraleedharan (manjula).

Song - Pathiyur sankaankutty, Kalamandalam Krishnakumar, Kalamandalam Vishnu, Kalanilayam Sinu.

Chenda- Kalamandalam Sreehari

Mrudangam - Kalamandalam Achuthawarrier

Chutti - Chingoli Purushothaman.

 

09 Oct, 08.00 pm- 

Classical Dance

08.00pm -Bharatanatyam by RLV Gayathri & Party

09.00pm -Bharathanatyam by Shalu Menon & Party

10 Oct -  (10am-12 noon) - Pancharatnakeerthanaalapanam, classical music (vocal & instrumenral), participated by over 100 artists, including Mavelikkara Kumara Kerala Varma, Ayamkudi Mani, Vaikkom B Rajammal, etc.  

07.00 pm- Carnatic vocal by Ayamkudi Mani.

11 Oct- 5am-7am- Bhajans by Kozhikode Prasanth Varma.

The ceremony of Vidyarambham ( the ritual ceremony of initiation of learning) by children is on this day and ususlly about 40,000 plus children articicipate in the ritual.

Location/access: On Kottayam- Changanassery road, deviate from Chingavanam, the temple is about 4km. From Kottayam about 12km and from Changanassery, the temple is about 13km.