Mon May 12 14:21:39 UTC 2025: ## Melattur Bhagavatha Mela Festival Opens in Thanjavur
**Thanjavur, May 12, 2025** – The five-day Melattur Bhagavatha Mela Natya Natak Mahotsavam, an annual festival celebrating traditional South Indian theatre, commenced on Sunday in Melattur, near Thanjavur. The festival, organized by the Melattur Bhagavatha Mela Natya Vidya Sangam and Natak Trust, was inaugurated by Thanjavur prince Babaji Raja Bhonsle Chattrapati. Prominent figures from the arts and academia, including former Kalakshetra Foundation director Revathi Ramachandran and Kuchipudi dancer K.V. Satyanarayana, attended the opening ceremony held at the Shri Nalli Kuppuswamy Auditorium. This year’s festival also saw the release of a book on the play “Rukmini Kalyanamu,” part of a larger project to preserve the works of great Sri Venkatarama Sastri by Guru Kalaimamani R. Mahalingam. The festival aims to safeguard this ancient art form for future generations.
First Piper 