The 23-day fest features young talent in Bharatanatyam. The fest was inaugurated by Mohan Parasaran, Additional Solicitor General of India. The title of 'Natya Kalasarathy' was conferred on senior Bharatanatyam dancer and guru Chitra Visweswaran.

The best performers among the young musicians who were featured in the afternoon slots during the sabha's December Season music fest, were awarded prizes. The recipients were young vocalists M. Balamuralikrishna and A. Gayathri Devi, violinists Satishkumar and Padmashankar, mridangists Rohan Krishnamurthy and Sankaranarayanan.

In her felicitation speech, Prof. Sudharani Raghupathy recalled the first time, she saw Chitra Visweswaran perform as a young girl in Chennai in the late 1960's and said "I knew she was an outstanding artiste when I first saw her and today she is a complete artiste who has a niche for herself."

Chitra Visweswaran said she was donating the cash award of Rs. 5000 given to her that evening for the 'anna dhanam' at Muthukrishna Swami Mission in Pothai, Tirunelveli.

The inaugural dance recital featured Anwesha Das, a student of Urmila Sathyanarayanan. The dance fest is on till February 10, 2005.

Contact, Parthasarathy Swami Sabha, Ph: 91-44- 2844 1837