Like all towns, Thanjavur is chaotic, busy and dusty. Some ten kilometres outside it, I am tempted to make a 'U'turn and drive to Thiruvaiyaru. Or to some quiet village on the banks of the Cauvery!

Tourists are always wandering through Thanjavur. Even in the off season. Which is why Thanjavur should be developed as a heritage town.

In January, when I was here to attend the Thayagaraja aradhana, the local unit of INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) presented a brilliant idea - to take tourists on a walk through the 'sandhus' of the old part of town. 'Sandhus' are very narrow lanes that run through the heritage neighbourhood here. And a tour will introduce people to the architecture, customs and lifestyle of the Thanjavur of old.

I am here to be at the Natyanjali dance festival at the Brihadeeswarar Temple. It is called the Brahan-Natyanjali. A small group puts the fest together and it is in its infancy. Thanks to the support of the Archaeology Survey of India (ASI), the dances are held on the platform of the mandapam for the giant, charming Nandi whom I adore, absolutely!

The festival, encouraged by the organisers of the Natyanjali in Chidambaram, is held over three evenings and begins on Sivaratri evening and goes on well past midnight. And there is space and time even for dancers of little-known, locally-based dance institutions. Which is a good thing to do because this is not an international dance fest. It is an anjali.

The Big Temple, as this one is populary referred to, attracts a large number of tourists, Indian and foreign, and with some imaginative publicity, the Natyanjali could have a bigger audience.

On Day Three, Vijay Anand from Ernakulam, Kerala, is into his last item on stage when we arrive. This is the first time that Anand has been to this temple. And he says dancing here is an experience. That is what the Natyanjalis provide. An experience to as many artistes as the hosts can.

The setting for dance is amazing. The architecture overwhelms, in a sense. And with a little more imaginative lighting, the backdrop of the Nandi mantap would be visually unique. Organiser Muthukumar promises me that the festival will become better and better.

Delhi-based Jayalakshmi Easwar breezes in with her group which includes a Japanese and a West Indian. Easwar and company performed at Chidambaram the previous night and they repeat their items at Thanjavur. This is the Natyanjali caravan! Or better, the Natyanjali Circuit.

We have been shuttling between Chidambaram and Kumbakonam, Thiruvarur and Thanjavur. On our way back to base, we take the by-pass road outside Kumbakonam and drive blindly on the Chennai road. Driver Natarajan ( christened Nuts by our team) has to negotiate the dirt tracks now to undo the mistake.

Perhaps, we are having too much of the Natyanjalis!

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