News Tamil Nadu

Thanjavur Natyanjali Festival Cancelled; Fact-Check Unit Claims TN Govt Not Responsible; TN BJP Head Annamalai Shows Proof That HR&CE Dept Is Responsible

March 11, 2024
The Commune

The annual Thanjavur Natyanjali festival, a revered dance celebration coinciding with Shivaratri day, faced backlash and condemnation for its abrupt cancellation this year. Traditionally attracting Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam, and Kathak artists worldwide, the festival pays homage to Thanjavur Peruvadaiyar and Rajaraja Cholan. Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party president K Annamalai lashed out at the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government over this and attributed the cancellation to the DMK government’s anti-Hindu stance, accusing them of unwarranted interference in temple events and practices. Annamalai, on 9 March 2023, demanded the immediate reinstatement of the festival, warning against disrespecting the proud symbol of Tamil Nadu, the Thanjavur temple.

Subsequent to this, the  Fact-Checking Unit created by the DMK government in November 2023 which came under the administrative control of Special Programme Implementation (portfolio of DMK scion and Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin), tried to “fact-check” this and claimed that the TN government had nothing to do with the Natyanjali festival. They claimed that the Tamil Nadu Government had not cancelled the Natyanjali festival, it was the Archeology Department of India under the control of the Union Government that refused permission for the Natyanjali festival. ceremony.

They also wrote on their X handle that the Department of Archeology of India had refused permission to hold programmes on Shivarathri in Thanjavur Peruvudayar Temple. This, they claimed was the reason why Natyanjali, which has been held for 20 years, was not held this year.

In response to this “fact-check”, Annamalai articulated the exact reason for the festival not being held. He said, “In the Thanjavur Natyanjali festival, on the grounds that it could not control the crowd, the DMK government denied permission to the Natyanjali festival held in the temple premises for two decades, and now that its anti-Hindu attitude has become public, the DMK government is trying to escape by blaming the archeology department, which has nothing to do with this.”

He further stated, “It is a shameful act of the DMK government to refuse permission to conduct the Natyanjali ceremony in the temple complex and then write a letter to the archeology department in an urgent manner and blame it on the archeology department citing the reply letter received.

Except for the Thanjavur Palace Devasthanam, which is under the Tamil Nadu Government’s Department of Hindu Religious Charities, getting permission from the Department of Archeology for Natyanjali, private organisations do not seek permission directly from the Department of Archaeology. In temples across Tamil Nadu, private companies are working as patrons of the charity sector.”

Annamalai also pointed out that the Natyanjali programme was not a private programme but one organised by the benefactors on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Government’s Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department. 

He also criticised the DMK’s FCU for hiding this truth. Annamalai further furnished proof of a letter dated 14 February 2024, South Zone Cultural Centre, which comes under the Union Ministry of Culture, which clearly mentions that the Thanjavur Palace Devasthanam which comes under the DMK Government’s Department of Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments is responsible for conducting Natyanjali and that no programmes are being held on their behalf in the temple on the days leading up to Natyanjali. 

Annamalai stated that the DMK government had misused the Hon’ble Madras High Court judgement to support its anti-Hindu activities with the sole aim of banning the Natyanjali festival which has been going on for 20 years.

He wrote, “Does the DMK government say that the Natyanjali programme, in which dance artists from all over the world pay respect to Peruvudaiyar and Rajarajacholan, is not a programme related to temple worship? Since 2010, for the past 13 years, the Hon’ble Madras High Court has not held the Natyanjali festival as a contempt of court. Banning the Natyanjali festival, which has been held in the temple complex for two decades, is nothing but the anti-Hindu attitude of the DMK government.”

He also accused that, “A gang working as the DMK government’s media outlet is constantly spreading false news full-time. People question the need for a team to spread these lies when DMK social media is doing this as a full-time job.”

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