Margam by The Akkarai Sisters

Renowned violinists S Subhalakshmi and S Sornalatha Akkarai bring their signature fusion of tradition and innovation to the Margazhi Festival 2025 with a soulful Carnatic duet.

Every December, as the Tamil month of Margazhi dawns, devotion finds its voice through music. The air fills with the sound of ragas before sunrise, temple courtyards awaken with hymns, and Chennai transforms into a stage for one of India’s most revered cultural traditions—the Margazhi season. Rooted in bhakti and sangeetam, this sacred time is believed to awaken the spirit through sound and silence, where art becomes prayer and performance becomes offering.

Carrying this timeless tradition forward, the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre presents Margazhi Festival 2025—a two-day celebration honouring the divine connection between music and spirituality. On the second day, the Akkarai Sisters—Subhalakshmi and Sornalatha—bring their celebrated violin duet to the Cultural Centre, blending the expressive beauty of Carnatic vocal tradition with the instrumental brilliance of their lineage.

Born into a family of distinguished musicians and trained under their father and eminent gurus, the sisters make the violin sing with lyrical phrasing and vibrant rhythmic vitality. Acclaimed worldwide for their seamless interplay, nuanced improvisation, and soulful expression, they bridge tradition and innovation with effortless grace. Honoured with accolades such as the Rajiv Gandhi Yuva Puraskar, Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, and Kalaimamani Award, the duo continues to inspire audiences and students alike. For this performance, they will be accompanied by Delhi Sairam on mridangam and N Guruprasad on ghatam, promising a radiant confluence of devotion, melody, and mastery that echoes the timeless spirit of Margazhi.

This performance is supported by Reliance Foundation.

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