Guruvayur: The 15-day Chembai Music Festival began at Guruvayur Temple on Monday, with Tantri Chennas Dineshan Namboothirippad lighting the traditional Nilavilakku at the Chembai Sangeetha Mandapam.

As the chief priest transferred the sacred fire from the gold-clad sanctum sanctorum to illuminate the lamp, temple percussionists performed a mangalavadyam, combining thakilu and nagaswaram. This was followed by the rendering of a classical keerthana “Vatapi Ganapatim,” by a group of musicians led by Guruvayur Manikandan and Anayadi Prasad, members of the festival committee. Eashwara Varma played the violin, accompanied by N. Hari on the mridangam

The musical offering took off to a formal start with the performance of a keerthana by Adriji Sibi, a native of Ayyanthol.Also present at the inauguration were Devaswom Chairman Dr V K Vijayan, Administrative Committee member C Manoj, Administrator O B Arun Kumar, Deputy Administrator Pramod Kalarickal and members of the music festival committee, including Vaikom Venugopal, Thiruvizha Sivanandan, Vidyadharan, and Chembai Suresh.