Marudhiruvar It was conceived and directed by dancer-choreographer Madurai R. Muralitharan has done it. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
In the late 1700s, when resistance to the East India Company was growing, two brothers emerged in Sivagangai – Periya Marudhu and Chinna Marudhu. The Strapping brothers mastered guerrilla warfare and helped Queen Velu Nachiyar regain her kingdom after her husband’s death. The brothers, a well-known devotee of Shiva, were hanged in 1801, but not before they ignited the fire of freedom in many people. Even now, in the southern region of Tamil Nadu, the brothers’ stories are part of the everyday narrative.
Now, the story of the Marudhu brothers has come to the stage MarudhiruvarConceived and directed by dancer-choreographer Madurai R Muraleedharan. It is a group performance involving over 50 dancers, with animation playing an important role in taking the audience back in time.
Muralitharan, known for his performances like Shakuntalam, Shilappadikaram And VayuputraSays he grew up hearing about the Marudhu brothers and Velu Nachiyar and always wanted to delve deeper into their stories. “I want children today to know that there were people like this on our planet,” he says.
The production draws from history, and dance styles performed include Flamenco, Bharatanatyam and Kathak. The music is a mix of Carnatic, Hindustani and folk. The title track is played by the Budapest Orchestra. Muralitharan has previously worked with the orchestra for its production Shakuntalam. “Working with him proves time and again that there are no barriers to music. Keyboard player Balaji Gopinath helped with the English notation and we sent him to Budapest. We waited for three months for half an hour of his time. He was so perfect that it took him just 20 minutes to record the song without any rehearsal. I enjoy such cross-border collaborations.”
The group consists of more than 50 dancers. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Why did Muralitharan turn to history this time? “I have done 28 presentations, and most of them are on gods or literary characters. Some, like Shilappadikaram And Shivgamiyin Sabdham Working knowledge of history is essential. But, I also know that our history books do not teach us much about the regional leaders who persisted in their defiance. And so, the focus shifted to the Marudhu brothers.
Muralitharan wanted to remain neutral and so he chose to base the production on a book by Colonel James Welsh, who was living in the region at the time, which he happened to read in a library in Boston. “He was a great historian and he mentions how he taught him to throw valari (a type of boomerang), their reliance on guerrilla warfare, and the height of the Marudhu brothers (six feet and more). He narrates how he finally surrendered when threatened with the demolition of a temple dedicated to Shiva. He was hanged for three days, and as per his last wish, his head was buried in front of the Kaliyar Temple, and his torso was buried in Tirupathur.
Muraleedharan remembers being extremely excited when his father told him the story of the brave brothers and sisters.
When it came to production, Muralitharan knew it required a huge budget. “Over the past year, everyone in the team has taken on additional roles to ensure we met our deadlines. Special attention has been paid to two props – a horse and a bull (Boom Boom Madu), both designed by film art designer Anbu.
The show will run for two and a half hours, but Muralitharan says that even this is not enough to tell the stories of all the freedom fighters of that time.
The choreographer is known for his trademark juttis, but this production will not include any of them because the story did not need them, he says. The animation goes into detail about the time period in which it is set. The opening scene, for which a Budapest-recorded song plays in the background, shows Colonel Welsh’s house. He is also the narrator and talks about the situation at that time and the shooting of the brothers, who were also his valari Teacher.
The show will be held on February 7 at 6 pm at the Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall. tickets on mdnd
Students studying classical dance formally in colleges and universities will get a free pass to the venue.
published – February 06, 2026 01:45 PM IST