Bhagavatha Mela is popular throughout the state of Tamil Nadu. The term Bhagavatha Mela signifies the troupes, which perform the stories of the Bhagavatha, i.e. the myths about the incarnations of Lord Vishnu, from the famous Bhagavath Purana. It is performed as a part of the annual festival of Narsimha Jayanthi in the month of May-June. A large flat canopy and a small stage are put up in the streets in front of the temple and the dramas are performed on it. This is done to dedicate the deity installed in the front hall of the temple.

Bhagavatha Mela is a form of dance-drama. It is graceful, since smooth vocals and instrumental music add flavour to its overall performance. It also contains dialogues of high diction and suggestive strained abhinaya and other symbolical, descriptive action as some of its hallmarks. Whenever there is a violent scene of war or death, the same is not enacted, but instead narrated as an incident. The Bhagavatha Mela is full of dramatic interest that is enhanced by using classical music and dance. The drama has several levels, which are given below:

Firstly, the performance starts with the appearance of the Konangi or buffoon, who dances for a few minutes and requests the audience to patiently watch the play. Then the play is followed by a group of musicians, who sing the Todaya-mangalam, which is an invocation song. After the invocation song, an introduction of the drama is told in short. Then a performer wearing Lord Ganesh`s costume appears in front of audience to bless the play, by dancing to the accompaniment of background music. The arrival of the Lord Ganesh sets the stage for an auspicious start to the performance. After, this every actor or character is then introduced. After this elaborate introduction, the actual drama begins.

The drama contains the dialogues mainly of Prahlad, Hiranakashyapu & Narsimha. The story places its own demands on the actor portraying Narsimha. The actor prays and fasts before donning the mask of the god, and at the end of the performance, all the performers (Bhagavatars or Bhagavatulus) circumambulate the deity within the temple. The musicians follow them, singing devotional songs. Next to be honored, with flowers and sandal paste, are the teachers of this dance-drama. This festival is celebrated to signify the victory of Prahlad over his evil father, the king Hiranyakashyapu through the intervention of Vishnu in his man-lion avatar (incarnation). The drama is characterized by natural, flowing movements that enhance the body language used to convey the main theme.