December 17, 2006

Talks, tours, carpet of kolams and more

We did get a few people to play Santa Claus this weekend.
And we are hoping that they will leave a warm memory in the minds of the many children who shoud be having him at their doorstep this week and the next.
My friend Sanjay Pinto of NDTV thinks I can still play Santa.
He says that we should have opened up a post office account, got a fancy post box number and set up a Santa mail service for all the children of this city.
Perhaps this would encourage a generation that communicates in the SMS and internet language to write a few lines.
The bonus - they would get a surprise little gift in the reply!
I know Sanjay wants me into this new act because he, like any other mediaperson, is hungry for whacky stories.
Christmas carols, Santa rides and crib contests are too passe for the new age television.
But I am sure he will keep his date with a much more wonderful event that we will present in January 2007.
The annual Sundaram Finance-supported Mylapore Festival.
There is hardly a person who has been to our kolam contests held on the Mada Streets of Mylapore and not gone back with nice experiences. Imagine a carpet of kolams designed by over 200 women and children in the space of 45 minutes.
Records of these kolam carpets have travelled to the ends of the earth. And this year, two European researchers will stop by to take in the visual spread.
Most of you will of course know that this festival is not only about kolams.
Yes, it started as a 'kutti kolam kondattam'. But over the decade, it has grown into what is possibly the most unique community festival of its kind.
I am looking forward to a big group of young Yakshagana artistes who will travel all the way from Agumbe in Karnataka, one of the wettest places in India, to perform here on day one (the fest is from January 4 to 7: as always on the eve of the Pongal fest).
In a few days, our web site - www.mylaporefestival.com - will have all the info. Events, contests, workshops, tours, talks. And more.
The pieces are falling into place.
I know Santa cannot run a festival like this one.
Would you want to suggest who else could do a great job of it?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Of course, you and the other lady who never hesitate to be on the roads of Mylapore for arrangements of the festival and during the festival. (Revathi? I have seen the name in blog - Madras Day!)A huge event like this one which is beyond the scope of professional event management should be handled by people like you guys! Hats lff to you both!

S. Santhana Krishnan
12, Chitrakulam North, Mylapore

Anonymous said...

@ Santhana Krishnan

Are u one among the hundreds (thousands?) who watch the untiring efforts the team puts on the festival? I have seen the duo at various other events. Yes, Madras day is another. Namma Chennai should be proud of them.

Chandran (Curio)