Chennai in December. It is the place to be!

I am not promoting the city because of the internationally known music and dance season of 1000 concerts.

This is a city that really buzzes.

Last night, I hopped across to a wedding hall in Mandaveli to catch a special concert - nadaswaram by the husband-wife team of Sheik Mahaboob Subhani and Kalishabi from Srirangam playing alongside a violinist, a mridangist, a morsing and ghatam artiste. A dedication to saint composer Narayana Theertha for a fest that Thirupoonthuruthi Venkatesan has run for 40 years.

I did this between bouts of work at our newspapers.

On Saturday, I will have to drop by to listen in to Anil Srinivasan on the piano and Sikkil Gurucharan on Carnatic vocals. These two have impressed people with their music and have even realised three albums. Now they want to explain their work.

Should I check out the Unplugged concerts at Unwind Center in Adyar or accompany a city band that is performing at the monthly Sec-Sat concert in Pondicherry on Saturday evening ?

Whew!

My Sunday morn is booked. For an event where well known guitarist and ProMusicals promoter Sudhin Prabhakar wants to demonstrate to Carnatic musicians how they make the best of new technology.

I just cannot miss the Christmas Carols at St. Marys in the Fort on Sunday evening. And should I then hop across for the blues and rock at Alliance?

Chennai in December is wonderful.

I know the stink of the sewage that the recent rains have left behind on our streets and which our City Fathers haven't yet cleared well spoils the air.

But Chennai is still wonderful.

If you haven't yet bought a CD of carols, please do: play them through the evening at home.

If you haven't soaked in a kutcheri, get a rasika to take you along to a sabha.

If your colony hasn't had a get together for sometime now, this is the season to play Santa, buy gifts for all the kids and have a party on a terrace top and become good neighbours.

If you haven't explored the ECR, this is the time to do it. There is a dance fest unfolding at Mahabs very soon.

Chennai in December is wonderful.

If you are having a wonderful time in December share that experience at my blog.