Sabha hopping is a bit like pub hopping.
You get to soak in the mood. Drink what is on offer. Get elevated. And make your evening an enjoyable one.
This is indeed a heady time for all those who love Carnatic music and classical dance.
For many rasikas, as they are called their December life revolves around this festival which is called the December Season.
I have friends in Bangalore and Coimbatore, Tanjore and New Delhi who start making plans for the 'season' in September - booking their travel tickets, reserving hotel accommodation and making a check list of artistes to listen to.
And once the sabhas put out their festival schedules, these friends tick the concerts they must be at and the lectures they can't afford to miss. And then there is the socializing to do and buddies to meet.
In many ways, the December Season is much more than just concerts, tiffin, concerts, tiffin, concerts.
For us at KutcheriBuzz ( www.kutcheribuzz.com), the hopping begins in November and since we recently redesigned the web site ( we hope you take a look at it and offer your feedback!) the running around began weeks ago and now, we will be on our sabha-hop beat.
Mylapore and Mambalam are the two hot zones - so negotiating them is a tad easy but with festivals now happening in the suburbs and other city neighbourhoods, a look in is a must.
To reflect the mood, the buzz and the sights of the season, we chose to launch a Blog that is updated through the day and sometimes, from the sabha itself.
Some rasikas have begun to mail us and we welcome more. Contributions by way of short notes and pictures from your Berrys and iPads are welcome. (The blog is at www.decseason.blogspot.in).
One person I will certainly miss this season was an old friend, 'Manna' Srinivasan now no more. Based in Delhi and very knowledgeable in the arts since his bureaucrat workdays, 'Manna' and I shared notes and gossip, had thick discussions and treated ourselves to tiffin.
He is still on my mind. The December season does have its imprint.
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