The Hindu Business Line : `Fest' to get a feel of Mylapore

Mr T.T. Srinivasaraghavan, Managing Director, Sundaram Finance, and Mr Vincent D'Souza, Director, Mylapore Festival, at a press conference in Chennai on Tuesday. — Bijoy Ghosh

Chennai , Jan. 6

IN the hustle and bustle of daily life, we do miss the good things around us. Say, for example, an old, tiled house with a courtyard big enough to host a dance programme. A rich talent of drawing designs on the floor. An old custom of vending aromatic filter-coffee in thick brass tumblers on the street. Or a long forgotten tradition of street-corner carnatic concert.

Well, now something is being done about this. A festival "to showcase the culture and heritage of Mylapore," will hit the streets of one of the oldest parts of the city between January 8 and 11, courtesy neighbourhood newspaper Mylapore Times and Sundaram Finance.

A variety-fair is in the offing — the festival will feature a variety of events, all closely linked to the culture and tradition of Mylapore. These include a cycle-rickshaw tour of heritage buildings of Mylapore, kollam contests, carnatic music concerts in the Nageswara Rao park, a Tamil literary meet in the courtyard of a vintage house, a crafts bazaar and a vintage Tamil film music programme, among others

"Nothing very jazzy and loud," said Mr Vincent D'Souza, editor of Mylapore Times, who also edits the neighbourhood papers Adyar Times and Arcot Road Times, and the carnatic music Web site, Kutcheribuzz.com. "We would like people to appreciate the historical and heritage space in Mylapore."

The Pitchupillai Street that is lined with old-type houses will be converted into a `food street', where enthusiastic residents will cook and sell hot snacks on the kerbsides. Oh, by the way, the festival will include a murukku-making contest too.

The finale will be a `Sparklers show' on January 11, when Sivakasi manufacturers will light up the Sunday night with their colourful, dazzling sparklers.

An event such as this could be a logistical challenge, but Mr D'Souza says it won't. Lots of people, mostly from Mylapore, have come forward to organise various elements of the festival, not the least of them the Mylapore police. "We are tapping into the talent of the whole community," he added.