Business on a low note at dull Chennai music season

Marghazhi Maha Utsavam, the annual music festival in Chennai, which attracts thousands of rasikas, is quite different this year. The air of festivity it normally brings is lacking in the wake of recent flood in the city. Many Carnatic artistes cancelled their performances and overseas participation has plummeted, dampening the atmosphere.

But it is not all gloomy for some entrepreneurs, who had chosen this platform to further their business opportunities. eKitchenkart, an online retailer of kitchenware, which opened in Chennai two months ago, has set up a kiosk in Kamarajar Hall for Chennaiyil Thiruvaiyaru, music festival organised by Lakshmansruthi Sabha.

P Anand, co-founder, eKitchenkart, said, many in Chennai lost their kitchen utensils to the recent disaster . Visitors can avail gift coupons, which can be used for buying the items, in exchange for any used item. The used items will be collected by the team and donated to the flood affected families, he said.

It is the second year for Mayoora food products, a company focussed health products, to set up their stall. Ram S, one of the partners, said, “It is very difficult for us to interact with the customers in our stores. This gives us a chance to interact and receive feedback from our consumers for improvement.”

Sankar Krishnaswamy, an NRI had come to Chennai on a short visit to repair his house in Mambalam that was one of the worst-affected areas. “Though I’m a rasika, I came here today to check if I can buy Maavudu to take back to the US. These are the items you don’t get there usually,” he said.

He placed his order for 3 kg of Maavudu with Ganeshan Appalam shop there.

“It is not unusual to find such customers during the season,” Ganesh, the owner of the applam shop, said. “But this year the inflow has been less compared to previous years and the shops count in the food court has reduced as well,” he added.

According to one of the organisers of Lakshmana Sruthi Sabha, which organises Chennaiyil Thirvaiyaru, there has been 25 per cent drop in the stalls. People who had already booked had withdrawn due to floods and many of them are yet to come. “We usually have 50-60 stalls every year,” the organiser said.

Catering services In places such as Music Academy and Narada Gana Sabha, the catering services are seeing fewer people. N Padmanabhan, proprietor of Padmanabhan catering services, said, “We usually see a large number of foreigners at the festival. But the numbers are very low this time.”

Prices have increased as well. The lunch menu which cost ₹ 200 last year now costs ₹ 220.

“The prices of vegetables have gone up, hence the increase in price,” Padmanabhan said. They have, however, introduced new items such as Muscat alwa and pulao and upma items using thinnai and varaghu rice varieties.

Gnanmbika caterers, who run the service at Narada Gana Sabha every year, also find a lull in business. “Our business in the first week was very dull. While our footfall was 2,000 daily last year, it has come down to 1,000 this year. And the lunch crowd is more of office-goers than people who come for music,” said R Revathy, proprietor. They too have increased food prices by ₹ 10-15 per item.

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