Mylapore Festival 2024: Celebrating Chennai’s cultural heritage
Spread across 10 venues, the festival will feature more than 30 events, showcasing the talent of about 100 artists in the streets and spaces around Kapaleeswarar Temple.
The kolam competition that was held last year drew a large number of participants who displayed their creative prowess
CHENNAI: The Mylapore Festival, which has entered the 20th edition this year, will get under way on Thursday and will go on January 7.
Spread across 10 venues, the festival will feature more than 30 events, showcasing the talent of about 100 artists in the streets and spaces around Kapaleeswarar Temple. There will be dance, music, folk arts, kolam contests and displays, food and crafts contests, and traditional games such as palanguzhi and dayakattam. A chess tournament, and arts and crafts workshops for children are also on the agenda.
“On January 4, Kanniyakumari-based Muthuchandran Tholpavai Koothu Kalai Kuzhu will be performing at Sannidhi Street Square. As an outreach programme, the troupe will also perform in six schools around Mylapore in the following two days. As part of the festival, we are also promoting postcrossing among children. The postcrossing community of Chennai will release a special postcard on Sunday. On the remaining days, they will encourage children to write letters, and postcards, and send them to their loved ones,” says Vincent D’Souza, Director of the Sundaram Finance Mylapore Festival.
Highlighting the artistic aspect, Vincent says, “The festival will host kolam and rangoli contests on January 6 and 7 at North Mada Street. On Sunday, after the contest, around 10 professional kolam designers will be drawing a 10X10 size kolam at the same venue from 4 pm to 5 pm. This kolam display promises to be a spectacular visual treat.” Vincent, one of the initiators behind the Mylapore Festival, states that after he launched the festival, others stepped in and transformed it into a social gathering. “Over the years, the community has united, turning the festival into a tremendous success.”
Moahan Venkatesan, senior vice president and head of TN for Sundaram Finance Limited (SFL), says, “We started with a small kolam contest many years ago. Encouraged by the enthusiasm, we conceived the idea of hosting a larger festival. This festival aims to bring families together, fostering a sense of community. In the past few years, I have noticed many things at the festival, including overseas tourists attending, locals embracing the event, and students gaining new experiences. December brings a sense of merriment with Christmas, and January follows with the fun and joyous Mylapore festival.”
Rasikas can expect to witness and participate in a variety of programmes and activities over the four days, celebrating the city’s rich cultural heritage and its enduring spirit.
