Cycle Rickshaw Heritage Tour; Last Call

On Jan 24, Sunday. The Cycle Rickshaw Tour from Luz Church to Sri Kapali Temple is on.

We have space for a few couples.

Only 15 can be accommodated.

It is free and so we don't want those who register to back out even at the last minute ( you must be considerate to volunteers and the rickshawmen who are offering these services).

Register at - mylaporefestival@yahoo.com now. We will ack your reservation.

The other walking tour on the same day ( Jan 24, 7.30 am) is of Sri Kapali Temple. Pradeep Chakravarthy will run it. Assemble at the 16 pillar mantap. No advance regn for this.

Videos On YouTube

Two young men are covering the Fest closely.

Navin loves to take pictures, in black and white.

Vignesh works on his videocam.

The two covered the Fest's pre-events and here is their first co-production.

Check the link at -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcXi2kzICV8

You too can post pictures and videos wherever you wish to but do send us the links and we will post them here!

Calling School Students to Video Report

Here is an opportunity for senior school students to report the Fest on video.

This is the way it happens.

It is open on Jan 23 and 24, when the Fest buzzes with a dozen plus events.

You stop by at the INFO Booth next to the 'ther', opposite Rasi and register and tell us what you wish to cover/ have covered. The Art Street or Classical Dance or the Kolam Contest or the Food Street or the nadaswaram.

Go for the event, make small notes and come back to the booth at 8 p.m. Our videographer will be there and will open the camera for you for 45 secs for you to read your report!

This opportunity is open every day to 10 kids (you can report in Thamizh or in English).

The video will be posted on YouTube

Do some homework and come prepared!

Four Evenings of Cool Talks

TALKS

Jan 21 - ' Classical Dance Legacies of Mylapore' by S. Janaki

Jan 22 - '`Sculptures and Inscriptions of Mylapore Temples' - by Dr. Chithra Madhavan

Jan 23 - ' Papanasam Sivan and M K Thyagaraja Bhagvathar' - by D. V. Balakrishnan.

Jan 24 - ' Palathope - Lawyers' Enclave' - by Shobana Ramkumar

Each talk will be for 15/20 mins and will be illustrated with slides / photos / videos. This will be followed interaction for 20 mins.

Venue - Lady Sivaswamy Ayyar Girls School, Prayer Hall.

Open to all.

Pre Events Contests off to a Nice Start!

About 30 teams in the Discover Mylapore Contest and about 50 kids in the Kolam and Tee Design Contest made for a nice warm up to the Fest on Sunday.

The winners will be intimated in 10 days and they will receive their prizes at the Mylapore Quiz event on jan 24, 5 pm ish.

Vignesh is shooting the events and promises to have small videos up on YouTube. Look out for links!

Wanted: Community Media Volunteers

Volunteers make a Fest like ours.

We have 25 of them meeting at the Park on Sunday at about 8.15 a.m. (Jan 10).

SF called - w0ndering if the rain could dampen us. It would be fun cycling in the rain to discover Mylapore. (Revathi, the Fest Co Ordinator has promised great coffee. She is also co- ordinating the volunteers).

How will the kids draw and paint for the contests?

O! Under the canopy of tarpaulin and green leaves!

We have a need of the hour - to get a small band of people who can shoot pictures and post them on Flicker daily, create 2 minute videos and post on YouTube, stick mikes into enthusiastic visitors and record the comments . . .

Vignesh from Ashok Nagar promises to take his video cam around. The first volunteer. His friend has plans to do a photo-docu. Navin?!

Wonder if the smart VisComm Mylaporeans can band up.

Buzz us at 98405 44629. The first assignment is on Jan 10, 6.47 am.

Four evenings of Classical Dance

This is the schedule for the four days of classical dance recitals held inside Sri Kapali Temple.

Jan. 21 - Students of Kanagasabai School of Fine Arts, disciples of Sasirekha Raammohan

Jan. 22 - Students of R. S. Bharatha Natyalaya, disciples of Parvathy Mohan

Jan. 23 - Students of Bharatha Kalalayam, disciples of Hemalatha Ramachandran

Jan. 24 - Students of Kaladarshana, disciples of Jayanthi Subramaniam

Dancing in the temple precincts is unique and special. More so at this temple where the flow of devotees never stops and many stop by to enjoy the performances.

This year, the troupes are also from outside Mylapore which is good for the Fest.

MYLAPORE QUIZ 3; go for it!

(This is a teaser to prepare you for the Big One on jan 24 afternoon)

Three winners get T-shirts.
Mail answers to - mylaporefestival@yahoo.com.
Deadline - Jan 10, 9 p.m.

QUESTIONS
1. Two legendary Mylaporean restaurants exist today. One is Karpagambal Mess. Name the other.
2. What is an odd feature of the gopurams of Sri Kapali Temple?
3. Where would you find St. Rita's Church?
4. Name the famed artist-actor-classical musician who lives on Nadu Street?
5. What is 'Rain Tree'? A store, a club or a hotel in the neighbourhood?

Suggest Great Heritage Houses please

For the first time, the Festival organizers are to acknowledge the people who have maintained well houses which are over 50/75 years and sport a vintage architecture.

A short list of houses in the areas of Sri Kapali Temple, Chitrakulam zone, Nadu Street zone and North Mada - Kutchery Road is being drawn out.

Those families who own houses that deserve to be recognized can mail a short note on their names and addresses ( we prefer owners of houses to correspond) and a few lines on the age and special features of the house.
The organizers plan to honour the best with plaques during the Fest.

Send us your suggestions - mylaporefestival@yahoo.com

Pre Events Contests Info - on Jan 10

Next weekend, on January 10, Sunday your family is invited to three pre-events that set the tone for this year's fest.

A Discover Mylapore Contest, a Create a Kolam Contest and a Colour a T-shirt Design Contest.

While the first is open to adults and teens, the latter two are specifically for school children.

Later that day, the Open House will provide space and time for participants of the Kolam, Pallankuzhi and Dayakattam events to chat with the resource people and clarify doubts and make enquiries. (at P S School hall, 4 pm, for an hour)

The Discover Mylapore Contest should generate a great amount of excitement and steam as it did last year when 51 teams scurried around the neighbourhood with clue sheets.

At 7 a.m. at Nageswara Rao Park in Luz, there is a briefing session. Clue sheets will be given to teams (3 members). The clue sheets have two functions. First, it leads to various popular and less known destinations. Once you get there, the section also has a question and the answer of it can be got by looking around that very place.

So if the clue takes you to, say the Anjaneya Temple on Luz Church Road and that place is the right one, you look for the answer to a query related to the place. Perhaps you need to get the year in which this temple was built and jot it down.

There are 15 destinations, some easy some tough and the organizers do not want teams to use cars to zip around.

Teams get two hours to crack this contest. Registration is not required.

The aim of the event is to get Mylaporeans to know more about their local landmarks and people.

The Create a Kolam Contest and a Colour a T-shirt Design Contest will start at 8 am at the same park. Open to kids in Classes 6 to 12. 45mins. Which means you cant take part in both - so decide. Designs on chart board will be given to you - you need to bring art materials please.

Prizes will be awarded at the Mylapore Quiz Contest finale - Jan 24 afternoon at Lady Sivaswamy School hall.

Top Events at Main Stage

Here are the BIG EVENTS of the Fest. They are free, open to all and seating on first come first basis. Do invite your relatives and friends to attend.

Jan 21, 2010 - Thursday

Janani Jagat Karini - Dance Drama by 50-plus disciples of Sheela Unnikrishnan (Sri Devi Nrithyalaya) - In front of 16 Pillar Mandapam - starts 7.45pm

Jan 22, 2010 - Friday

- Audio - Video stage show on M.K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar - presented by Vintage Heritage - In front of 16 Pillar Mandapam - starts 7.45pm

- Theru Koothu by P. Renukambal Kattai Koothu Nataka Manram, Siruvanjipatti. Episodes: Arjunan Vilvalaippu, Draupadi Thirukkalyanam, Panjali Thuhil - In front of 16 Pillar Mandapam - starts 8.30pm

Jan 23, 2010. Saturday

- 'Vazhi Nadaichindu - The Ballad of Arubathumoovar' presented by dancers Gayathri Balagurunathan and P. T. Narendran - In front of 16 Pillar Mandapam - starts 7 .30pm

- Theru Koothu by P. Renukambal Kattai Koothu Nataka Manram, Siruvanjipatti. Episodes: Krishnan Thuthu, Karna Moksham, Padinettam Por & Darumar Pattabishekam - In front of 16 Pillar Mandapam - starts 8.45pm

Jan 24, 2010 Sunday

- Tamil Play - Vittilgal : Directed by Dev Anand - In front of 16 Pillar Mandapam - starts 6.30pm

- C. A. Rajah's Pranavam Orchestra - 'Mayakkum Malai Pozhuthu' - Vintage Film Music Concert - In front of 16 Pillar Mandapam - 7.15pm to 9.30 p.m.

Srivatsan's Take on the 1st PhotoWalk

The photowalkers assembled near the 16 pillared mandapam of Kapali kovil on Sunday morning (Dec.13).

By the time I arrived, I was shocked by the turnout - over 60 people wielding cameras were there. They had taken over the entire space, much to the amusement of those all around us.

The entire group, which was too big to visit all the houses at once, was split into three.

The first group visited Ramans house on Sannadhi Theru opposite Rasi, while a second group visited Nagaraj's house on Pichupillai Street and a third group visited Nataraj's house on East Mada Street.

Nagaraj house amazed the photographers with exquisite carvings on wooden lintels and its courtyard. Nataraj's house had carved metal grill staircase which was a mixture of wood and plaster.

After visiting these two houses, the groups one by one visited Ravi's house and finally visited the wonderful Kannambal's house.

The latter house was the arguably a photographers delight with its lighting and shadows. The house also had a huge open terrace and a open courtyard which was a photographers delight. At the end of the walk, most walkers were waiting for next week to visit another set of houses.

These street houses are truly a remarkable piece of heritage in Mylapore, which sadly is now vanishing.

Fest Pre-Events

There will be a few Pre-Events in early January.

For kids - creating the best kolam they can imagine on a sheet which has dots that will be given to them on the spot at Nageswara Rao Park, Luz.

Another event for senior school students is to Colour a Design meant for a T-shirt. We give you the outline on paper on the spot ( again at the park) and you colour it up. Or even add a few strokes too. Hopefully, the best design will be used on a Tee

The third event will be the Mylapore Treasure Hunt - open to all and for teams. A clue sheet is given to you on the spot and you use the clues to reach each destination and look for answers to the queries we have about these places.

Since the Hunt takes you to the lanes of the area we suggest you should keep your car at home. We can't keep an eye on all the teams so we will have to allow cycles / bikes and light-weight gliders!

There are prizes for the winners in all these events. They will be given at the Mylapore Quiz event on Jan 24 afternoon

More info here in a week!

PhotoWalk 2: ideas please

Please get this word around - share with us the addresses and contacts of some great houses that we should cover in the 2nd Mylapore PhotoWalk.

Street houses, Madras terrace ones, bungalows . . . the area to cover - Kutchery Road, Bazaar Road and Mundakakanni Amman Temple.

This walk is on Dec 20 morning.

So if you know of relatives you never visited, your classmate's uncle's house or a place you adored when you walked by earlier this year, tell us please.

Mylapore Quiz 2; go for it!

Here we go with Quiz 2 ( in preparation for the Mylapore Quiz - Jan 24, 2010 afternoon)

All correct stand to win - 3 T shirts ( lots drawn if more)

Deadline - Dec.17, 9 p.m. E-mail answers to - mylaporesfestival@yahoo.com

1. Who is the MLA of the area that also covers most parts of Mylapore?

2. What do 'R' and 'R' in R. R. Sabha stand for?

3. What is the link between Chennai Super Kings and Mylapore Club?

4. Name the Deputy Commissioner of Police for Mylapore zone?

5. What does 'Luz' mean?

Quiz 1 Answers!

Here are the answers to Quiz 1.

1. WHERE WOULD YOU FIND THE BUST OF

K. M. MUNSHI?

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

2. BRODIES ROAD WAS RENAMED

RECENTLY. WHAT IS THE NEW NAME?

Bro. D G S Dinakaran Road.

3. NAME THE SCHOOL WHICH CELEBRATED ITS GOLDEN JUBILEE RECENTLY?

Savitri Ammal Oriental School

4. WHAT IS THE LINK BETWEEN TAG CENTRE & THE MUSIC ACADEMY?

TAG joined hands with the Academy to set up the audio archives and listening post.

5. IN WHICH YEAR WAS MYLAPORE TIMES LAUNCHED?

1994.

P. S - Nobody got all this right. Try Quiz 2.

10 great houses to explore on PhotoWalk 1

Ten families said yes to our request to allow Photowalkers to shoot pictures on Sunday (Dec.13).

Ten more will be willing to open their doors too.

Now it is up to the group to document these places - architecture is the theme.

Next Sunday ( Dec.20), the Walk will explore the area on the northern side of Kutchery Road.

Lets see who posts some wow pics on flicker!

We welcome short experience notes on Walk 1 to be posted here. Or give us your web links.

Mylapore Quiz 1

Here is a teaser Quiz. In preparation for the Sundaram Finance - Mylapore Festival 2010 when the MYLAPORE QUIZ will be held on Jan. 24 afternoon.
Email answers to mylaporefestival@yahoo.com
Three winners get a T-SHIRT each.

1. Where would you find the bust of K.M. Munshi?

2. Brodies Road was renamed recently. What is the new name?

3. Name the school which celebrated its Golden Jubilee recently?

4. What is the link between TAG Centre and The Music Academy?

5. In which year was Mylapore Times launched?

Join the Fest Photo Walks

You need to love Mylapore to go on this walk. And you need a camera.

The theme - architecture of Mylapore.

Visits to heritage houses are included.

More info at -

http://chennaiphotowalk.wordpress.com/

The SF role in 2010 . . .

Sundaram Finance, the only and long standing sponsor of the 'Mylapore Festival' that we run have lined up a few interesting things for 2010.

As the Copenhagen Climate Meet rolls out, SF wants to do its bit. It is sponsoring a few thousand cloth bags to be given to shoppers in places where plastic bags are being used.

Aiding this effort is the Chennai Social Service group.

The campaign will take place in January in the Mada Streets area.

SF has also designed the 2010 Fest Tees. An in-house effort again. We will post the design and product here shortly and start sales in early Jan. Will also try to have an online sale for Mylaporeans living abroad.

The base design for posters are also an in-house effort and posters will help create the buzz soon. If you love collecting posters and want this one, let us know in advance.

A few more acts are also planned. More in a while. . .