Elai Sapad; booked!!

The elai sapad idea seems to have worked.
30 people booked their spaces on Saturday morning and the Srikanths, the host on Devadi Street are happy. But this is a new challenge - to feed people who are first time guests!
Bookings had to be closed early - sorry if we disappointed others. There will be a next time.

Hopefully, this will goad more Mylaporeans to play hosts to sapad and tiffin for people and tourists.
If you are a Mylaporean family that is keen to join this project contact us.

Visual treats at Mylapore

Saturday. 10 am. Day 3 of the Fest.

We learn a lot on the Thursday of the Fest, day one. The glitches, the shortcomings, the mess-ups. A stree fest has its big challenges. So we had to revise our plans for Pitchu Pillai Street and ended up doing little. But the hiccup helped. We already have a plan for Fest 2013!

The feedback for the Vanna Mayil production is getting better. So we have decided to record the 60min production on video and have a visual document.

The three little docu films we have done also received positive feedback. So once we have rested fter the Fest, we hope to post those films on the Mylapore TV channel on YouTube.

This morn, it was nice to see members of a photography group, Photostrophy enjoy taking pictures of the 'mikeless' concert in the Park.
Mylapore always fascinates people. Come over with your cams.

Vanna Mayil; final reheasal at midnight!

Thats the way it is at Festivals.
Midnight rehearsals.

Vanna Mayil, the dance-music-visual production for MF 2012 is set for the act.
On January 4, the team waited patiently as workmen fixed the 2 stages at 10 pm and the rehearsal began soon after.
When the final call was given it was past midnight.

25 artistes will be featured, co ordinated by guru Revathi Ramachandran.
The production celebrates the less known communities - priests, acharis, potters, dancers and weavers who have enriched this area.

Elai Sapad; small start on Sunday on Devadi Theru

This Sunday, the Srikanth family will be ready to treat guests to a traditional sapad served on elai ( plantain leaves).

This is an idea floated by the people behind the annual MYLAPORE FESTIVAL.

The Srikanths live in their ancestral house off Devadi Street at the far end of Nadu Street. The house is over 100 years old.

On January 8, Sunday, Lakshmi will serve the lunch ( between 12 noon and 2 pm) to select guests who enjoy this experience, dining while seated on the floor.

Lakshmi can handle only four / five orders. Call 4201 1906 now.

The Fest organizers expect more Mylapore families to host the sapad this weekend. If you are also keen to reserve for the sapad ( when opportunities open) please email to - mylaporefestival@yahoo.com. We will revert if there is space to lunch!

Making the Kolam Show Bigger, Better

We have been excited with the attention and interest that the Kolam Contest and Shows evince.
2 professors from the USA and one French arts person are here to observe and enjoy the shows.

Plus, we are web casting the Sunday show, 3.30pm onwards IST.

On sale here will be India Post postage displays of kolam stamps, a book of freehand kolams and maybe a few Tees.

The Saturday Contest - Jan 7 - is packed with 102 contestants and registration closed yesterday.

The Mylapore Chase - Submit answers before Jan. 1, 2012

Every year, the festival encourages the young and the old to join hands and discover the naighbourhood. Mylapore is a treasure trove of history, culture, art, religion and social history.

The teams that participate in the physical Mylapore Chase always enjoyed going around the small and big streets of Mylapore and discover new things!

This time it is an online hunt.

Santhosh Subramanian, who runs Bambaram Toy Library has volunteered to link the clues to Google map and co-ordinate the online chase.

With two clues every alternate day, he has just put up the final set of clues today. The answers should be mailed on or before Jan. 1, midnight.

Here is the link to participate in the hunt.

http://themylaporechase.wordpress.com/

Follow the rules given on this blog. Go hunting online from wherever you are.

There are goodies to win as in the past years.

Theme song for Mylapore

Sing a song celebrating the communities of Mylapore!
Here comes the theme song for this year's festival.

A team of youngsters guided by the dance guru Revathi Ramachandran, who picked up verses exactly matching the theme of the audio-video-multimedia-dance narrative production planned for this year have created this.
The lyrics are set to tune by Ms. V. Nandini, a music teacher based in R.A. Puram.
Click on the play button to play the song.

Credits
Lyrics: Bharathiyaar’s composition - 'Thozhil'
Tunes: Smt. Nandini Venkatraman
Sound Direction: Sri Baba Prasad

Vocals:

1. N. Aishwarya
2. V.Srivaralakshmi
3. M. Hariganesh
4. S.Samanvitha
5. S.Sridharini

Accompaniments:

Violin:
1. B. Aravind
2. S.Sidharth

Keyboard: S.Sidharth

Mridangam:
1. M.Hariganesh
2. Baba Prasad

Fest in Open Spaces: the challenges

There are many challenges you face when you run an arts fest in public spaces, that too in one of Chennai's most famed spaces - the precincts of Sri Kapali Temple.

The idea that we have been driving is the need to create heritage zones in spaces like these, declare them as walk only zones and let people enjoy the sights and sounds, shop in peace and take home nice experiences.

Thankfully, the city police and the courts have seen our point and their responses have encouraged us.

Yet, we have to work with the traditions of this space. This year, the religious events at the temple will call for processions of the gods every day, morn and evening and so, we have had to redesign our stage and events to respect the processions.

Photo Exhibition; Mylapore

Photographer R. Saravanan who works for Mylapore Times has a collection of pictures of Mylapore of the past. One set of vocational studies that students in the 60s used to pursue in local schools.
Another set of social events in homes and around.

Saravanan is still looking for 'old Mylapore' pictures and would be happy if you wish to contribute too.
He just copied pictures of carol singers doing the rounds of the area in the early 70s.
You call Sara at 98410 22843.

The show will be on either North Mada or East Mada Street. Jan 5 to 8, 2012

Want to offer Elai Sapad?

We would like the elai sapad idea to catch on. And we have been spreading the word.
Four people have shown some interest in this concept for this year's Fest. Do spread the word.
You need to entertain one or two guests for starters. That should do!

Very Mylaporean to add to the Festival of 2012.
If you wish to have more info on this concept call 98405 44629 ( Revathi).

Kolams as Art Exhibit/ On North Mada Street, Mylapore

This was an idea that popped up at Fest 2011, In january this year.
Why cannot we make an attempt to create an exhibiot out of the two weekend Kolam Contests that we hold?
Like an Art Installation on the Mylapore Street. . on the eastern end of North Mada Street.

Barricade the 100 plus kolams once the contest is over ( 5 pm), floodlight the area and allow people to enjoy the carpet of 100 kolams from 5 pm to 10 pm.

We are taking this idea to the City Police Commissioner soon. And knowing that J K Tripathy has been warm to community projects, he mayl be a supporter.

If you have ideas on how we can make this wow, please do email us. And if you want to volunteer here to keep an eye on the exhibit on the two evenings, please sign up.

Elai Sapad on a Sunday in a Mylapore house

Elai Sapad on a gentle Sunday afternoon in margazhi January 2012.
That is the idea that we hope we can promote in a small way during this Festival.

The idea is simple - we are looking for people who love to cook a traditional elai sapad at their homes and serve it to guests on Jan.8, 2012.

We would prefer the household to have a Mylaporean setting at home - this will lend a special local feel to the guests.

The way it works is like this - we first sign up 4/5 Mylapore families willing to entertain guests on Jan 8, between 11 am and 2 pm for 2/3 rounds of elai sapad, then publicise the concept and offer to the world and allow you to sign up guests you can handle!

You do the booking, you plan the sapad and you fix the charge too. Don't make it a five star rate! But people will expect the very best!!

The idea of the Fest organisers is to promote the tradition of the Mylapore community at the Fest.
It is an idea that well wisher Sheela Rani Chunkath, IAS officer, now CMD of TN Handicrafts shared with us. Thank you Sheela Rani.

If you and your family want to be part of this, call Revathi at 98405 44629. Now.

New Audio Visual Production

A new production is rolling for MF 2012. Its focus will be on less known communities of Mylapore. Like the weavers, the potters and the goldsmiths.
The production will present dance, mime, acts, narrtion, music and visuals on and off the stage.
It will be staged on all the 4 evenings of the Fest.

Wellknown Bharatanatyam dancer and guru Revathi Ramachandran of Chennai will put the show together.
It should run for about 40minutes.
Hopefully, we should record this show and have it up on YouTube.

Calling young Mylapore musicians to contribute to a theme song!

A theme song for the Sundaram Finance MYLAPORE FESTIVAL 2012 is to be produced.

We are looking for young, talented Mylaporean artistes who will give their talent freely to the song and for interludes to be used in a dance-visual production on a Mylapore theme.

We now need 2 violinists ( classical), 4 voices ( trained in classical), one mirdangam artiste, one tabla artiste . . We prefer youngsters who are training in music for 2/3 years and enjoy this collaboration.

The song will be posted on the Fest web site and used in a  dance production for the Fest.

Those selected will have to devote 2/3 hrs for 3/4 practise sessions in Nov and one/two recording sessions in the city. 

All of them will get certificates and acknowledgement on the screen.

Keen to be part of this creative team? 

Call Sridharini at 98412 33120.

Come. Design a Tee for Mylapore! Win!!

This is a contest for everybody - doodlers in school, kolam drawing experts, design/fashion students . . For creative people.

Show your creativity in designing a T-shirt for the annual MYLAPORE FESTIVAL ( to be held in Jan.2012). The design should reflect the spirit, uniqueness of Mylapore.

The design can be done using Adobe / CorelDraw design software.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY:

Submit your design as a jpeg file or a PDF file (700 x 700 pixels size of minimum 150 dpi.) You may submit your design as a jpeg file through email to - mylaporefestival@yahoo.com

Please retain the original hi-res design with you. We will need it if your design wins the contest.

Please state your full name, address, email ID and contact phone number and a statement saying the design is your own creation.

Last date to submit your entry - Nov.29, 2011

PRIZES: The BEST DESIGN will WIN Rs.2000 AND A CERTIFICATE

TWO OTHER ENTRIES of good quality with get Certificate and a Gift.

The BEST submission for this contest may be used on a T-shirt planned for the Sundaram Finance MYLAPORE FESTIVAL 2012. Or, the best designer will be invited to create a unique design for future use.

( You can locate the winning 2011 Fest T-shirt design on the web site - www.mylaporefestival.com to give you some inspiration!).

We are back! Fest dates are Jan 5 to 8, 2012

Yes, we are back for the 2012 edition of the Fest.

Things have been rolling for some time but I haven't made time to jot them down here.

The dates to mark in January 2012 are 5, 6, 7 and 8. The kolam contests will be on 7th and 8th.
And we are rolling our first event soon. The Fest T-shirt contest.

Thanks SF!

Time to say Thank You to our sponsors, Sundaram Finance.
Team SF was led personally by its chief exec, T T Srinivasaraghavan (TTS) and Vice President, Sivakumar.

It is that extra effort that SF puts into this Fest that we curate and host that makes things a tad easy.

Sunday's events ran smooth which enabled TTS to decorate the promoters of Dubba Chetty Store, Mylapore with the Pride of Mylapore award and hop across to the temple to take out the gold ther in a procession, a Fest idea that has been maintained all the years.

Thanks SF.

Calling Creative People - for 2012

Yes, You are welcome to send us creative ideas, your production details and the rest for Fest 2012.
Now. Because plans roll out 2 days after a Fest closes. And surely you don't want to be late.

We have already signed up 3 new volunteers who just came back from the USA. And 2 artists who have an idea to share along the way.

A production for kids will float in mid year.
On the cards is a video fest of films made by youths and kids. Shooting will start in June.

Our email - mylaporefestival@yahoo.com

Sold Out!

The cloth bags promoted by sponsors Sundaram Finance were a big hit.
So were the Tees.

Till late on Sunday night, visitors checked out for bags at the Info Booth but by then the bags had been packed.

The demand for black Tees, with the peacock motif was high. Bookings have been made and a lot of 100 has been ordered.
If you want to grab the peacock motif black Tee, reserve one now. Or drop into the Mylapore Times office ( 2498 2244) next week after your Pongal festivities and buy one here ( Alwarpet).

I think we should have had more souvenirs. People love them.
Give us your ideas!

Thank you kids!

The Kids Zone had a nice start this year.
On Sunday, about 60 children signed up for various art/craft learning sessions at Lady Sivaswamy School hall. Magician Baba Prasad treated them and their parents to a magic show, real close!

Time now to think of raising the level of this act, threading it to other events for children and getting dozens and dozens of them to sign up.
We have some nice ideas for 2012.
Do share yours too. Write to us!