Expressnews
The 19th edition of the popular Sundaram Finance Mylapore Festival is back with renewed vigour, after a pandemic-driven break over the last 2 years. The dates for the festival this year are January 5-8, 2023.
The festival begins in the morning with concerts at Nageswara Rao Park. 80 children will perform together for four days. Our rich traditions are enthusiastically celebrated – traditional games such as dance, music, folk arts, golam competitions and display, food and craft competitions, and traditional games such as folk and sacrifice are played. These activities take place around the famous Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore. Crowds of people throng the streets of Mylapore to participate in the various programs and events that take place over the course of 4 days. The festival celebrates Chennai as a ‘place of culture’ and has stood the test of time.
As part of the festival, Sundaram Finance is promoting the cause of “Say No to Plastic Bags”. About 10,000 cloth bags will be given to residents in exchange for plastic bags. Bhumi, a Chennai-based NGO, helps distribute these bags while educating the public about the harmful effects of plastic on the environment. Sundaram Finance also runs a “Keep Mylapore Clean” campaign to educate the public about sanitation and hygiene.
Speaking to the media, Sundaram Finance Managing Director Rajeev Lochan said, “We are proud of this. The festival is over 4 days where the whole family can participate in the activities organized. The festival is a serious attempt to recreate the genre of “thiruvizha” or “mela” in the context of the holy Tamil month of Margazhi, when Chennai celebrates its famous festival “Season of Music and Dance”. Today, the Mylapore festival attracts a diverse crowd to enjoy the ‘Taste of Madras’. Traditional games (ballanguzi, sacrifice), golam competitions, food walks, traditional walks, traditional dance-drama, folk dance and music will be part of this year’s: festival.”
The Spirit of Honor is given to an individual or organization that has contributed immensely to the culture and development of Mylapore. The Mylapore Award – one of the unique features of the festival – will therefore announce this year’s recipient on the evening of January 8, 2023.
Director of the festival, Vincent D’Souza, added, “What started as a simple goal competition 25 years ago, has grown into a unique street culture festival in the city of Chennai. The festival shows how people can use the open space traditionally. Religious and civic mandals to stage events reflecting the history and culture of the place. Today people from Bangalore are marking the date to participate in the Kolam. Contest.”
