Rendezvous with Mylapore along with my boys :-)

   

Courtesy :mylaporefestival.com

Like always I was wondering what to do to let the weekend fly away again. My husband had announced that Saturday was a working day for him.Friday somehow passed with a few friends dropping by and on Saturday I decided I will make my boys enjoy a bus trip to Mylapore. Adyar is very well connected by bus to Mylapore. So, since this constant buzz about the festival started , I have been tempted to go and see the Mylapore festival. Both my boys were thrilled to take a bus trip. I was slightly apprehensive about the crowd but then decided to take the plunge. Accompanied ny anothe friend ( who has two kids again !!!), we took the bus ride upto the temple tank. As I had expected , both Tejasvi and Yashasvi were thrilled and had a good time travelling in the bus. We got down near the temple tank and started walking . There was this push cart which sold some mouth watering pani puri's. The child in me was tempted but the mom in me was not sure to try, Nevertheless, I took the risk of buying one plate and six of us ended up sharing one plate ! I know it sounds miserly but then still it was like NIRVANA!!!!

As we went further down, our eyes were treated with colorful stalls of beaded jewellery, porcelain pots and decoratives, herb stalls and what not. It was a vivid display of culture, heritage and amazing creativity. Going ahead we saw a spectacular display of Kolams ( rangolis), through the entire road stretch . The motivation may have been the 'Kolam Contest' , but the creativity and intricate designs were unparalleled. My boys were watching every bit of all this with awe.

Walking the entire stretch also seemed to tire them down a bit and their taste buds called for  some fuel :-),and just then we saw a bajji stall. The lady there was surprisingly very very clean and she served some mouth watering and piping hot bajji's , samosas,chole, vada. We tried the bajjis and samosas. Street food is like that addictive condiment that makes you crave for more but later takes you on a guilt trip. Anyways, dumping  the guilt I embraced to indulgence, Just then we were joined by another mate and we set off further exploring down into the hideouts. There was a huge podium that showcased folk programs and we stopped for a while to see. My younger one unknowingly started shaking up o the rhythm. It was fulfilling to see him enjoy. 

Owing to our time constraint, we moved ahead to explore the street market. And what a feast to the eyes it was !!!!! Ranging from silk thread and paper jewellery, kurtis, toys to jute products. It was fascinating and could easily take you on a shopping spree. With immense self discipline I decided to console myself by mere window shopping. My first born started getting a bit hungry and my friend took us to the old  Mami's mess and we indulged in some hot idlis and dosas. I tried the filter coffee and it was amazing. The company was amazing and so was the ambiance. As dusk embraced, we walked past the shops again and bid adieu to the place and thanked it for the experience .

Purpose of writing this post is not just to keep a memoir but also to reflect that such events take us closer to our roots and bring us out from the mall  culture. My kids have enjoyed gallivanting in sprawling malls but I was happy and amazed to see them walk through the festival amidst crowd,sweat and chaos. Even though there was little for them there, still they tugged through the entire ordeal. It gives small and unsung business folks to showcase their goods. Many women exhibited their creative sides and culinary skills. A moment of pride and a moment of well organized heritage aspects. I may have missed out a lot of other aspects of the festival and have mentioned the ones that I witnessed, but am sure the entire set up was enthralling.

Its not a mere festival, but it is a celebration of the forgotten traditions, practices and culture. Its a celebration of  bringing us on our foot and exploring.Its a celebration of an element  called " Mylapore"...its a celebration of " Madras....its a celebration of " Life"