Spiritless Pongal Festival?

2020 exists no more, but it took away the happiness and festival spirit with along. I didn’t decorate the Christmas tree or put lights for Christmas and New Year, and now with Pongal, in 2 days I couldn’t feel excited in the usual way.  Pongal is the only festival that leftover to speak the tradition and culture of Tamil people living all over the world and it is a common festival that communicates our lifestyle and unites the people to support and thank farmers for their continuous work of feeding.

Every year we used to draw colorful Kolams, aka Rangoli, in front of the home to add auspiciousness to the festival, and boiling milk and rice in a mud pot, on top of firewood, is another kind of gesture greeting farmers and nature, and also helping the pottery workers.

I always love celebrating a festival beyond its religious beliefs and rituals, as I believe festivals are mean to gather people and celebrate the spirit of togetherness. Pongal is a social festival and farmer’s festive so wishing for their wellness is important and being a pandemic period, we had no option other than limiting our celebrations although our celebration is always restrained to two families. But this year is gonna be celebrated in the kitchen itself. Hehe

Talking about the past year will only make it sadder than happier, and it is a year the world will never forget for the number of losses mankind faced, but the consoling fact was nature restored its place even if it is a temporary phase.  Personally, 2020 is a devastating year for us apart from the pandemic Dracula sucking the life from all over the world, some lives were lost in our family circle and a couple of them were quite unexpected. Though no life is lost for COVID-19, my uncle’s death was the most sent tremors into our family than the cousin who died leaving back two little kids. No life is left to comparable and life is a life that is replaceable by anything but we haven’t been close with that cousin to deeply feel the pain.

This cousin is a good-hearted guy, and kindness would melt in front of his smile, and he had never raised his voice or think to hurt anybody, but he died out of high pressure and cardiac arrest. Perhaps because of this, he hadn't shared his problems with others, and this is a problem with many of our reserved types is to suffer silently. He’s a project manager in a reputed IT firm and an affectionate kid to his mom and with a problematic married life, should I need to define the challenges he got in front of him to cease his life?

My uncle is just 6 months younger than my dad and thus they are like best friends and whatever it is dad only call him first to know his thought before proceeding. I would say he was an iron man who lived among us, and his support to our families is significantly strong and there’s nothing he unknown, and has great grasping power to workout things at observing.  It was him, and it was on his captainship my brother’s wedding in November held successfully. But he couldn’t live less than a week to see them lead their life or any of our future events.  

We meet him frequently or to say at least once in a week or two, it was hard for us to think or feel he’s no more but we feel regret for our aunt who misses him the most as a loving wife. They lived like made for each other and as a cool and casual couple.  They lead any of our functions from the front and now seeing her confined to home hurts really. I hope she returns to normalcy and continues the way she was earlier. I know she too knows life has to move on, more than any of the other, as she already came over her daughter’s demise a decade ago. My thoughts go for her…

Thank you

Kadalur Dam – First outing of the year

I haven’t planned to go out during the Pongal holidays esp. to avoid the festival crowd, even though the government had forbidden people from visiting tourist places and beaches during the Pongal holidays to prevent the spreading of coronavirus. I went out on the Mattu Pongal day (Jan 15), and this day is usually crowded on ECR (east coast road), unlike the Kaanum Pongal (the next day), with a peak in-crowd, but the closer of tourist places left minimum vehicles on the road. Only the amusement parks were opened, with a fully loaded parking lot.

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My brother said, let's go for a ride on ECR, and the idea of visiting the Kadalur check-Dam came on the way. I came to know about this dam from my cousin-sister, who checked the dam last year. And I wanted to check the dam then, but the pandemic made it impossible, and I learned later the recent rain had brought enough water to the dam to overflow.

It's always a dream to see water in the Palar river, which often looks dry, other than little pools of water. The Palar river rises in the Nandi hill of Karnataka and runs into Andhra Pradesh, and then into Tamil Nadu, for a length of 350 km before merged at the sea. The dam is about 75km from Chennai on the ECR, and there’s a signboard indicating the road to the dam (take left) before crossing the river.

The check-dam is built at the mouth of the river for about a km in length, and in between Vayalur-Kadalur village, where the river meets the sea. The road passes through the narrow streets of Vayalur village, ends at the north bank of the river, and then a mud road slides to the dam. When we went, there were already a dozen cars and bikes parked in front of the river, and many people were having fun by sliding through the spillway and taking bath at the river. Despite the slippery spillway and rocks around the dam, this seems to be a safe place to relax and enjoy the bath as a family.

It was noon when we arrived at the dam, and the sun was shining above our heads, so we could not get clear pictures of the place as there was too much sunlight. I even couldn't shoot the flock of pelicans taking flights above the dam site, and they should have come up fishing at the dam. The water stays up to and beyond the bridge of the ECR, which is something I have never seen before – the last flood I saw on the Palar river was in 1997. We quickly moved from there as the sun was quite sharp on us.

The dam is built in 2019 with funding from Kalpakkam Atomic Station and was opened by the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, Edappadi K Palanisamy. And the best time to visit the dam is post-monsoon, the only time when the river sees some flow of water. 

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Colorful Pongal Kolams by mom and aunt

Kolam is a cultural identity of Tamils, as well as to the southern states of India similar as Rangoli that spread all-over India, is believed to bring auspicious to home when it is drawn in front of the doorway or gateway as a sign of welcome. Margali, a month of winter (mid Dec-Jan) in Tamil, is a favourite season for Kolam, where those skipped or unpractised it as a daily activity will make certain drew something in front of the door and the month ends leaving way to Thai – the day celebrated as Pongal, where Kolams take much colourful form from the plain dotted Kolams. Pulli Kolam is a regular art form where it involves drawing a line looped around a pattern of dots (pullis) with certain that all dots are encircled and lines closed at the end.

Shot from the balcony and you could see my aunt coloring the Kolam down in front of home.

Kolam take a special place in our every custom and celebrations and drawing a Kolam creates an elegancy to the occasion and there couldn’t be a better reception than making a smile through a cheerful and colourful Kolam.  Mom used to draw Kolam regularly at the doorstep until we resided in the ground floor apartment and houses in ground, now living on first floor we don’t have space other than mom’s knee pain prevents her going down to drew a Kolam. But during the festival of Pongal and other special occasions she takes a strain and draw colourful Kolams in front of the house, and now along with my aunt in next door they help each other creating the magic of colors, Kolam. I always have an interest in Kolalm and never miss an opportunity in capturing the Kolam and what you see here is from the recent Pongal celebration.

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My aunt's colorful Pongal Kolam drawn last month during the festival of Pongal, very next to mom's Pongal pot kolam.

Kolam is a custom followed by the households in south India and it’s a daily activity for many, including ours. And Pongal Kolam is popular during this time and many put great efforts to make it look wonderful and colourful including drawing something relevant to the festival. Kolam always been my favourite thing and I enjoy watching different patterns and for me, Kolam is apart any belief and its way of exhibiting art and beauty.

Bhogi day

The 4 days of Pongal celebrations has end! As I can tell this year I had a best pongal’s forever, my parents agreed with me to celebrate it with my wishes. The Bhogi plan was to wake up early and visit my cousin’s bhogi celebration, but when we reach, he was sleeping and my aunty has burned some thing. I have noticed some Bhogi fire’s near my place and took some pictures, it was funny to click the fire that the kids were asking are u from SunTv. Even though the pollution board and police warned of burning tyre, I saw some used the tyres to burn, but the awareness has helped the people, compare to last years this year the smoke was low and the fog was little. This would be the first time I went to beach early morning after my childhood, the place was very silent, many were going walking and got a good view of sunrise. I should tell I give my mom more stress to draw big Kolam before the gateway, some of my neighbors have gone to their homeland in their cars, so we got much space to put big kolams. I need to share more about my pongal and Mattu pongal, will do it in my next post ok. (click on the pic to see big)

Jeevan's Bhogi celebrations

Tommarro is Bhogi Festival. The first day of Pongal known as Bhogi Pongal is a day for family gathering and is dedicated to Lord Indra, the king of the deities and God of the Clouds and Rains. Offerings are made to him to please him so that he blesses us for the plentiful harvest. It is also the beginning of the New Year according to the Malayalam calendar and before sunrise, a huge bonfire of useless things in home is lit that is kept burning throughout the night.

Some years back i used to celebrate Bhogi, before the Bhogi day, i will buy buffalo-hide drums. me my brother and ourneighbouring friends will beat little buffalo-hide drums known as 'Bhogi Kottus' till night 11pm and we will plan how to celebrate the next morning. we all will plan to wake in morning 3.00am, but me and my brother will will wake only after 5.00am. we will not audomaticaly wake, our friend will coe to front of our house and beat the drums.

We will burst, old Papers, and Mats, my friends will tell us to burst Tyers, but my mom will not allow to burst tyers. then finish bursting, me and my friends will go a round in our area, with giving sound on our drums. while we are in round, we need to give heat to our drums, so when ever we see some one bursting fire on front of there house, we will go there and heat our drums, an continue our rounds, we will go rounds untill 7.30am in our round, we take sugarcanes with us, when we get tired, we used to eat. All of them will tell us to broke the drums and put it in fire, but we will not do that, we used to beat drums untill out Pongal Holydays end, we will heat our drums in the cooking stove. some time i will hide the drums some where and tell my mom that i lost my drums, and i will take the same drum next year and beat. My brother will buy two drums every year, he will broke one on before bhogi day, and buy another on early morning. In villages some people will cook pongal in the Bhogi fire, but our neighbours will heat water for taking bath. For the last 3 year we have not burst Boghi and beat drums, because we have grown now no.

Every year on Boghi day, we hae school, because we have studing in christian school, so they will not give leave. when my mom tell us to get ready for school, we will start crying and tell, that our friends all have leave so we also like to put leave, them my mom will complain to our dad, but our dad will tell, only one day no, its ok. on Boghi, we clean our house for next day boghi. Boghi is the last day of Margazhi month, so my om used to put big kolams in front of our house, and we will put colors on that. they are the very happy and unforgetable days. Wish you all a Happy Boghi.

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 Few colorful Kolam from Pongal. 

On the evening of Pongal (Jan 14), I went for a walk around the neighborhood, like what I was doing for the last few years on Pongal day, looking for colorful Kolams drawn from the neighbors. Same as last year, I couldn't find many kolam, but somehow managed to click some.

Happy Valentines to all 

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Colorful Kolams

The above one is from the New Year, and what follows is our Pongal kolam.

And both the simple kolams were drawn by my aunt.

For the past two years, mom has been unable to draw kolam with my aunt over the festive season due to leg problems. My aunt is also facing some health problems lately, unable to draw large kolams on her own, and has resorted to simple colored kolams. This time, for the Pongal, mom was exhausted because of excess house cleaning, and she was so tired that she doubted whether she could carry out the event the next day or not. But I'm glad she woke up normally for Pongal, and the rest of the day went well. 

Something last week

A pretty flower from the sensitive plant or touch me not. In Tamil it is called thottachinungi and scientifically known as Mimosa pudica. During the weekend travel with family and while stopping somewhere to drink coffee, found this plants on road side and had some fun touching its leaves to closing.

The pongal was really wonderful and we went to our native home and celebrated on the terrace by lighting pongal pot. After long time we cousins met and enjoyed the holidays and as I wish I can’t visit any village on this mattu pongal day and had a bad evening at beach by leaving the vehicle into sand.

Dad parked the vehicle near the shore and went to walk, and being a enthusiastic off-road driving, we tried to drive on sand by listening to one of my cousin saying scorpio (SUV) will go on sand and it has huge wheels to balance, we learned a never forget experience and scold from dad by making struck into the sand.

It was more than a 45minutes drama of fear and tension until releasing the vehicle from sand and pleasantly lot of people came to help us and it was a hard time for everyone esp. my cousins who tried many ways to pull it out.

The other day we watched few movies and Peranmai was wonderful in all. It has good story and message to this world and makes feel the worth of communication and hard work. The explanation was beautiful even it was little bit. The other movies are Kanden Kadhalai (which was fun and beautiful), Iyntham padai (good comedy and action – interesting) and Vettaikaran (annoy almost except few songs)

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My colorful Pongal Pot

I created this lighted Pongal pot for the last month’s Pongal festival. I painted an old little earthen pot and wrapped led serial light around it and placed a bunch of paper on top for the bubbling shape. I placed it on the balcony during the festival nights and many passers-by take a look on it. 

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 A couple of colorful Kolam from Pongal. 

These are the remaining Kolams from the Pongal festival (Jan 14), which I shared here. As usual, I went around the neighborhood on Pongal Day looking for colorful kolams drawn by the neighbors, I couldn't find many kolams this year, same as last year, but I did manage to photograph a few. 

Chennai Sangamam is Back

It's good to hear The Chennai Sangamam, a street festival of Tamil Nadu's traditional folk arts held during Pongal, the harvest festival, in Chennai, has returned after an eleven-year absence; the government of Tamil Nadu (headed by Chief Minister MK Stalin) has decided to conduct the festival since the change in government after ten years and a covid period.

(All images are from 2009 festival)

The Chennai Sangamam 2023 begins on January 13th and runs through January 17th, and it was organized by MP Kanimozhi - who was even the festival's organizer at the time - along with Chennai Corporation. Apart from celebrating Pongal in a high mood, the main goal of this festival is to take our classic art, music, and dance to every corner of the city and show it to people who were unfamiliar with it. 

I wished the Chennai Sangamam could have continued despite the change of government since holding the festival is a worthy cause that not only promotes art but also helps village artists, the majority of whom come from impoverished backgrounds. The inaugural Sangamam took place in 2007, but I only saw it in 2009 at Palavakkam Beach Premises in Chennai, and it was a colorful spectacle of stage performances by rural artists. 

I think this should not be limited to Chennai alone but should be extended to other places to educate others about our unique art forms in Tamil Nadu. I am only familiar with a few of Tamil Nadu's many dance and music genres, including Mayilattam (peacock dance), Karakattam (in the worship of the rain goddess), Oyilattam (grace dance), Puliyattam (tiger dance), Poikkaal Kuthirai Aattam (dummy horse dance), and others. 

Karakattam is familiar to most, as they take first place in festivals and cultural programs. Karagam translates as "decorated vessel." As a result, one must perform dance movements in the direction of music while placing the vessel on the head without allowing it to fall. Until that day, I had only seen this style of dancing in movies, and the one that remains with me the most is Karakattakkaran (Karagam dancer), a popular Tamil film. 

I hope that the Chennai Sangamam will continue for the next three years or until a new government is formed in the upcoming elections, while I wish that any government that form has the responsibility to hold festivals to emphasize and protect our ancient traditional art in any form. I am sure it was a colorful event that will brighten up the city as we celebrate the harvest festival, Pongal, and thank nature and farmers for the source of life and food. 

A village to remind

The Pongal holidays happens to be like memorable and revisiting memories. The first two days spent mostly on watching television, and next day I thought to get out somewhere, with no idea where to go and in fear of Kaanum pongal crowd. Suddenly mom got the idea of visiting kottamedu - my grandpa’s sister village, away from Thiruporur and just 50km from Chennai. First I don’t liked her idea and said quite no, but when she pulled grandpa I can’t tell anything then, so that he could get the chance of meeting his loved ones and siblings on this occasion of pongal, those would gather usually. It’s something like after ten years, I visiting my favorite place as childhood, roamed immensely around happily. Those are the days we could stable for a week or more in the village and enjoy going to fields’ everyday, playing in pump set water and canals, having palm fruits, tender water, and mangoes and getting into forest to pick cashew nuts and fruits… Many things persist and extend to my wonder, but life that does not remain same these years, resist me getting there.

We reached there home for lunch. Even they build a terrace home, they continue to live in that old red tiled roof house. I wonder to see that house continue to be stronger and constant immortal. Behind the house, there is a big backyard remains stable for cattle and to drought grains, in middle of the house, there is a rain and sun visiting open space. Being inconvenience I can’t get inside there house, rejecting many invites by relatives, I stayed within vehicle. After sometime we decided to go to field. It was the main intention of my visit, and long time wish. Those are the ways we used to wander to fields and fun rides on the bullet bike with uncle are just reminds driving through the half-road take us to fields. I managed to reach the limited distance on my wheels, even thought I can’t get to specific place where pump set, well remains, I got to see the green fields, listening to varies bird sounds and sharing grandpa’s stories and thinking those tender memories. There left only ridges and moreover around grown paddy green fields.

The times we visit to this village, we used to watch movies on cinema shed. It usually supposed to be a night show and alike comes in movies, there are two options to seat. One is on mud floor and the other is sitting on stool. On the movies I watched, I could only remember the movie title Puthu Vasantham. It would be more fun, when our uncle was alive. We used to roaming behind him, and he take us around the village in his bullet and yamaha explorer in velocity. About riding in the stretch between the village and the Thiruporur town then is one of a scary thing, because of its very darkness with either side of forests. It was late in evening when we return, remembers me the fear. Those are days, never gets back and only remains through memories.

Me, Grandpa and cousin

Festivals and Celebration

Christmas is the initial of the festival seasons of winter followed by New Year, Pongal and yet to come Republic Day and it’s always pleasure celebrating a festival whichever way it was. Whatever the belief believed beyond any festival at its edge is happiness and it comes as a break from the busy scheduled life of everyone on behalf are suppose to take this chance to get-together with family and friends to rejoice the eve.

(Pongal kolam by mom)

I quite disappointed with the way holidays and festivals are celebrated today in front of televisions and no one is willing to go out by joining with others to make the merry joy into rejoice and it’s disturbing to see some seeking benefit for just being happy and make others feel alike. I feel that we are lost from the path of tradition that quite harvest the happiness and thanksgiving is something we all need to think about others who are behind us being a force to push ahead.

There was a time eagerly waiting for the festival greetings via post from our dear ones far away and what our technology has done today in communication is simplify to the least, but lost to touch the heart of everyone. The words have become shot and sweet but their relationships have become lack of savor and the significant of talk or text have come to least when there is plenty of ways to communicate.

(Nativity done by my grandmother)

There used to say that each individual is united as society but what’s happening these days are the individuals becoming more individual to think a lot about themselves alone and only the last though is given to society . We aren’t to blame anyone since the individual growth is rising to summit and standing on their foot doesn’t care much for others... and so the gap increased between relationships has created the distance to share the joy. Hope u all enjoyed the festival season!

(My Christmas tree)

Disappoint and enjoyment

I really not at all in the mood to blog now, but my situation is in compel to do it, with no other way to spent the times. How would it be if our cousins are in holiday’s and they are very near to us, even though we dint have fun. Its what happening here, only on Monday I went to beach with parents and one cousin bro. Couple of days backs all my cousins come to my home and spent only few hours, and went back to our grannies house. I hoped they would be with me for some days, and I request them to stay; but they refused it and went. I am totally disturbed when the loved ones depart me alone, I don’t know why should I disappoint with this, it gives only worries than nothing. My crave going ups, when I hear they are visiting other cousins house, is their any selfish in my wish that they must spent with me? If they expect any think to change with me, I am here for them do to, or I must find a way to bring them here. I haven’t any idea how to express my wishes to be with them. Anyhow I am just enjoyable with the music, at least to forget my crave.

After a long time to listen the energetic songs from Vijay. Pokeri has many peppy songs from Manisharma; I am catch with the songs and the Suchitra's rocking voice these days. En Chellaperu apple… was a youthful song from suchitra, this songs remembers the May Matham… from JA JA has become my favorite one and the song Nee Mutham ondru koduthal muthtamil…. Has comes out in the correct situation, where the Tamil has given much important recently in the Tamil Nadu. As usual there was a starting song with Pokiri pongal, which tells it would be a Pongal special. Already Vijay was an excellent dancer, now to give an additional enjoyment, the great dancer PrabuDeva's alliance expects more. I too brought some old collects from the Music exhibition recently, I don’t know now days my wish to listen to old songs has increased. This is the time to enjoy the village songs as we are heading towards Pongal a traditional festival of Tamil nadu, so got some songs from Pushpavam Kuppusami and I adore it.

Chennai Sangamam 2009

Before proceeding, just put on the current song at side bar, can give some feel. hehe…

The festival season is around, to indicate and by adding sugar, began this Chennai Sangamam – the traditional Tamil classic folk dance and music open festival. After successful two years of beginning, this festival ideal to develop the declining rural arts, the concept which was appreciated by everyone, that exhibits our own tradition and culture. The Chennai Sangamam 2009, which inaugurated on 10the January exists at many places around Chennai, stimulates the festival mood. In welcoming Pongal – the harvesting festival that falls on January 14th, this celebration gives a feel of nearly in traditional way. What this arts turn to be only temple festivals special in villages, which seen rarely in today’s world, this truly aware the need and significance of our unique arts. The idea comes out in supporting and raising the declining artists, and helps in discovering certain norms in public. Year by year I could think its popularity and we all began to look forward this festival around. In my view it has a bright future not alone being celebrated, and to make our existing arts to keep in active and some more in spreading to other districts, could certainly witness a growth.

Being in same city and knowing this festival, I could not make it a visit in past. But I had an interest and wish to watch those programs, which happens to be a distance vision. I get to know this time that one of the festivals open stage was setup near our familiar beach site in Palavakkam, which I happen to witness on Sunday. Well in advance took the cam in hope to see the festival sometime, it was rural beats welcomes at unexpected site to sight the festival near. I wonder to see a tall man, just walking around standing on high wood legs casually. Putting his long foot steps sounds like moving hooves… attracts. By the time we arrived, get to watch Karagattam and Poikkal Kudirai aattam, something unreal in memories so far; Kavadi aattam and Tamil folk songs singed by rural artist. It was a wonderful sense, shivering to glimpse those Tamil rural folk dance and music. We must praise those artists come across to remain our traditional style, to make us think why don’t we make it to core than sending them to verge, welcoming only western culture. It’s a pleasing feeling where no were in world has such rich and varies performing genre within a state. I think there are lots of art performances to get on stage till the festival concludes, and I hope to catch some more in coming days if possible. I know everyday there are different folk dances and music to take place, and along they conduct traditional food festival to taste the forgotten or strange. Just a day left for Pongal, there was lot of enthusiasm about the festivals, and the cymbal of Chennai Sangamam emits our sense along.

Karagattam was familiarly known by most, as they take places first and more in festivals and cultural programs. Karagam is mean to decorated vessel. So as one have to perform dance movements, placing them on head without let to fall the vessel. It’s uneasy to see how stable the vessel on head, to only active the body more or less towards music. Have seen this kind of dance in movies alone, and the one ever get out of mind is famous Tamil movie Karagattakaran (karagam dancer). The current song is Mankuyile poongkuyile... from Karagattakaran, do check for the karagattam.

Poikkal Kudirai Attam (Dummy horse dance) is a skill trained performance. It’s wonderful to see someone standing and balancing on two pieces of wooden legs, and caring a dummy horse on hip to move up and down to band music. Wearing colorful cloths hiding there legs, and wooden legs to hoof. It is unheard in the raised band music; called Naiyandi melam.

Kavadi attam is a devotional dance dedicated mostly to lord muruga. Unlike those carried on shoulders balanced by a stick and something curved like with fixed feathers on each end, what I see last evening was a stool like thing carried on head with a cone like decorated, as they roll, it revolves colorfully.

More pictures here in flickr

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 Colorful kolams from the neighborhood that was drawn for Pongal.

These are kolams drawn by my childhood friend Karthi's wife! She is a talented woman who does well in the arts. I have shared her Pongal kolams already here in 2021. Last year she didn't draw anything, and when I think about why I remember that she was pregnant then and now a mother of a 7- or 8-month-old cute baby girl. I met the baby a couple of times when I went for an evening walk on Sundays; the baby was so delicate and small compared with other kids her age to bear at hand.

During the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, she makes the Ganesh idol out of clay with her own hands.

Indian Dance Festival 2009

My sister invites us to witnessing the Indian dance festival happening from Dec 25-Jan25, 09 in mamallapuram, so as visiting her as celebrating Pongal. Being renowned tourist place, it attracts more visitors on festival days, so decided to get there uncertainly on Saturday. On the way joins my aunt’s family and it was more fun adding to this trip. The intention was to sight the dance festival in evening and getting to shore temple after noon, but still there was crowd left by festival season and time was less, there was another idea of fishing and hook’s were brought by cousin, though time was less because most of the time spent on to conversation and what can the expectation when families get together.

After cuppa we start to walk and me on wheels towards the cheese ball, what can be than fun when walking together and those shared movements. We reached the garden come cheese ball after 15mintues walk, receiving some relatives on our way, and spent sometime on garden, around sculptures. By 6pm everyone was drive outside the complex by whistled guard, I wonder what people may do if stayed after 6pm. There are times this place was uncared and unclean, wandered by lives across anytime and excrements left over, must really appreciate the archeological and tourism department to make this place such beautification and attractive surface with grass floors and fencing around in care those unique sculptures and rock. Being so nice, we moved before those guards force.

So we moved early to catch the dance festival on stage before the Arjuna’s Penance, in backdrop of renowned carved elephants. I unaware that days events, just went like that to view a strange performance by guys in crowned head and swords in hand, uttering some odd words, coming around the stage by striking the swords on floor. After sometime I get to know through someone in crowd, it was Arunachal Dance. I just Google to know it was Arpos Dance, played by Monpa tribe in Arunachal Pradesh, about 25 dancers, wearing helmets, carrying swords and look like ancient warriors, which describe the manner in ancestors tribe to defeat there enemies. It’s also the state dance of Arunachal Pradesh. To know, everyday there was some states traditional classic and folk dances are performed in festival.

Next was our classical dance Bharatanatyam, performed by the local school students and resident children around Mamallapuram. It’s tough time later, the relatives and parents of the students take place around the stage covering the performance visibility, because we were standing beside the stage closed by wooden protection and they were entered through the gaps and mislead the guards. Finally they covered completely invisible, so we moved and bored to see not much variation in performance. It was late evening, cold weather, and back to sister’s home, having our dinner and arrived home by 9.40pm. About the festival, it expounds the classical dances of Indian states, in backdrop of glorious rock cut sculptures belong to 7th centuries of Pallava period. It’s an annual Indian dance festival organized by Tamil Nadu Tourism Department near the season to Pongal. More pictures can be seen here at my Dance Festival set.