WHEN STREETS TURNED INTO STORIES

The annual Kolam and Rangoli contest at Mylapore Festival is a time for women and men to tap into their creative side steeped in culture

- AASHNA REDDY

On a warm January Saturday afternoon, North Mada Street in Mylapore shed its usual rush-hour chaos for something far more charming – a street-length canvas of dots, patterns, and colours. The road was barricaded, the chatter of auto horns replaced by laughter and cheer, and a large banner reading 'Kolam Vizha' fluttered in the breeze, welcoming artists and onlookers alike.

Part of the larger Sundaram Finance Mylapore Festival 2025, the Kolam and Rangoli contests are among the most anticipated events in this four-day annual cultural celebration. The Kolam Vizha, in particular, transforms the streets into an open-air gallery, where art and tradition meet on the asphalt canvas.

The street shimmered from a recent wash – a water tanker had driven through to prepare the road for the festival's star performers. But even before the ground dried, excitement was already in the air. Women in saris and kurtis gathered along the street, kolam powders and rangoli kits clutched tightly in their hands.