Meenakshi Devaraj, ECR-based kolam researcher, story-teller and historian judged the entries for the Mylapore Times Kolu Contest. Ten kolu displays were chosen for the top prizes.
The other participants were given small gifts.
Here is Meenakshi’s note – Most of the participants had tried to arrange their dolls around a particular theme rather than simply displaying them in the usual way. Some had even extended their themed displays to different parts of their homes. When you see a kolu featuring dolls preserved through generations, it feels as though you are travelling back in time, sharing in the nostalgic memories of the family. Some collections were said to have been purchased by their ancestors in Mylapore, making them even more special. Few had painstakingly created dolls from scratch.
The arasamathadi pillaiyar of Kolavizhi Amman and the Puri Jagannath Temple were such creations. One kolu featured iconic places in Chennai, represented through handmade cards mounted on sticks. This little display certainly caught my attention. Mythological themes, such as the Mahabharata, are quite common in kolu displays.
But a kolu presented a novel interpretation by recreating the Chakravyuham, the intricate battle formation from the Mahabharata. Another kolu showcased inspiring achievers from every state and Union Territory of India. What made this display even more interesting was that it was accompanied by a dedicated blog and a YouTube video documenting the collection. Perhaps this is a glimpse of how future kolus will evolve to be.
Kolu Contest Winners
1. Abarna Venkatraman / 2nd Main Road, CIT Colony. 2. Deepa Bharathi Mohan/ Kutchery Road, Mylapore. 3. Arun Kumar / Brindavan Street, Mylapore 4. Sharanya Babuji / Venkatakrishna Road, R A Puram. 5. Durga Sridhar / Kesavaperumal West Street, Mylapore.
6. Neha C Mouli / Mandaveli street, Mandaveli. 7. Srilatha Kishore / 4th Trust Cross Street, Mandaveli. 8. Priyanka S/ Alamelumangapuram, Mylapore. 9. Vyjayanthi Mala / CIT Colony 10. Mani Moorthy / 2nd Cross Street, R A Puram.
WATCH VIDEO – of the pize winning kolus ( the visuals show only a section of the actual kolu made by each winner) > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ALzeCj2VKg
