Chennai | Urur Olcott Kuppam vizha returns with concerts by the beach by TM Krishna, Motta Maadi Music and parai artists

Experience the vibrant cultural festivities at Urur Olcott Kuppam Vizha on February 23, a must-attend event in Chennai with performances by singer TM Krishna and several other exponents of parai and villupaatu.

There is a sense of urgency at Urur Olcott Kuppam a week before the vizha on February 23.

The Ellaiamman temple, the epicentre of the festival, is laced with carefully placed scaffolding. Most of the construction and painting needs to be completed in time for the event.

The streets are hence being spruced up and small garbage trucks are bussing away debris lining the road. Soon, there will be boards, banners, mic sets and a makeshift stage outside the temple.

Until then, a restless commotion of preparation persists among the organisers as people flit in and out of the Vettiver Collective (NGO) office. The cats and dogs of the kuppam however, are unaffected by the construction noise and are languishing in the afternoon sun.

“If you leave everything spick and span, what will the volunteers do during the beach clean up (on February 18 as part of the festival),” jokes singer TM Krishna to K Saravanan, one of the main organisers of the project.

The Urur Olcott Kuppam vizha, one of Chennai’s most popular counter-culture festivals, is happening after a six-year hiatus and Saravanan says that the city has missed much.

For one, the Ellaiamman temple, a seminal part of Urur Olcott kuppam’s history, has grown twice in size. It is the site of the festival and one of the key reasons for the existence of the area’s history and lore. The temple has required refurbishing for several years. With contributions from several benefactors both from the area and from those who have been associated with Urur Olcott Kuppam, a grander manifestation of the temple has been created.