Made of Chennai festival ends with a burst of music, food, and city spirit

The Hindu Made of Chennai Food and Music Festival: a vibrant celebration of food, music, and culture in Chennai.

The Hindu Made of Chennai Food and Music Festival wrapped up on Sunday with the second day of the music and food extravaganza in Island Grounds, rounding off a month-long celebration of the city.

An enthusiastic crowd gathered at 40 different Chennai-based food outlets serving dishes ranging from ice gola and pancakes to biriyani. Day two’s line-up of musical performances featured an eclectic mix of artists, including Gowwli, Paul Jacob’s Folk Agenda, JHANU, Arivu and The Ambassa Band, and Haricharan with Drums Kumaran Collective Ft. Sireesha Bhagavatula.

Before taking the stage, Arivu and The Ambassa Band shared their mission, “Our band is about celebrating the everyday joys of the common people. It’s storytelling through song — that’s the heart of what we do.” Even before they hit the stage, the crowd was already dancing and singing, swept up in the rhythm of the festival.

Haricharan, performing alongside Drums Kumaran Collective, said, “It’s been a long time since I performed a gig in Chennai, so the Made of Chennai music and food fest was the perfect opportunity— especially because I’m a huge foodie!”

Paul Jacob’s Folk Agenda brought folk to the forefront, with Mr. Jacob reflecting on how they have been advocating for folk music for the past 25 years.

Kerala-based band Gowwli, performing in Chennai for the second time, expressed their excitement and said: “Playing here is special because we have been influenced by so many Chennai artists.” Similarly, JHANU, known for their original compositions, talked about how Chennai is their home ground.

The Hindu Made of Chennai Food and Music Festival was held in association with ACKO, Beepkart. In partnership with: the Greater Chennai Corporation, Greater Chennai Traffic Police, Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation, and Namma Marina. Associate partners: Ather and Akshayakalpa. Expert partner: Social Bee. Artist partner: ACTC. Radio partner: BIG FM. Happiness partner: On the Streets of Chennai. Event partner: Torque. Health partner: Kauvery Hospital.