Archana Kalpathi, CEO, AGS Cinemas, began thinking of the theme for this year’s Navarathri in April. Soon, with the help of her five-year-old son, collecting miniature animals from all over the globe and a lot of liaising with artisans (who work in her company) and shopkeepers in T.Nagar, she came up with the Panchatantra theme. These stories, set in frames, as in the comic book series, run across the area that leads to the Puja room. With the amount of detail that’s gone in, the only thing they’re missing to make them more alive are speech bubbles. “I do this as a way to tell my son our traditional stories. All these stories have a moral – patience, self-belief and so on,” she says, “I’m also like a director. I write down everything I need and give it to people to make them for me. I then take care of the assembling.” She has depicted five traditional stories, told graphically through miniature animals (lions, goats, crocodiles, rabbits, birds and many more), trees made of branches and puff material, customised backdrops and specially-crafted wells with mirrors. Archana then takes her guests around and narrates the stories. Wooden benches and seats are placed in the inner courtyard. There, Krishna and his cow find a place. Just below the staircase and next to the lift are her five golu padis. “My golu isn’t traditional as much as it is aesthetic. I try to create a sense of balance and symmetry throughout it,” says Archana. Outside her home, just before you enter, is a colourful rangoli, with a brass urli on it – fresh flowers floating at the top. On either side are two kuthuvilakus, presenting a warm welcome to her guests.
