Surfboards come whizzing past on the backs of motorbikes, on top of cars, and trucks and even the odd push-cart. The beach is getting spruced up, and volunteers have arrived from as far away as Puducherry and Bangalore to take part.
At the Covelong Point Surf, Music and Yoga Festival, a seaside carnival that has put Chennai on the international festival circuit, the sense of pageantry is real, the surfing competition fierce, and skills on display, sensational. Last year’s local heroes — Sekar Patchai, Ragul P, and Murthy Megavan — are world class surfers, and they will be up against champs from across the region. All eyes are set on five-time champion (and the ladies’ favourite) Dharani Selvakumar, who will be out to defend his title. A small, but growing tribe of women surfers go from strength to strength each year, battling it out in tough conditions.
But even as the trapeze stunts on the waves come into focus mid-August, not everything is surfing-lingo at Covelong Point: this is also a music and yoga event, and three days of heady music and steadying postures can make for a groovy weekend. “The Festival is a celebration of life – body, mind and spirit. It is a coming together of many passions, arts and communities into an amazing weekend,” says Yotam Agam (EarthSync), who’s in the process of setting up the beach stage. Like the previous editions, this too will be the party of the season, with a line-up featuring top musicians from across genres ranging from folk to electronic, meditative to Carnatic. Like Israeli performer, Bemet, who headlines the Saturday evening act, The Raghu Dixit Project returns to the festival of ‘happy people who love music’. “From what we’ve heard, the festival has only grown bigger and better in the years since we last played there so we are really excited to come back,” says a member of the contemporary Indian folk band.
A perfect venue for a day-long picnic, the festival displays all the regular gigs of seaside sentiment: cotton candy, manga-sundal , bajjis , fish-fry, kite-flying, kayaking and (in between competing fiercely) even some home-town koothu performances by the Covelong Point Boys Dance Troupe. There’s a space for everyone, with handicrafts, food stalls, beach-volleyball action and slack-line ropes to contend with.
“There are no boundaries… people from every walk of life get along and enjoy the surf, music, yoga and food,” echoes Arun Vasu (TT Group), as the local Panchayat and fishing community manage the parking situation, provide accommodation, and keep the surrounds clean and safe for all. Divya Rolla, who will lead sessions at the ‘Yoga Shala’ this year, sums it up aptly, “It’s a true celebration of the people of Kovalam; it’s their space, their festival.”
From August 25 to 27 at the Covelong Point Surf School
in Kovalam. Tickets for the
Yoga Shala start at ₹1500
for a day pass. Entry to the
rest of the venues is free.
9840975916
