Hearts and hearths open up to rasikas

Home stay, a phrase commonly associated with tourist destinations, is now in vogue in the city during the December season.

Those who throng the city to enjoy the Margazhi concerts and misty evenings can find a homely place to stay without much trouble.

Many locals, mostly music lovers, have rented out rooms in their houses for nominal sums for the benefit of

rasikas who visit from faraway places. House owners say, this way, they have company in the evenings to discuss Carnatic compositions.

Uma Maheshwari, a resident of Palathope in Mylapore, has offered a room in her house for rent. “This is the first time I am doing it and there has been very good response,” she says.

Ms. Maheshwari has received many calls from across the country. “There were some calls from places like Avadi too. They wanted to stay within the city for the season,” she says.

Many of the house owners are offering food too. “But most guests prefer having food at the sabhas itself. They just want a place to rest,” says Ms. Uma Maheshwari.

Some house owners like Gopal Venkatramanan, a resident of Las Vegas, have been coming to the city during the Margazhi season for the past 15 years.

“I have two flats in T. Nagar and thought of offering one on rent for music lovers who come during the Margazhi festival,” he says.

K. Ramakrishnan, a resident of 3 street, Abhiramapuram, says he received home-stay enquiries from Puducherry. “But one of my relatives is staying here for the season. So I won’t be able to accommodate anybody else,” he says.

However, safety is a matter of concern when house owners let out rooms on rent. Senior police officers say residents should verify the antecedents of their guests.

“It can be dangerous. It is always better to ask for some identity proof or even a copy of their passport, if the guests are foreigners,” says a senior police officer.