Kolu Kondattam 2026: 700 windows into a tradition

Life is lived within the confines of the predictable. Under the sun, nothing happens that has not happened earlier. There is a persistent sense of repetitiveness to the calendar and its events. A glance at your daily schedule and a flip-through of the annual calendar provide enough evidence that the repetitiveness is real, not perceived.

Does that mean life is monotonous? It can be, if one trudges through it mechanically following the dictates of the calendar and the day planner. But it certainly won’t be if one practises creative living, bringing a freshness to the repetitive events of life. There would not be shred of exaggeration if one called The Hindu’s Kolu Kondattam a master class in creativity, refreshingly different every year it hits the Kolu padi at homes in Chennai and surrounding districts.

The Hindu’s Kolu Kondattam 2026 notched up well over 700 entries in the KTCC region (Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, Chennai and Chengalpattu districts). This massive participation is a reflection of the continuing relevance of the tradition.