Chance-Ey Illa Golu Contest 2025: Participants go all out with artistic Navaratri kolus

Yet another Navaratri season went by, and the city’s kolu enthusiasts once again had the opportunity to showcase their artistic flair. As part of the Chennai Times Chance-ey Illa Golu Contest 2025, we visited the homes of the top nine entries along with our celebrity judge, TV personality Nisha Ganesh.

Each family took up a unique theme and wielded their creativity and imagination around it.The kolu of 86-year-old retired math teacher Bhanumathi S revolved around the theme of prime numbers and their significance in various fields. The mother and daughter duo, Rajee and Shreya, added their own unique touch by adding six Tom and Jerry sets amongst the kolu dolls. Siblings Srushthika and Vimoksh, along with their parents, didn’t just stop with one theme; they opted for 25 themes! Get ready for a festive evening of dance and celebration The grand finale of the Chennai Times Chance-ey Illa Golu Contest 2025 will take place on October 18, at 6pm, at Muthamizh Peravai, RA Puram.

Get ready to experience a delightful evening filled with three delightful dance performances by Renjith-Vijna & Ensemble (Bharatanatyam), Ridhima Singh (Kathak) and Vidhya Arasu (Odissi).The top three winners and the nine finalists will also be felicitated at the event. Every family has worked really hard to make the kolu: Nisha Impressed by the effort and dedication with which the families made the kolus , Nisha Ganesh told us, “I got to go around Chennai for two days and meet a lot of families. It was an amazing experience, and I had a wonderful time getting to see the theme kept at every house, as well as the homework and thought that went into it.Every family has worked really hard to make the kolu.”