My son was selected in his school (Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan) to participate in a fancy dress competition conducted in Chettinad School last week. The task of coming up with the theme and the dress was left to us parents.
The first was the theme (concept), after much wrangling between me and my wife, she came with the brilliant idea of doing Kannappa Nayanar story with the message on "Eye Donation". She said since I am an avid blogger I write well so she assigned me to writing the script (this is the downside of writing blogs I learned on that day 
). Add to this she assigned me to write it in both languages – Tamil and English as we couldn’t agree on which language our son will feel comfortable delivering. Here is the complete script in Tamil and English on Kannapa Nayanar story in brief with a message in the end on Eye Donation (Please feel free to use it if you have a need).
The second was to source the costume. We needed a hunter dress complete with Deer skin (or like) bottom, Bow and Arrow, Cap, Beads Garland, etc. After some search in Internet I came across an article in "The Hindu" listing some costume hires. With that information and inputs from friends and relatives, we identified 3 shops in South Chennai. We went to all the three, all of them had the dress set we wanted for hire. On an average per day of hire they quoted Rs.100-150 and a refundable deposit of Rs.200-400. We went with the first shop listed below just because the dress looked slightly better than the others.
- K. Nathamuni & Sons (Theatre & Cine Hires & Suppliers), New #179 (Old #73) Kodambakkam High Road, Chennai – 17. Phone: 044-2345 5990, 4212 2229. If you are coming from Valluvar Kottam towards Vadapalani, instead of climbing the Kodambakkam Flyover, get into the small lane below (left hand side of the flyover, opposite to Murasoli office) after few shops you will find this one.
- Nathrang & Co. (Hires of Cine & Dramatic Costumes of Historical & Social pattern & cartoon characters), Nathigam Press Building, First Floor, 97/55 Arcot Road, Chennai – 600 024. Phone: 044-2480 2489.
- Thangam Dresses (Costumes & Ornaments for Hire & Sale, Character Wigs, Turbens & Dresses, School Drama, etc.) 199 Arcot Road, Vadapalani, Chennai – 600 026. Phone: 044-2362 3467, 98415 53888, 98418 46888. This shop is exactly opposite to Vadapalani Police Station on Arcot Road itself, few shops from the Ring Road intersection.