A quiet excitement filled the Lady Sivaswami Ayyar School hall in Mylapore on Sunday. Participants in the Pallankuzhi contest focused intently on their wooden boards, moving tamarind seeds, red beads, or shells between pits. "Those who get the maximum number of coins are winners in that particular game between two persons. The teams were given 45 minutes to play and there were teams that could play even 24 – 25 games in that span," explained Mythili Subramanian, a former teacher who led the event at the 22nd Sundaram Finance Mylapore Festival. K.R. Jambuthan, a long-time Mylapore resident with a 120-year-old Pallankuzhi board, shared his experience playing against a skilled young girl from the USA. "I have been playing this game for several years now and have also won prizes a few times," he said. His wife, Visalakshi Jambunathan, also a former teacher, added, "I have played from my young age. I have also taught this game to my children. Now many people come to this competition, which has made it more challenging." Vincent D’Souza, director of the festival, announced that concerts at the Kapaleeswarar Temple will run from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. between January 8 and 11. He also confirmed a chess tournament for children under 12 years at the Lady Sivaswami Ayyar School from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on January 10 and 11. Earlier, at a press conference, Rajiv Lochan, Managing Director of Sundaram Finance, revealed a new sustainability drive. In 2026, Sundaram Finance will promote the BlueGreen Mile walking campaign. Alongside the Environmental Foundation of India, they will launch the Grow Your Food initiative. Citizens will get training from volunteers to set up their own kitchen gardens, encouraging eco-friendly living.