Lights, Camera, Navaratri: A Hayagrivas Story
We didn’t want it to look like another AD film. We wanted it to feel like your own home during Navaratri — the golu steps glowing with lamps, children giggling, grandmother making prasadams, and father helping in golu arrangements and mother is juggling around showing her classical talents and managing every guests and tiny tasks. We wanted to tell stories, because stories have always been part of who we are.
Storytelling has always been close to Hayagrivas. Every saree we weave carries one — of tradition, of memory, of celebrations passed down. Navaratri is no different. Every bommai in the golu has a tale, every Carnatic song has a meaning, every prayer has a story hidden inside.
This year, our motive was simple: to bring back those stories. To remind us of evenings when our grandmothers told us about Goddesses while tying flowers in our hair. To bring back the magic of listening, of learning, of feeling connected. That’s why we chose not just to show silks but to tell the tales that make this season so alive.
A Shoot That Felt Impossible at First
Looking at the final frames, you might think it all looked perfect — like pages from a Glossy Magazine. But the truth? Behind every shot was a little chaos.
The stage decoration got delayed, and the flowers had to be fixed again and again. The cast (Shrishtika Sriram) was still getting ready by Shobana Kishor and Shakthi, while the direction team(Madras Medias) kept waiting for the perfect light. Children — our little artists (Hansah Markendey and Prahalad Krishnan) — were more interested in murukku and pori urundai than standing still for the camera. One moment they were on stage, the next they were running out.
The Musicians (The Student Project Team) sat in a corner, tuning their instruments, waiting for silence. The Grandmother (Rajalakshmi Krishnamurthi) in the cast sat patiently with a book in hand, while the crew rushed around adjusting lamps, frame and cameras. At times, it felt impossible — but it was this very tension that made the shoot real. It wasn’t just a set. It felt like an actual Navaratri home.
What We Tried to Show?
The stories we filmed were carefully chosen. Some were about Gods and Goddesses — like the powerful Mahisasura Mardhini, or Kamakshi’s grace in Kanchipuram. Some were about simple but deep devotion — like Kannappa Nayanar’s love for Shiva, or Pundarika’s service to his parents. Some were playful, like Ramanujar’s tender call of “Chella Pillai, vaa.” All the Navaratri stories were thoughtfully narrated by Shrishtika Sriram, she was draped in Traditional Silk Sarees from Hayagrivas Silk House and Jewels from Meena Fashions.
Each story had one thing in common: they reminded us that Navaratri is not just about Decoration or Rituals. It’s about Moral values, Emotions, and Connections.
The People Who Made It RealWhat made the shoot special was the people. The Student Project team joined us with fresh energy. Carnatic musicians filled the air with music, making the set feel alive. Families on screen brought the exact warmth we wanted to show.
And of course, our Children were the heart of it. Their laughter, their restlessness, even their mischief gave the shoot life. You can’t fake that innocence, Right?? You can only capture it.
Between the tension of retakes and the rush to complete the shoot, there were also soft moments. The smell of Hot bajjis,Samosas and Tea being shared during breaks. The mother (Saranya Krishnan) tying flowers in a little girl Hansah’s hair while waiting for her scene. A father(Krishnan venkataraman) adjusting his son Prahalad’s veshti before the camera rolled.
These small things reminded us why Navaratri is so beautiful. It’s not just devotion — it’s joy, togetherness, and love.
What We Took Back
At the end of it all, we didn’t just have a film. We had an experience. It was tiring, yes. It felt impossible at times, yes. But it was also deeply fulfilling.
We went into this project wanting to tell stories. But what we got was more than that. We got to live the festival before it even began. We got to see how silks, stories, music, and people come together to create something timeless and Unforgettable.
Through “Navaratri Kathaigal,” we hope you feel the same magic we felt during the shoot. We hope you see not just sarees, but memories. Not just rituals, but emotions. Not just a festival, but a way of life.
At Hayagrivas, we always say that sarees carry stories. This Navaratri, we let stories carry us. And we are so grateful to share them with you. Because Navaratri is not just about what you wear or display. It’s about what you feel, what you remember, and what you pass on to the next generation.