December marks the much-loved Music Season in Chennai, showcasing Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam. But did you know that in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, music was performed outdoors in orchards and estates outside the city? The Sarva Deva Vilasa, a Sanskrit text preserved at the Adyar Library, reveals how rich dubashes hosted music events at spots like Tiruneermalai, Nungambakkam, and Tiruvallikeni. These gatherings featured western bands and Indian ensembles. The Tamil instrument parai, with its Surya and Chandra varieties, was popular. Performances took place in tents, and patrons would bathe in nearby lakes and tanks. Songs and verses were mostly in Sanskrit or Telugu, with Tamil less commonly used. Scholarly debates on music were common, led by senior community members. The public likely had limited access to these tent events, but temples made music more accessible. Musical events often happened in temple precincts, where scholars composed songs praising deities. Dubashes, who were administrators and trustees, played a key role in supporting the arts, similar to today's corporate sponsors. Courtesans, though mentioned briefly, were important performers with known patrons. The December season today creates traffic hotspots, but thankfully musicians no longer arrive on elephants as they did in the past. This glimpse into history from writer and historian Sriram V. shows the rich, evolving culture of Chennai's music scene.