Felicitation of playback singer P. Jayachandran and shows by transgenders and the differently abled will be the highlights of the seven-day Onam celebrations in the capital.
Kerala Tourism’s Statewide Onam celebrations will be launched by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on September 12.
The sprawling premises of the Kanakakunnu Palace will be the hub of the government-sponsored celebrations in the city and suburbs. There will be 30 venues in all.
The Chief Minister will formally inaugurate the festivities at the Nishagandhi auditorium that is being provided a butterfly-shaped roof to host functions during all weather conditions.
Jayachandran, who has completed 50 years of playback singing, will be honoured at the inaugural event. This will be followed by a music performance by a team of leading playback singers and Jayachandran will join them.
The show by transgenders will be at Gandhi Park. The differently abled will perform at Nishagandhi on Thiruvonam day.
New venuesKazhakuttam, Sree Chitra Park near Transport Bhavan, University College and Neyyattinkara are the new venues included in the 2016 edition of the festivities. Amateur dramas will be staged at University College. Folk arts will be presented on the stages titled Sopanam, Thiruvarangu, Sooryakanthi and Nattarengu on the Kanakakunnu Palace premises. Sangeethika, the stage inside the palace, will be the venue for Carnatic vocal concerts. Painting and photo exhibition will also be held at the palace.
Panchavadyam will be presented near the main entrance of the palace.
Central Stadium will be the venue for shows by Malayalam satellite TV channels and a newspaper. Poojappura grounds will continue to be the main venue for ‘ganemelas.’ The Public Office premises, Veli, Madavoorpara and Sooryakanthi exhibition grounds too will host ‘ganamelas.’
Plays and poetry sessions will be staged at VJT Hall. Food festival and trade fair will be organised at Sooryakanthi exhibition grounds. An amusement park will be set up for children. The Kowdiar-East Fort corridor will be illuminated.
In addition to the 30 venues, the District Tourism Promotion Council will also organise cultural events at Kovalam, Shanghumughom, Varkala, Aruvikkara, Neyyar Dam and Chirayinkeezhu.
Till September 18The festivities will wind up on September 18 with the customary pageantry in the capital. A sum of Rs.1.90 crore had been sanctioned for State-level celebrations in the capital and Rs.15 lakh for the DTPC. In addition to Rs.3.24 crore sanctioned for the festivities, Director of Tourism U.V. Jose said DTPCs of Kollam, Thrissur and Kannur had been given additional funds.
