Kerala - Kochi   

Rain douses the spirit

KOCHI: Nature scripted a plot different from what the organisers had planned, and the fireworks, which was expected to put a dazzling end to the four-day Onam gala, Lavanyam, 2007, met with a rather drab end on Tuesday night.

The organisers who had conceived more than an hour-long pyrotechnics had to wrap it up inside an hour as heavens opened up ahead of the proposed fireworks dousing the spirit.

It is to the credit of the authorities that they did not cancel the fireworks display all together. Fireworks from a specially erected platform on the backwater off the Marine Drive did light up the night sky, but not with the same dazzle as expected.

Intermittent rain meant that spectators never really thronged the streets. The fireworks started when the rain relented a bit. And for a moment it seemed that nature would heed the prayers of the organisers. But it kept on drizzling and it only worsened.

While majority of the spectators opted to return to the comfort of their homes, there were some spectators who braved rain and were determined to catch and savoured what little they could

“Had the rain kept away, hundreds would have thronged to view the spectacle and it would have been a wonderful experience. More than the fireworks, it is about people, their combined spirit of celebrations,” G. Mahesh, one of the spectators who stayed back for the firework display said.

District Collector A.P.M. Hanish had said that the fireworks were being organised on the waterfront in such a manner that it would ensure an unobstructed view to thousands, especially the inhabitants of the adjoining islands.

Earlier, a musical fusion show, which saw Tayambaka maestro Mattannur Sankaran Kutty teaming up with young and upcoming musician Balabhaskar caught the imagination of the people.

Various cultural and musical programmes, including musical nites, dance, competitions and comedy programmes, were held this year.

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