The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Cultural fiesta begins today

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Saturday, Nov 24, 2007
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Cultural fiesta begins today

Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: ‘Utsavam,’ a five-month cultural fiesta showcasing some of the traditional art forms of the State, will begin here on Saturday.

Spread across four venues, Kovalam, Varkala, Shanghumughom and Museum, the festival will treat spectators to some age-old art forms such as Thullal, Padayani, Thirayattam, Chavittunatakam, Pakkanarthullal, Malayan Kettu, Margam Kali, Paricha Muttu Kali, Thirayattom, Mudiyettu, Arjuna Nritham, Sopana Sangeetham, Shasthampattu, Theyyam and Kathakali.

The event, which ensures the participation of local bodies, non-governmental organisations, tourism clubs, youth clubs and local communities, is spread across 36 stages in all 14 districts.

The festival will be held on all Saturdays till March 29 from 6.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. Minister for Law and Sports M. Vijayakumar will inaugurate the district-level festivities. The time of the events will be uniform throughout the State.

At a press conference here on Friday, V. Sivankutty, MLA, said the fete would be the first of its kind to be organised in the State.

The expenditure for the event is estimated at Rs.2 crore. Around Rs 11.4 lakh will be spent in the city alone, Mr. Sivankutty said.

The District Tourism Promotion Councils will be the executing agencies for the event.

Kerala Tourism will send the cultural calendar detailing the venues, dates and performances to tour operators and agencies abroad. Those interested in visiting the State and knowing more about an art form can find out the details from the calendar and plan their visits accordingly.

The event is meant to help the State gain an upper hand in the cultural tourism sector.

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