Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

VS to inaugurate cultural extravaganza

M.A. Baby

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The capital will witness a cultural extravaganza, Octave-2008, comprising the traditional art forms of the eight north-eastern States from February 16 to 23.

A group of 750 artistes and 81 artisans from Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim and Nagaland will exhibit their prowess in the third edition of Octave-2008 at the Nishagandhi auditorium and Sooryakanthi at Kanakakunnu and the Tagore Theatre.

Minister for Cultural Affairs M.A. Baby, Kerala Sangeeta Nataka Akademi chairman Murali and Culture Secretary V.Venu told mediapersons here on Saturday that Octave was not just a routine cultural exchange programme but a meaningful event to familiarise the people of Kerala with the traditional folk art forms, culinary delights and handcrafts of the north-eastern States. The traditional art forms of the State too would be presented.

The Jeng Bihu dance of Assam, one of the most colourful folk dances of the country, the Bordoishikla dance of the Bodo community, which has nurtured its own distinctive music and dance, Kushan dance, a folk art form popular in Goalpara district of western Assam, Jalpaiguri and Coochbehar districts of North Bengal, parts of Bihar, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Meghalaya and myriad other folk arts of the other States too would be on display at different venues in the city during the eight days. Seminars, theatre and food festivals, painting camps, as well as exhibition of handicrafts and handloom goods of the north-eastern States too had been arranged as part of the festival, they said.

Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan will inaugurate the festival at the Nisahagandhi auditorium at 5 p.m. on February 16.

A cultural procession will be taken out from Palayam to Kanakakunnu at 3 p.m. to mark the inauguration of the festival. Cultural programmes will be held in the evenings.

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