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The Directorate of Public Instruction (DPI) is planning a project which will highlight prize winning literary items such as short stories, essays and paintings at the Kerala School Kalotsavam.

While toppers of stage events such as music and dance often get an opportunity to re-enact their talent before a select audience during the valedictory, there is no such luck for winners of literary events. Now, the directorate has decided to rectify this anomaly by bringing out a compilation of prize winning literary items. “We will consider coming up with a work that chronicles their achievements,” said A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish, director, DPI.

The guessing game initiated by youth festival kitchen supervisor Pazhayidom Mohanan Namboothiri generated much interest on Saturday. The game was to guess the main ingredient of the surprise ‘payasam’ for the lunchtime ‘sadhya’. A cash prize of Rs.501 was announced for the winner.

Predictably, an unprecedented number of people arrived to taste the mysterious ‘payasam’ and try their luck. Guesses varied from jackfruit to ginger to banana. Finally, Mr. Namboothiri revealed the ingredients. “It is a mix of banana, pumpkin and Bengal gram with a dash of honey.” The prize was won by a staff of the Directorate of Public Instruction.

Duff Muttu, the art form usually practised by members of the Muslim community in the State, transcended religious boundaries at the Kalotsavam. The team from S.N.D.P. Higher Secondary School, Pathanamthitta, tutored by Mohammed Haneef, largely comprised students from Hindu and Christian communities.

The competition of wind instruments held at the Sangeetha College led to a tense situation after some participants objected to the use of trumpet instead of the prescribed clarinet and bugle by a few contestants. Quoting the festival manual they said that the use of trumpet would give the contestants an unfair advantage. The tension was finally diffused with the organisers deciding to stick to the rules.

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