A Grand Culmination to Week-Long Onam Festivities

KERALA TOURISM NEWSLETTER

ISSUE: 289

SEPTEMBER 2017

A Grand Culmination to Week-Long Onam Festivities

The week-long Onam celebrations organised by Kerala Tourism came to an end with a rich and colourful cultural pageantry.

The State welcomed Onam with a host of cultural programmes. The programmes organised by the State government began on September 1 and continued till September 9. This year, Green Protocol was implemented during the Onam celebrations.

Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the Onam celebrations in a function presided over by Mr. Kadakampally Surendran, Minister for Tourism, Kerala. Cine-actor Mr. Mammootty was the chief guest. The inaugural ceremony was followed by a host of cultural programmes by leading artistes. The event began with ‘Panjarimelam’ (traditional Kerala percussion ensemble) which was performed by 40 young artistes.

Mr. Kadakampally Surendran hoisted the flag at the Kanakakunnu Palace grounds on September 1, ushering in the Onam celebrations. A food festival was also launched at the Kanakakunnu grounds. The Tourist Information Centre which was set up at the Kanakakunnu grounds was inaugurated by Mr. V. K. Prasanth, Mayor, Thiruvananthapuram.

A grand cultural fete was organised across the State featuring the traditional art forms of Kerala, tribal art forms, classical and folk dance performances, classical music performances and so forth.

A host of programmes was organised in all the 14 districts under the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC). This year, the celebrations were spread across 30 venues. ‘Athappookkalam’ (floral carpet) and ‘Thiruvathira’ (traditional Kerala dance) competitions were also held.