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Tourism Minister Inaugurates Utsavam 2017

With the growing popularity of contemporary art forms, it is the responsibility of Kerala’s youth to protect and promote the state’s many traditional art forms, Mr. Kadakampally Surendran, Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, Kerala, has said.  Inaugurating the state-level annual folklore festival and cultural fiesta ‘Utsavam 2017’ – organised by Kerala Tourism and Kerala Folklore Academy – at Kottakunnu Ground in Malappuram, the Minister said that Utsavam, which is in its ninth edition, has been able to provide a livelihood for several practitioners of traditional art forms. “The artistes being honoured at Utsavam have spent their entire lives keeping their respective art forms alive in Kerala,” the Minister said. 

He added that these artistes need to be given opportunities to spread these disciplines to different parts of Kerala and other states. 

Folk artistes who were honoured at the inaugural function included Mr. V.M. Kutty, Mr.  Narayanaperuvannan, Mr. Eranjoli Moosa, Mr. Athiyadam P.P. Kannaperuvannan, Mr. P.K. Panicker, Ms. Narayaniswami, Mr. P.P. Madhavan Panicker, Mr. V.P. Damodaran Panicker, Mr. Peer Mohamed, and Mr. M. Kannan. 

Around 3,500 artistes are expected to perform some 100 traditional art forms at various venues across the state’s 14 districts. Performances of art forms ranging from ‘Arjuna Nritham’, ‘Adivasi Kalakal’, ‘Chavittukali’, ‘Gaddhika’, ‘Irula Nritham’, ‘Kanyarkali’, ‘Kethrattom’, ‘Kolkkali’, ‘Kooliyattom’, ‘Margam Kali’, ‘Mayilattom’, ‘Nadanpattu’, ‘Oppana’, ‘Pakkanar Kali’, ‘Paoorakkali’, ‘Portatu Nadakam’, ‘Sanghakkali’, ‘Seethangan Thullal’, ‘Theyyam’, ‘Poothanum Thirayum ’, ‘Thudipattu’, ‘Velakali’, ‘Vilpattu’ to ‘Yakshaganam’ will be staged.