Thiruvananthapuram: The week-long Onam celebrations, organised by the Kerala Tourism, will commence on August 24 with a grand state-level inaugural ceremony in the state capital, Minister for Tourism & Culture, Shri P C Vishnunadh, said here.
The minister was speaking at a meeting of legislators, department heads and officials involved in organising the annual mega festival branded as ‘Onam Tourism Week Celebrations’, which has emerged as one of the major tourist offerings of the state.
The week-long festival will bring alive the classical, folk, ethnic and popular art forms before a wide audience in multiple venues in the state capital and districts across the state. The festival will conclude with a grand procession on August 30.
“Onam celebrations organised by the Tourism Department have always been a signature event of the state. We have identified that foreign tourists are keen to watch and experience our traditional and Onam-related art forms.” Minister noted.
This year, traditional art forms will be given greater prominence as foreign tourists often show more interest in them. Showcasing Kerala’s cultural diversity, traditional art forms will be performed in the main venue of Nishagandhi at Kanakakunnu Palace grounds during the entire week from 6-7 pm, the Minister said. Collaborating with all the prominent hotels in the city, brochures and programme details of Onam celebrations in English will be distributed to inform foreign tourists about the event.
Other than the stages assigned for traditional art forms in Kanakakkunnu Palace premises like previous years, Kerala’s niche art forms like Mudiyattam, Tholpavakoothu, Padayani and Theyyam will be performed in the main venue on all seven days.
Besides retaining all the venues where Onam programmes were held in previous year in Thiruvananthapuram district, more venues will be added if needed, the Minister said. The area between Kowdiar and Manacaud will be announced as a festival zone during the week, he added.
A special squad will be deployed by the Food Safety Commissionerate to ensure the quality of food products and ingredients used to cook in hotels and restaurants during the Onam season.