Folk arts fest begins on Saturday

Thiruvananthapuram: Utsavam 2018, the annual festival aimed at rejuvenating traditional folk art forms and to introduce them to younger generations and visitors, would be held from January 6 to 12. Announcing the schedule of the event, which is being organized by state tourism department, tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran said an amount of Rs 2.32 crore has been earmarked for the conduct of the festival.This year’s allocation has increased by over Rs 1 crore. The event will feature around 150 art forms and more than 5,000 artists.
The respective district tourism promotion councils (DTPCs) will be in charge of the festival, and the state-level inauguration will be held at Kannur Town Square at 6pm on Saturday. The inaugural ceremony will also witness honoring of 10 traditional folk arts exponents, while the Folklore Academy will bring on to the stage a programme titled Navadhwani, featuring 264 artists performing 20 different ritualistic folk art forms.
The artistes to be honoured are P P Kunjiramaperuvannan (theyyam), P K Kariyan (gadhika), K Nanu (poorakkali, kolkali, nadanpattu), K Sivakumar (kolkali), Sasi Janakala (exponent and manufacturer of mazhamooli, a bamboo based musical instrument), Sheeba Krishnakumar (ashtapadiyattom), Britto Vincent (chavittu natakam), Prabalakumari (kakkarissinatakam, charadupinnikkali), Latha Namboodiri (thiruvathirakkali, oppana, margam kali) and Thankaswamy (paakkanaaraattam).
The event will be staged in three venues in Thiruvananthapuram, one in Thrissur and two each in rest of the 12 districts. “By increasing the number of venues to 28 from last year’s 14, the department wants to expand the scope of staging folk arts shows not just in district headquarters but in more tourist destinations in the state,” said tourism director P Balakiran.
Ustavam will showcase art forms, including kolkali, theyyam, irulnritham, ganabali, paanaporatt, kaakirinaatakam, bhoothanum thirayum, thidambnritham, poorakali, poopadathullal, dharika mayooranritham, chimmanakali, kothamooriyattam, tholpaavakooth, ayyappan theeyaat, nokkupaavavidya, naadanpaattu, kanakanritham, mayilaattam, koratttunritham, sanghakali, udukpaat, badrakaali theeyatt, seethakali, ashtapathiyattam, kandaakarnanthira, pakkanaaraattam, cheruneeliyaattam, charadupinnikali, thiri uzhichil, pulluvanpaattu, vilpaattu, oottam thullal, chavittunaadakam, kalamezhuthum paattu, mudiyaattam and kethaarattam.