The 62nd edition of the Kerala State School Arts Festival got under way with a colourful opening ceremony in Kollam on January 4 (Thursday). Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the fete at Asramam Maidan, the main venue of the event.
Over the next five days, this coastal town will witness a spectacle of arts with some 14,000 contestants showcasing their talents in 239 events. Competitions will be held across 24 venues. The organisers have set up a 60,000-sq.ft pandal at Asramam Maidan that can accommodate over 10,000 persons at a time. Thousands of arts enthusiasts from across the region are expected to throng the venues to witness their favourite events.
Mohiniyattom, Sanskrit drama, Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Ghazal and group dance, among other competitions, will be held on the first day. A State-level appeal committee has been constituted to handle disputes over results.
Cultural extravaganza
Earlier in the day, Director of General Education S. Shanavas hoisted the festival flag marking the beginning of the fete. It was followed by a cultural extravaganza. Students from Kasaragod Government Model Residential School performed Mangalamkali, a tribal art form. Actor and dancer Asha Sarath and students staged the dance adaptation of the welcome song.
Minister of General Education V. Sivankutty presided over the inaugural function. Ministers K.N. Balagopal, K. Rajan, J. Chinchurani, K.B. Ganesh Kumar, MPs N.K. Premachandran, Kodikunnil Suresh, A.M. Ariff, actor Nikhila Vimal and others attended the function.
