‘Lotus’ added to Kerala School Kalolsavam venue list; arts fest in Thrissur to host 15,000 students
Actor Riya Shibu, noted for her role as ‘Delelu’ in Sarvamaaya, will attend the inaugural ceremony as a special guest.
Actor Riya Shibu, noted for her role as ‘Delelu’ in Sarvamaaya, will attend the inaugural ceremony as a special guest.
Actor Riya Shibu, noted for her role as ‘Delelu’ in Sarvamaaya, will attend the inaugural ceremony as a special guest.
The Kerala government has decided to include ‘Lotus’ (Thamara) as the name of one of the venues of the State School Kalolsavam, to be held in Thrissur from January 14 to 18. Venue No. 15, earlier named ‘Dahlia’, has been renamed ‘Thamara’. All venues of this year’s Kalolsavam have been named after flowers.
The move comes in the wake of protests by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its youth wing, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), which objected to the absence of ‘Lotus’ from the list of venue names. On Sunday, BJYM activists staged a protest with lotus flowers outside the Thrissur Town Hall during a Green Protocol meeting of the festival attended by General Education Minister V Sivankutty.
Announcing the decision, Sivankutty on Saturday said the change was made to ensure the smooth conduct of the Kalolsavam. “This is an event for children and should not be conducted in an atmosphere of conflict,” he said, adding that the aim was to avoid unnecessary disputes. He, however, maintained that the decision was not taken under pressure from any organisation and accused sections of the media of fuelling controversy.
The 64th edition of the State School Kalolsavam will feature around 15,000 students competing in 249 events across 24 venues. The festival will be inaugurated at 10 am on January 14 at the Exhibition Ground, Thekkinkadu Maidanam, by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Sivankutty will preside over the function, with Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi as the chief guest. State ministers R Bindu, K Rajan, K N Balagopal and P Rajeev, besides other public representatives and cultural figures, are expected to attend.
Actor Riya Shibu, noted for her role as ‘Delelu’ in Sarvamaaya, will attend the inaugural ceremony as a special guest.
Sivankutty said transport facilities have been arranged for participants and officials, with drivers undergoing special training and fitness checks. Police personnel and volunteers will be deployed round the clock for crowd management and security.
Reiterating the government’s vision of the Kalolsavam as a “Responsible Arts Festival”, the minister said a special code of conduct has been introduced, focusing on responsible consumption, healthy food habits and fair competition. Strict adherence to the green protocol will be ensured, with dedicated systems in place for post-event waste management.