The Onam celebrations jointly organised by the State Tourism department and the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) began here on Tuesday. Programmes will be held at six venues across the district until September 10.
V.K. Sreekandan, MP, inaugurated the festivities at a function held at Prasannalakshmi Auditorium. The inaugural programme initially planned at the Rapadi Open Air Theatre was shifted to Prasannalakshi due to rain.
District Collector Mrunmai Joshi presided over the function. Artistes Kalamandalam Sivan Namboothiri and Ramachandra Pulavar, writer Mundoor Sethumadhavan, Assistant Collector D. Ranjit, deputy collector Anil Kumar, DTPC secretary S.V. Silbert Jose, and District Public Library secretary T.R. Ajayan spoke.
A panchavadyam performance by Athaloor Sivadas and team, and a musical orchestra by Cochin Kairali Communications followed.
Inaugurating the Onam celebrations organised jointly by the District Public Library and Ahalia School of Engineering and Technology, writer Vaisakhan said Onam was a reminder that those suppressed in history would stage a comeback. He said Onam was being misrepresented for commercial interests.
Ms. Joshi, who is the chairperson of the library, presided over the function.
Mr. Ajayan presided over a poets’ meet that followed the inaugural session. P.R. Mahadevan Pillai delivered the keynote address. P.G. Parvathi Varier, S. Sreenath, Sunitha Ganesh, Murali S. Kumar, Abdul Shukoor, C. Girija, Suguna Santhosh, Jameel Kumar, and K. Jayachandra Kumar were among those who recited poems.
