Kerala State School Youth Festival, Asia’s biggest fest, begins today

Palakkad: Energy levels are hitting a crescendo in the land of palms with curtains set to go up on the biggest cultural event  of Asia that packs together an eclectic mix of dance, music and art.

About 10,000 young talents from 1048 schools across the state are set to showcase their artistic skills over the next one week as the 54th edition of the Kerala State School Youth Festival kickstarts in Palakkad on Sunday. 

The event will open with a cultural procession on Sunday afternoon. Chief Minister Oomen Chandi is scheduled to declare open the festival at 4pm. Cine artiste Balachandra Menon will be the chief guest while education minister P.K. Abdu Rabb and industries minister P.K. Kunh­alikutty will also attend.

This is the third time that Palakkad is hosting the festival, the last time being in 2000 when the number of participants was around 5,000. This time  the event will witness students vying with one another in 232 competitions, categorized into High School and Higher Secondary, at 17 venues in and around town.

According to Abdul Khuddus, chairman of the festival reception committee, as many as 8,185 students - 3947 boys and 4,238 girls - have qualified from the district level for the event while another 3,000 are expected to participate through appeals. The maximum number of participants are from Kottayam (604), followed by Malappuram (603), last year's champion Kozhikode (598), host district Palakkad (591), and Thiruvananthapuram (591).

Indira Gandhi Stadium, Government Victoria College, PMG Higher Secondary School, and Government Moyan L.P School, Kanikkamatha Higher Secondary School, Fort Maidan Ramanathan Hall, are the main venues.

The gold cup given to overall winners of the event has already arrived in Palakkad from Kozhikode, who won it last year. The remaining trophies will be reach  by Monday and all the 253 trophies will be exhibited at the main venue from January 20th onwards.

A mega kitchen and dining halls for the participants have been set up on the campus of Victoria College.  Food courts have been set up at every venue. The week-long festival will end on the evening of January 25, with a valedictory function to be attended by Opposition leader V. S. Achuthanandan.

Appeals to number around 1,100

The number of appeals allowed by the deputy directors of education in all the districts totalled 687, in addition to appeals that are pending before the Munsiff, district and High courts.
"A clear picture of the participants through appeals will be available only by Sunday, but we are expecting around 1,100 appeals this time," said Muraleedharan CE, Senior Superintendent, deputy directorate of education.

Next: A ‘bonus’ cultural evening at Rappadi

A ‘bonus’ cultural evening at Rappadi

Palakkad: With the opening of the State school Youth festival, its all adding up to a scintillating week for connoisseurs of the folk arts as well.

To coincide with the mammoth art event that opens in Palakkad on Sunday, the organizers have planned for a cultural evening at the Rappadi auditorium near here. According to the organizers, the venue is being planned as an extension to the 17 venues for the week-long cultural extravaganza.

Noted danseuse Methil Devika will inaugurate the event on 20th evening, which will be followed by a seminar on the cultural heritage of Palakkad. The events will be staged between 5 pm to 10.30 pm till January 24.

The art forms that are to be presented  include Irula Nritham, Tamil Nadanam, a play by the tribals of Attappadi etc. “From costumes to make-up, we will make sure that all the performances have a ring of authenticity about them, shorn of any cinematic effects’’, said Mathew CM, Convener, Cultural Programme Committee.