Kerala to host annual folk art fest from February 20

Thiruvananthapuram: Bringing alive Keralas rich and diverse folk and ritualistic art traditions in 30 venues across the state, the 7-day annual cultural festival 'Utsavam 2021' is to get off to a colourful start here on February 20.

Hundreds of artistes, representing a variety of folk, tribal and ethnic traditions that flourished in different parts of the state would perform during the 13thedition of the event.

The event is being organised by Kerala Tourism together with Kerala Folklore Academy, Bharat Bhavan, and District Tourism Promotion Councils. State Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran would inaugurate the festival, an official statement said here.

Leading folklore artistes would be honoured at the function with the Utsavam Puraskaram. They include T K Baby (Onamkali Pattu), Pramod TA (Pattu& Kaalakali), Padmanabhan TR(Ambatheeradikalari), Sudarshanakumar T (Padayani), Bindu Pazhur (Mudiyettu), Malathi Balan (Uralikoothu), Rajamma A (Pooppada Thullal), K Kunhi Koran (Poorakkali),Dineshan Thekkankooran Peruvannan (Theyyam) andUmbichi K (Mangalam Kali), the statement said.

The festival aims at providing a platform to performers of folk arts many of which are on the verge of being pushed into oblivion. The event comes as a big support to artistes hit by the recession triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the statement added.