The run-up to the Nehru Trophy Boat Race (NTBR), to be held at Punnamada Lake here on August 12, has been laced with several cultural programmes and competitions in arts and culture for the students as well as the public.
Contests in painting, writing, and singing, apart from a seminar on contemporary Malayalam literature, were held by the organisers.
Over a thousand students, including those from nursery to high school, participated in the painting contest held last week.
‘Kuttapri’
Contests were held earlier to select the mascot and to name it. The Kuttanad prawn, the selected mascot, was given the name ‘Kuttapri.’ Face painting (mukhachitranam) and photography competitions were also held.
As many as 39 teams took part in the competitions in ‘vanchipattu’ (songs sung on the boat to cheer up the rowers), held on Tuesday. The contests were held for students, male and female singers under different age groups, and styles such as ‘Kuttanad,’ ‘Aranmula,’ and ‘vechupattu’.
The organisers have invited entries to predict the winning boat in the race. The entries should be sent on competition post cards costing ₹8. Ordinary post cards with stamps worth ₹6 could also be used. Each participant can suggest only one name. The winner will get a cash prize of ₹10,001.
The entries should reach the Convener, Nehru Trophy Publicity Committee, District Information office, Civil Station, Alappuzha - 688 001, by 5 p.m. on August 11. For details, call: 0477-2251349.
Photo exhibition
A students’ pageant and a photography exhibition, ‘Kazhcha’, were the highlights of the celebrations held on Wednesday. Photographs of the boat race, taken by press photographers, were displayed at the open air stadium at the town square. The exhibition, being organised by the NTBR publicity committee, in association with the Alappuzha Press Club, will be on till August 11.