Cultural fiesta in memory of Swami Vivekananda

KOCHI: It has been 125 years since Swami Vivekananda set foot in God’s Own Country, and now the state is organising a cultural fiesta to commemorate the same. The Vivekananda Sparsham’ celebrations which started on November 27, which was officially inaugurated by the Kerala Chief Minister, is being continued with a cultural fiesta ‘Navodhana Drishyasandhya’. Being organised by the Department of Culture, the state-wide celebration which will be staged across 14 districts of the state, started the other day at Malappuram. 

It’s been many years since the saint visited the state before it became known as Kerala. Being denied access to the Kodungalloor temple, he eventually ended up calling ‘Malabar’ a lunatic asylum.

A stage of renaissance and revolution followed soon after, which included entry to temple granted to all castes, and it is this period which the state is celebrating or recalling through this cultural fest, says Nadeesh, PRO, Bharat Bhavan. The event in each district will be hosted by different cultural institutes in the area.  

The major highlight of the event is a 14-minute documentary ‘Uththishtada Jagrada’ on Swami Vivekananda and his life directed by Pramod Payyannur, member secretary, Bharat Bhavan. A number of events are in store as part of the cultural road show, touted as a multimedia show with a variety of events. Apart from this, the range of events vary from a multimedia performance, musical and dance performances. “There will be a live orchestra, with singers performing songs depicting the period of renaissance onstage while dance performances will complement the same.

An abstract from V T Bhattathirippad’s ‘Adukkalayil Ninnum Arangathekku will be among the skits staged in venues on the occasion,” says Nadeesh, The cultural road show will move towards Wayanad, Kannur, Kasaragod, Palakkad and then proceed south towards Ernakulam, Kottayam, Idukki, finally ending at Thiruvananthapuram. Kerala Bhasha Institute and Kumaranasan National Institute of Culture will host the event in the capital city.