'Ananthavismayam' fair kicks off today at Kanakakunnu Palace

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A mega exhibition-cum-sales fair titled ‘Ananthavismayam’ will get under way at the Kanakakunnu Palace here on Thursday. The festival organised as part of the second anniversary celebrations of the LDF Government will have the participation of over 200 government departments.

Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran will open the fair at the Sooryakanti auditorium at 5 pm. K Muraleedharan MLA will preside over the function and Mayor V K Prasanth will deliver the keynote address. District panchayat president V K Madhu will welcome the gathering. There will be 153 stalls at the mela, including a student market. Cafe Kudumbashree will run a food festival which includes cuisines from 14 districts. There will food stalls by the Prisons and the Forest Department as well.  

Other attractions include an exhibition showcasing the history of the Police Department and the force’s weaponry. There will also be demonstrations by different security forces.  A fusion concert by Sreeranjini Kodampally and Ralfin Stephen will be held at 6 p.m. Cultural programmes and seminars will be held in the afternoon on all days until May 30. The Health Department will run a speciality medical camp where free counselling and medicine will be provided. The Scheduled Tribes Welfare Department will organise a camp on tribal medicine.

Herbal steam bath

Tribal healer Appukuttan Kani and team will introduce herbal healing methods to the visitors. His famous treatment method called ‘aavikkuli’, a kind of steam bath will be available. ‘Aavikkuli’ is claimed to be a cure for jaundice, asthma, allergy and joint pain. About 64 herbal medicines are used for the bath. However, medicines and duration of the bath will vary according to the ailment. This is also said to be a good fat burner. 

Jackfruit food court

Savour about 17 jackfruit delicacies at the mela. Fresh preparations, including different snack varieties, will be sold under the auspices of Vanasree - the Kudumbashree unit of Karakkankode tribal settlement at Tholicode. Vanasree has 19 members, all trained by the Integrated Tribal Development Project in the manufacture of value-added food products. Halwa, payasam, mixture and pickles made of jackfruit will also be offered.

Fusion music

How about western musical instruments accompanying a Carnatic vocal performance? Sounds curious? Welcome to the Sooryakanti Auditorium on Thursday where you can enjoy one. Vocalist Sreeranjini Kodampally’s performance will be accompanied by Ralfin Stephen’s western orchestra. Keyboard, guitar and drums will replace mrudangam, ghadam, tambura and violin.