Showcasing the State’s rich and diverse folk and ritualistic art traditions, the week-long ‘Utsavam 2020’ will get off to a colourful start in the capital on February 22.
Over 5,000 artistes, representing a wide variety of folk and ethnic traditions, will perform during the next seven days in the 12th edition of the cultural festival being organised by Kerala Tourism, Kerala Folklore Academy, and District Tourism Promotion Councils.
The festival, to be organised in 28 venues across the State, will showcase an array of ethnic and rural art forms. Minister for Tourism Kadakampally Surendran will inaugurate the festival at Madavoorpara near here.
Minister for Ports, Museums, Archaeology and Archives, Kadannappally Ramachandran will deliver the keynote address at the function. Actor Nedumudi Venu will be the chief guest.
Ffolklore artists Mannur Chandran (Porattu Kali), Parappil Karumban (Kakkarassi Natakam), Ambujakshi (Pulluvan Pattu), Immanuel Prakash (Margam Kali), Thambi Payyappalli (Chavittu Natakam), P. Kunhirama Peruvahnan (Theyyam), Nazar Kappad (Mappila kala), Aruvi Arumughan (Paliya Nritham), Rajamma Mullankuzhi (Parunthu Kali), and Sreedevi Srikumar (Nadan Pattu) will be honoured at the function. The artists being honoured and the performers for the festival were selected by a two-member panel comprising Folklore Academy Chairman C.J. Kuttappan and Bharat Bhavan member secretary Pramod Payyannur.