Kerala: Onam festival office opened

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Tourism minister P A Mohamed Riyas inaugurated the festival office of Onam celebrations here on Thursday. The state tourism department is organizing the celebrations from September 6 to 12 across the state.
Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the Onam celebrations at Nishagandhi open air theatre at Kanakakunnu Palace Grounds on September 6.
Riyas said that the celebrations for this year have been planned on a grand scale as life is returning to normal after the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Now, it is time to be cheerful again, forgetting the crisis and sorrow caused by the pandemic. Throughout the state, Onam will be celebrated in a befitting fashion. Celebrations will be organized taking on board all sectors,” said Riyas.
Minister for general education and labour V Sivankutty, who is the working chairman of the celebrations, said that traditional artforms will get prominence in the cultural programmes of the celebrations. Apart from that, a rich variety of programmes will offer a veritable cultural feast to people across the state as well as tourists during the week-long festival, the minister added.
IB Satheesh MLA, tourism director P B Nooh and officials of the tourism department were present.
A high-level panel with the chief minister as the chief patron, the tourism minister as chairman, speaker M B Rajesh, leader of the opposition V D Satheesan and ministers as patrons has been formed for the conduct of the festival.
The legislators and MPs from Thiruvananthapuram district are co-patrons of the committee.