Department of Culture, Govt. of Kerala and Bharat Bhavan (Official Cultural Exchange Centre, Govt. of Kerala) in association with Tamil Nadu chapter of the Malayalam Mission and a host of Malayalee organizations in Chennai will showcase a 3 day colorful festival at Chennai scheduled from 24th January 2020. The venue will be Madras Kerala Samajam (Dr. C.R Krishna Pillai) Hall near Nehru Park Metro Railway Station, Egmore, Chennai.
Minister for welfare of SC/ST and backward classes, Parliamentary affairs, Law and Culture, Govt. of Kerala Shri. A.K Balan will inaugurate the festival on 24th January at 5.30 p.m. Shri. K. Pandiya Rajan, Minister for Tamil Literature and Culture will grace the occasion as Chief Guest. Hon. Ministers will honor 15 prominent personalities who have excelled in art, literature and socio – cultural activities. The winners of ‘Malayalotsavam’ conducted recently by ‘Malayalam Mission’, Govt. of Kerala will also be given awards in this function. Actresses Dr. Urvashi Sarada, play back singers K.S Chithra, B. Vasantha & Unni Menon will also be honored in the function. K.P.A.C Lalitha, Chairperson, Sangeetha Nataka Academy, Rani George I.A.S, Secretary, Department of Cultural Affairs and Tourism, T.R Sadasivan Nair, Director of Culture, Pramod Payyanur, Member Secretary Bharat Bhavan, Prof. Suja Susan George, Director, Malayalam Mission, Dr. A.V Anup and Kumbalangad Unnikrishnan will take part in the inaugural function. The cultural extravaganza will begin at 7 pm assembling prominent Indian dance forms- ‘Rauf’ dance from Kashmir, ‘Rigampado’ from Arunachal Pradesh, ‘Madhuri’ dance from Telangana, ‘Karagam’, ‘Kavadi’, ‘Thappattam’ from Tamil Nadu will be special attractions in addition to Kerala art forms Nattu Gadhika, Kambala Nritham, Theyyattam, Chenda Melam and Chavittu Nadakam. This will be followed by Kerala Martial art Kalari- Kadathanadan Kalari Payattu where six lady members also will present their performance.
On 25th (Second Day evening 5.30 p.m onwards there will be an inter – continental music programme. Afro – Asian music band (Music without continental barriers) performed by famous Nigerian Musician George Aquitti Abban, South African singer Anna Khana, Russian bugler Aleena K Abban, famous play back and Sufi singer Anitha Shaiq, Mathai Sunil, Thomas P.D, Anu Praveen, Rajeev Rangan and Vismaya will take part in this music concert. Musical interaction/ performance of Jambe musical instrument by the public will be the greatest attraction of this program.
In addition, a 3 day long film festival has been arranged in association with Kerala Chalachithra Academy. The film festival will begin on 24.02.2020 at 9.30 am. Eight Malayalam classical and National award winning films will be screened in these three days.
On the third day (26.01.2020) 5.30 pm onwards there will be art performances by children who have won prizes in the competitions conducted by Malayalam Mission and Chennai based Malayalee organizations.
Alongside would be an elaborate art, handicrafts and book exhibition in all these 3 days. There will be special pavilions by Malayalam Mission and book exhibition by Kerala Book Mark. Kerala Lalithakala Academy and Vasthyvidhya Gurukulam will display their paintings. Live mural paintings using colors made from leaves and stones would add to the attraction. Exhibition of Kerala Culture Departments, Rural Art – Hub handicrafts including potters wheel and pottery productions too would make the event memorable. Special pavilions by Kerala Tourism and Bharat Bhavan will depict cultural development of the state through years and re – building of Kerala.
Entry to Kerala – Tamil Nadu cultural festival would be open to all. For the successful conduct of the festival, elaborate arrangements have been made. Pramod Payyanur, eminent drama and film director (Member Secretary, Bharat Bhavan) and Prof. Suja Susan George, Director Malayalam Mission are the Festival Directors. The organizing committee would be chaired by Dr. A.V Anoop, a well known film maker. T.R Sadasivan Nair Cultural Director, Kumbalangad Unnikrishnan, Secretary Malayalam Mission will be the General conveners. Tamil Nadu chapter M.A Salim, M. Nanda Govind, M. Sadasivan Pillai, K.V.V Mohanan, P.K.N Panikker, C.Velayudhan and P.K Balakrishnan will be the patrons.
Other officer bearers of the festival are; Dr. K.J Ajayakumar, Indu Kaladharan, Premier Janardhanan, T. Anandan and R.K Sreedharan are nominated as Vice Chairmen. P.N Sreekumar will be co – ordinator of this event. P.R. Smitha, Prof. M.P. Damodharan, K.R. Gopakumar are Conveners. A. Jayarajan, Sunitha Sasidharan, M. Ayisha and Sajitha T.V as joint conveners of program committee, K.P.A. Latheef as reception committee convener, Saji Varghese as accommodation committee Chairman and K.K. Rajeev as food committee convener and Prof. M.P. Damodaran as decoration committee chairman.