Tourism Minister Opens Festival Office of Onam Celebrations

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Tourism Minister PA Mohamed Riyas today opened the Festival Office of the Onam Celebrations, being organised by the state Tourism Department from September 6 to 12 across the state.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the Onam Celebrations at a grand ceremony at Nishagandhi open air theatre at Kanakakunnu Palace grounds on September 6.

This year’s Onam celebrations have been planned on a grand scale as the life is returning to normal the world over overcoming the gloom cast by Covid-19 pandemic, Riyas said while inaugurating the Festival Office at the Tourism Directorate at Park View.

“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. Apart from the state capital, celebrations will be organised all over the state taking on board all sectors”, said Shri Riyas.

Minister for General Education and Labour V Sivankutty, who is the Working Chairman of the celebrations, said traditional art forms 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 the people across the state as well as tourists during the week-long festival, the Minister added.

IB Satheesh MLA, Tourism Director PB 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 Shri MB Rajesh, Leader of the Opposition Shri VD 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.