Palakkad: The fourth day of the 54th state school youth festival on Wednesday witnessed an intense battle between Palakkad and Thrissur districts with students from schools of both districts fighting hard to win each event.
As per the results available by 9.30 pm, it was host Palakkad that held a slight lead with 531 points while Thrissur was snapping at its heels with 528 points. Reigning champion Kozhikode is placed third with 523 points and Malappuram at fourth with 514 points.
In the Sanskrit festival, Kottayam, Kollam, Malappuram and Kozhikode together stayed on top with 55 points, while Thrissur scored 53 points. In the Arabic festival, Kannur, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Palakkad led the show at 70 points, followed by Thrissur at 68 points.
Meanwhile, people continued in turn up in large numbers at all the sixteen festival venues. The Kanikkamatha Convent School, which hosted the Ottanthullal (High School) event witnessed a pleasant turnout while a big and enthusiastic crowd enjoyed Chenda percussion and mono-act (High School) at the Fort Ground venue.
The areas closer to the main venues of the event were flooded with large number of people, including thousands of students from different schools in the district.
The major venues at the Indira Gandhi stadium and Townhall were packed to capacity with people gathered in advance to watch Kuchupudi dance performances, Oppana and drama competitions.
The police had a tough time controlling the flow of traffic on the main road that divides the different venues including the main venue, Fort ground and Government Victoria college.
Master is back at school fest
Hiran Unnikrishnan | DC
Palakkad: Life, for Kalamandalam Geethanandan, is all about Ottanthullal and it is his passion for the same that brought him to the state school festival this year.
Thanks to his indomitable fighting spirit, this master artist, also a well-known film actor, braved a worsening health condition to be back on State School festival this year.
As many as five youngsters trained by him are taking part in the Ottanthullal competitions, both in High School and Higher Secondary categories.
And this time, he is out here with the company of his son, Sanal Kumar, who has just flown in from Middle-East to support his father with his percussion skills.
“School festivals have been a part of my life for at least the past 35 years and it feels nice to be with my students here in the land of Kunchan Nambiar'', said the 53-year old artist.
Having suffered a cardiac arrest about two years ago, he chose to stay away from the previous School festivals held at Thrissur and Malappuram. “I did it intentionally as I wanted youngsters to come in and replace me. But I could not resist for long my passion for the art form and hence decided to return'', he said.
In his opinion, the art form has undergone a sea of change over the last couple of decades and there has been a definite improvement in quality of the event. “The youngsters, especially in school festivals have been successful in adding to the element of drama, which is good for the art form'', he observed.
Next: 60 ever-rolling trophies to be repaired
60 ever-rolling trophies to be repaired
Palakkad: The condition of ever-rolling trophies being presented to the winners of various events in the School festival is set to improve finally, thanks to the director of public instruction.
According to officials, the director of public instruction (DPI) Biju Prabhakar has mooted a plan to repair 60 of the 251 ever-rolling trophies that are either broken or completely damaged.
“While the festival manual carries a mandatory provision to repair or renew the trophies after every 10 years, we are still using a few trophies that were introduced since the beginning of the state youth festival'', pointed out a festival official.
In his opinion, the damaged condition of the trophies also forced the students not to take the trophies along with them and keep in their custody for the next one year. "The major issue is bringing back the trophy next year without any further damage'', he added.
Next: Wife witnesses Vayalar’s life on stage
Wife witnesses Vayalar’s life on stage
Palakkad: It was a one such rare moment where the author saw herself and her long-lost characters live on the stage.
Vayalar Ramavarma, the renowned Malayalam lyricist, never fit into any preconceived definitions per se. For, he donned all the roles that came to him with much elan.
Long cherished memories of that illustrious life were what prompted Bharathi Thampuratti, his wife to pen her husband's story. And when she saw that enacted on the stage by Paravathy PJ, a high school student from Chittur, Palakkad, in this year's school festival, it was a new high for the author.
“I feel very proud to know that that my husband still holds a place in the hearts of Keralites, which was evident from the huge response the play got'', she said, after watching the presentation. Bharati Thampuaratti, with her daughter Indulekha, came to see the presentation on a personal request from the young actor.
“Parvathy came to meet me the other day to seek my blessings and I wished her success for not just this event but the whole life'', she added.
Meanwhile, the presentation evoked mixed reaction from Vayalar's daughter Indulekha, who held the view that the presentation could have been better.
“I think the play slightly deviated from the real-life story at some points, which could have been avoided. But overall, it was a very good performance'', she held.
Meanwhile, Paravathy, who won A grade for the presentation, said that the appreciation from the author was the biggest prize she could get.
“While rehearsing with the story, little did I know that I would be presenting it before the person who wrote it and I regard this as a chance of a life-time'', she said.
