Thrissur, the cultural capital of Kerala, was soaked in colours on Monday. The 52nd edition of Asia’s largest festival of arts and culture, the Kerala School Youth Festival, offered the people in the land of Poorams another week-long festive season of arts, dance and music.
The festival was inaugurated by singer Mr K.J. Yesudas at the main venue, the corporation stadium, immediately after a grand procession.
In his inaugural address, Mr Yesudas asked the students to concentrate on their performances and not on the prizes and grades.
“The students at the losing end should understand their drawbacks that led to the failure, and not question the judges. Meanwhile, the judges should also try to evaluate each event based on performance,” he said.
The education minister, Mr P.K. Abdu Rabb, who presided over the function, said that he would try to bring back the kalaprathibha and kalathilakam awards to the youth festival.
As many as 14 dancers set their steps to the theme song of the fest, written by Yusuf Ali Kechery, tuned by Vidhyadharan Master, sung by Madhu Balakrishnan and choreographed by Kalamandalam Kshemavathy at the inaugural function.
Chirayinkeezh Sreekantan Nair, who designed the golden cup of the fest, was honoured on the occasion.
Conduct fest on schedule: HC
The Kerala High Court on Monday directed the state government to take appropriate steps to see that the competitions in the just-started school youth festival in Thrissur are conducted on schedule without putting ‘poor children to unnecessary travails.’ Justice S. Sirijagan also observed that if the state could not ensure proper and timely conduct of the events, the festival itself should be stopped.
The court passed the order while considering petitions filed by Harshitha V. Menon, Sinsidas Viswanath and Vishnupriya Viswanath, plus two students of KPMHSS, Poothotta.