THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Onam pageants, attracted fewer footfalls than the four lakh mark it had achieved during last year’s celebration, because of the rain scare. The pageantry was flagged off from Manaveeyam Veedhi by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at around 5 pm. Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran handed over ‘kombu’, a musical instrument to an artist declaring the beginning of the pageant. A massive crowd had gathered at the Museum by 2.30 pm. Tall buildings and overpasses were occupied by families who wanted to catch a glimpse.
“I am revisiting the pageant after 15 years, since I am here visiting my cousin brother. The scale has increased vastly and so did the footfalls,” said Thomas Mathew of Kannur, an alumnus of the music college in the city. Floats including those off the aerobic bin by Suchitwa mission and Blue Whale themed one by the Kerala Police were eye catchers. The Tourism department presented a float based on the ‘Jadayu Rock’ project at Chadayamangalam.
A cavalry followed by 100 men dressed in traditional attire and holding ‘muthukuda’ were part of the celebration. Many of the artists hailed from Northern Kerala districts like Palakkad. “We occupied the footpath by 3 pm. I have not missed the last six pageants,” said Leela Bhai of Kazhakoottam. Art forms from 10 states such as Bhangda of Punjab and Garba of Gujarat were put on display. Art forms like Theyyam, Kathakali, Padayani, Velakali, Neelakavadi, Pookkavadi, Kolkali and Garudanparavu which have become more interesting in modern times were on display.
Cheques weed out middlemen
It may not have been with the sole intention of weeding out middlemen at the Onam week celebrations that the Finance Department decided to make it compulsory to disburse remuneration above Rs 10,000. According to sources, it is inadvertently ensuring that artists get the full renumeration for the hard work that they put in. There had been many complaints earlier regarding middlemen eating up part of artists’ remunerations, according to sources in the Tourism Department.
“Sometimes, the government might pay Rs 30,000 but the artist would get just Rs 3,000. So the cheque system was made strict especially in cases where the remuneration is over '30,000. Many of the old traditional artists do not have bank literacy. So money below '30,000 is still paid in cash,” said an official at the department. For the ones who are paid in the range of Rs 10,000, the department issues vouchers. Officials reckon that artists will know the remuneration they have been paid, and will be in a better position to bargain with middlemen. They say even famous artists have been duped before.
An artiste participating in the Onam Pageantry being honoured by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday. (Photo: A.V. MUZAFAR)
However DTPC was issuing cheques for all remunerations above Rs 10,000, according to DTPC Secretary T.V. Prasanth. This time there were 350 stages at 30 venues where close to 7,000 artists performed. In addition, there were technicians who managed light and sound. Officials say that the move would have benefited 10,000 people, during Onam week celebrations.
