Cultural fiesta in connection with Thunchan Festival
Tirur: February 2 would be a red letter day in the festive calendar of Kerala as it marks the five day celebration of Thunchan festival to be held at Thunchanparambu at Tirur in Malapuram District. An impressive array of cultural meets and programs are scheduled to make this year’s festival a big hit.
Literary competitions for college students and a meet of South Indian poets are some of the events in the agenda. The festivities this year would also be coinciding with the Vaikom Mohammed Basheer centenary celebrations.
The festival is being jointly held under the auspices of the Thunchan Memorial Trust, the Kendra Sahitya Akademi and the South Zone Cultural Centre, Thanjavoor. Another major attraction of this festival is the national forum on the topics Reality and narration’ and a South Indian poets’.
Ronald Asher, the famous literary figure who translated Vaikom Mohammed Basheer’s novels into English, will inaugurate the five-day festivities on Saturday. Many dignitaries from the fields of art and literature are expected to grace the occasion. Author M. T Vasudevan Nair, Malayalam Poet Akkitham, Orator-critic Sukumar Azhikode and Writer C.R. Parameswaran among others would steal the show. Many noted writers and cultural icons from Assemese, Hindi, Kannada and Telugu will present papers at a session on ‘Narrating the nation.’
Some of the other cultural programmes that complement the evening would include Bharatanatyam performances, colorful processions, documentary shows and book releases. A musical fiesta by Mapilapattu artiste V.M. Kutty and party will also be one of the star attractions. Competitions in poetry and quiz will be held exclusively for college students at Thunchanparambu. The winners of various competitions will receive prices from M. T. Vasudevan Nair. Thunchan festival is expected to notch up the tourist inflow to this sleepy hamlet of Tirur as well.