Tourism Minister opens office exclusively for Onam festivities

Kerala Tourism Minister PA Mohamed Riyas on Thursday opened an office exclusively for the upcoming Onam celebrations being organised by the State Tourism Department from September 6 to 12.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan would inaugurate the celebrations at a ceremony at Nishagandhi open air theatre at Kanakakunnu Palace grounds on September 6.

This year, the celebrations have been planned on a grand scale as life is returning to normal the worldover after the COVID-19 pandemic, Riyas said while inaugurating the office at the Tourism Directorate here.

”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 taking on board all sectors,” said Riyas.

Minister for General Education and Labour V Sivankutty, who is the working chairman of the celebrations, said traditional art forms would get prominence in the cultural programmes.

Apart from that, a rich variety of programmes would 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 during the function.

A high-level panel with the Chief Minister as the chief patron, the Tourism Minister as the chairman, and Speaker MB Rajesh, Leader of the Opposition 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, an official statement added.