TTT NEWS NETWORK
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, 2 SEPTEMBER 2025
Revving up the festive mood set by the Onam season, Minister for Tourism and Public Works , Mr. P A Mohamed Riyas this evening switched on the festival lights in the state capital, ahead of the grand Onam Week celebrations organised by the state government starting tomorrow on 3 September.
Chief Minister of Kerala, Mr.Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the state-level celebrations at Nishagandhi Open Air Auditorium on September 3 at 6 pm.
Rows of glittering lights will twinkle over the city’s thoroughfares from Kowdiar to Manacaud till September 9, when the festival helmed by the Tourism Department will conclude with a cultural procession.
“Onam is a festival that reflects Kerala’s religious harmony. Onam season attracts a large number of tourists to Kerala which gives a great fillip to tourism in the state,” Mr. P A Mohamed Riyas said.
Minister for General Education and Labour Mr. V Sivankutty presided over the switch on ceremony at Kanakakkunnu Palace grounds.
Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Mr. G R Anil, Mr. AA Raheem MP, Members of Legislative Assembly Mr. CK Hareendran, Mr. IB Satheesh, Mr. VK Prashanth and Tourism Director Smt Sikha Surendran attended the function.
Mr. PA Mohamed Riyas, along with Mr. V Sivankutty, also hoisted the Onam festival flag to mark the beginning of the celebrations.
Earlier, Minister Mr. Riyas inaugurated the food festival at Sooryakanthi Exhibition ground, offering a wide choice of traditional Kerala dishes and delicacies. A Media Centre was also opened at Kanakakkunnu.
Highlighting the inclusive vision of Onam, MLAs, employees of the city corporation, the district panchayat, the government secretariat and media persons joined a tug-of-war organised at the Central Stadium.
The eagerly-awaited event this year has been organised on a grander scale featuring thousands of artists drawn from Kerala’s classical, ethnic, folk and martial art traditions.
The capital city, district headquarters and scores of other venues across the state have been decked up for the celebrations, setting the stage for an exciting experience that brings alive the amazing range of Malayalis’ cultural expressions.
Around 10,000 artistes, including those from other states will also showcase their artistic talent in the colourful Onam programmes.
The Tourism Department, District Tourism Promotion Councils and District Administrations will coordinate the programmes in other districts.
Advertisement:
Add Comment