Onam celebrations to conclude today

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The week-long Onam celebrations organised by the Tourism Department will conclude on Tuesday on a high note. The Onam cultural procession will be flagged off by the Governor M O H Farook from the special venue erected at Keltron office near Vellayambalam at 5 pm.  The procession will start from Kowdiar and conclude at East Fort. Tourism Minister A P Anil Kumar, in a press meet, announced that around 70 floats and 50 art forms will take part in the procession. The pageantry will have around 70 floats of  various government and private institutions along with traditional dance and music to be performed by artists from the state and outside. The police band team and mounted police will also take part in the  procession.  Unlike the previous Onam celebrations, this time, a handful of artists are being flown in from other Southern states as well. Yakshagana artists from Karnataka and Thappattom artists from Tamil Nadu will perform during the procession. Apart from that Neyyandi Melam, puppet show and other folk arts are also expected to spice up the festive spirit of the city.  On the sidelines of the procession, school children from various educational institutions in the city will perform cultural  programmes at the Museum Junction, Palayam, in front of  University College, Statue and Ayurveda College.   Union Minister K C Venugopal will distribute the prizes for the organisers of the best float at a mega show scheduled at Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium at 10 pm. Contrary to previous years, prizes would be given in six different  categories. Tourism Minister A P Anil Kumar, Devaswom Minister V S Sivakumar, programme committee chairman Varkala Kahar and convener K R Jyothilal IAS will also participate in the event.