Thiruvananthapuram: Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Sunday flagged off the grand Onam pageantry in Thiruvananthapuram, marking the conclusion of Kerala’s official week-long Onam Tourism Week celebrations.
The flag-off ceremony was attended by Governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar, Chief Minister V D Satheesan, Speaker Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan and several ministers, legislators and senior government officials.
Governor Arlekar and Chief Minister Satheesan presented mementoes to Vice President Radhakrishnan following the ceremony. The dignitaries watched the procession from the main pavilion set up alongside Lok Bhavan.
M. Vincent MLA, Chief Secretary Biswanath Sinha, DGP Ravada A. Chandrasekhar, General Administration Department Secretary K. Biju, District Collector Anu Kumari and other elected representatives and senior officials were also present.
The colourful procession moved through the heart of the capital, passing through Vellayambalam, Museum, Palayam and Statue before concluding at East Fort.
Traditional art forms such as Pulikali, Garudan Parava and Muthappan Theyyam were among the major attractions, showcasing Kerala’s vibrant folk traditions and cultural heritage.
The pageantry featured floats representing 69 government departments and more than 100 traditional and folk art forms. Cultural troupes from different parts of the country also participated, with representations from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The procession stretching from Lok Bhavan to East Fort drew large crowds, with spectators lining both sides of the route to watch the decorated floats, traditional performances and cultural presentations.
The grand pageantry served as the colourful finale to the week-long Onam Tourism Week celebrations, bringing this year’s official Onam festivities to a close in the state capital.
