The Kerala State Youth Welfare Board will be organising the second edition of the National Folk Festival of Kerala at various venues in the city from February 15 to 18.
The curtains will go up with the staging of ‘Vellari nadakam’, an old fork art form from the State, at Kanakakkunnu on February 15 at 6.30 p.m.
These were performed in the olden days by youth who guarded the crop in the nights before the harvest.
The art form, which has almost disappeared from public memory, will be performed by a group from the village of Keezhuparambu in Malappuram.
The group titled ‘Vellaripadam’ introduced Vellarinadakam to the new generation here.
At the festival, a Vellarinadakam called ‘Vithum Kaikottum’, believed to have been performed in 1936 in Keezhuparambu, will be presented.
A ‘Naattu chantha’ (village market) will also be set up in the Kanakkkunnu premise on the day of the performance.
The market will become active by 5 p.m., with performances of Kakkarassi nadakam, Mannathi theyyam and cycle yajnam.
To spread the message of the festival, the organisers are using the medium of ‘Poothamkali’, which will visit households and institutions in the city on Thursday.
Major attraction
The major attraction of this year’s folk festival will be the performance of renowned Rajasthani folk singer Mame Khan.
Besides, other art forms, including Burra Katha and Tappeta Gullu of Andhra Pradesh and the enchanting Baul music of West Bengal, will also be featured.
