Kerala State Youth Festival to feature five tribal dance form competitions

A group of Mangalam Kali dancers. Mangalam Kali is a traditional tribal dance form that will feature in the 63rd Kerala State Youth Festival. (File)
| Photo Credit: SAKEER HUSSAIN

The State government has included five tribal dance art forms as competition events in the 63rd Kerala State Youth Festival, which commences in Thiruvananthapuram on January 4, 2025. 

At a press conference on December 20, 2024, General Education Minister V. Sivankutty identified the ethnic art forms as Mangalam Kali, Paniya Nritham, Malaya Pulaya Aatam and Irula Nritham.

Mr. Sivankutty said the festival will take place over four days starting on January 4. As many as 10,000 young children will participate in high school and higher secondary level competitions spanning 249 performance arts. 

The Youth Festival will also feature Arabic and Sanskrit art forms. 

The government will convert 30 schools in Thiruvananthapuram into accommodation centres for participants, teachers, and parents. The festival will then take place at 25 venues across the capital. 

Mr. Sivankutty said the government had named each venue after a river to preclude complaints. “No one is likely to object to names of rivers”, he quipped. 

Dance competitions are traditionally the festival’s biggest draw. They will be held at Central Stadium, Government Women’s College, and Government Higher Secondary School, Manacaud. 

The Tagore Theatre will host drama competitions. Sanskrit drama competitions will be held at Karthika Thirunal Theatre. 

Nishagandhi Auditorium and St Mary’s School, Pattom, will host tribal dance and brass band competitions.

The government will start a community kitchen and mess for participants, parents, teachers, officials and judges at the Putharikandam Maidan. The organisers will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Mr. Sivankutty said the competitions will commence at 9.30 a.m. at different venues. Organisers and participants should adhere to the schedule. He said judges will disqualify participants and teams which do not respond to calls to take the stage.