Kozhikode City sub-district maintains lead in arts fest

Kozhikode Arts Festival faces delays in events, impacting schedule; competitions and performances rescheduled, audience remains engaged.

Delay in conducting events marked the third of the Kozhikode Revenue District Arts Festival on Thursday as events that were scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. in most of the 20 venues started hours later, causing further delay in starting other programmes.

The Group Dance (HS) competition that was scheduled for 9 a.m. at Stage-1 did not start until 11.30 a.m. and went on till 5 p.m., thus delaying the Oppana (HS) competition that was scheduled for 1 p.m. until 5.45 p.m. The Oppana (HSS) competition that was scheduled for 4.30 p.m. at the venue was hence shifted to Stage 20 and began by 7 p.m.

The situation was not different in other venues. The reason for the delay is yet to be ascertained though the audience complained that the organisers did not turn up at the venues on time. Interestingly, several people who had gathered at Stage 1 to watch the Oppana competition had to be content with the Group Dance, but were not disappointed since the event was also a crowd puller.

Meanwhile, the competition between the sub-districts has heightened with Kozhikode sub-district maintaining the lead with 377 points. Koduvally, which was in the second position a day before, has been pushed to the third position as Chevayur came second withs 348 points. Koduvally has 337 points, while Mukkam is in fourth position with 314 points.

Among the schools, Silver Hills HSS of the Chevayur sub-district, which was in the second position a day before, has bagged 129 points to reach the top position, while Memunda HSS has scored 105 points to be in the second position. GHSS Kokkallur is in the third position with 93 points.

Besides Group Dance and Oppana, Drama (HS), Ottanthullal, Group Song, Bharatanatyam, English Skit, Kuchipudi, Kolkali, Kathaprasangam, Keralanadanam, Chendamelam and Malapulaya Attam were the major crowd pullers of the day.

On the fourth day of the festival on Friday, Drama (HSS), Mohiniyattam, Chakyarkoothu, Koodiyattam, Group Dance (HSS), Folk Dance, Poorakkali, Chavittunatakam, Mimicry, Paniya Dance and Mangalam Kali will be the major attractions.