Colours, culture and tradition mark grand finale of Kerala’s Onam festivities

Thiruvananthapuram witnessed the grand finale of week-long Onam celebrations on Sunday, featuring traditional art forms, cultural troupes and over 69 floats. Thousands attended the closing procession, flagged off by Vice President C P Radhakrishnan, amid heightened security and traffic restrictions

Thiruvananthapuram: Keralam’s capital turned into a vibrant cultural stage on Sunday as traditional art forms, music and colour marked the culmination of the week-long Onam festivities. Flagged off by Vice President C P Radhakrishnan, the iconic closing-day procession turned the streets of Thiruvananthapuram into a moving canvas of the state’s cultural heritage, with hundreds of artists and performers from across the country taking part.

Governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar and Chief Minister V D Satheesan presented mementoes to the vice president during the event. Speaker Thiruvanchur Radhakrishnan, Cabinet Ministers P C Vishnunadh, K Muraleedharan, C P John, Roji M John, K A Thulasi and Bindhu Krishna, and Mayor V V Rajesh were among the dignitaries who viewed the parade from the main pavilion set up at Lok Bhavan. Actor Asif Ali, elected representatives, senior officials, foreign tourists and media personnel were also among those who turned up to witness the closing procession.

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The celebrations, organised by the state Tourism Department from August 23, culminated in a spectacular display of Keralam’s classical, folk and ethnic traditions, watched by thousands of people, including tourists.

The procession passed through Vellayambalam, Museum, Palayam and Statue, drawing crowds along the route. Keralam’s rich cultural traditions came alive through performances of Theyyam, Kathakali, Pulikali and other folk art forms, accompanied by the energetic beats of percussion instruments. Mohiniyattam, Oppana, Margamkali, Kolkali and Mayilattam added another dimension to the pageantry, reflecting the state’s rich traditions shaped by different communities and cultural influences.

The procession included cultural troupes from across the country, representing states such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, as well as the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. A major attraction was the procession of more than 69 floats and installations by government departments, quasi-government institutions and cooperative-sector organisations. The tableaux portrayed Keralam’s social progress, traditions and cultural heritage while also highlighting contemporary and socially relevant themes.

Thousands thronged the capital to witness the finale, which offered a glimpse of the artistic traditions and cultural identities that make Keralam’s Onam celebrations distinctive. Security arrangements were tightened across the city, with thousands of police personnel deployed at various points, while traffic restrictions were imposed along the procession route.

As the final procession passed through the illuminated streets, the Tourism Department’s Onam celebrations came to an end, leaving behind a vivid celebration of the southern state’s culture, diversity and festive spirit.

The closing ceremony witnessed the full rendition of Vande Mataram, with protocol being observed in view of the Vice President’s presence. Earlier, Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister P C Vishnunadh clarified that the full rendition of Vande Mataram at the event had nothing to do with the state government’s stand, but was part of the established protocol followed for programmes attended by the president, vice president or PM.

“It is not a question of the state government’s stand. Programmes attended by the prime minister, president and vice president have a specific protocol, and events have to be conducted accordingly,” Vishnunadh told reporters earlier.

The state has no say in the matter and cannot alter it, the minister said, adding that the protocol is ensured by the respective secretariats. There was no rendition of Vande Mataram during the official events of the state’s recent Independence Day celebrations.