The Hindu-MetroPlus Pookkalam contest played a crucial role in bringing in new trends, even while maintaining the tradition of Pookkalams, according to Ajaya Kumar, former principal of the Government College of Fine Arts, Thiruvananthapuram, and currently, the Dean of Visual Arts, World University of Design, Haryana.
He was the jury chairman at the 10th edition of The Hindu-MetroPlus Pookkalam Contest which was held on Saturday. Shaji Vamanapuram of the Government College of Fine Arts, Thrissur, was also part of the jury. The Pookkalams were judged on the parameters of ‘harmony of colours and shapes’ and ‘neatness.’
Mr. Ajaya Kumar said a wide variety of flowers were used in the Pookkalam contest. He, however, lamented that the availability of flowers in the market has been dictating the styles of floral carpets in recent times.
Elaborating on the pitfalls of Pookkalam designs, Mr. Ajaya Kumar said undue prominence was being given to yellow and orange flowers, the excessive utilisation of which threatened to make floral arrangements an eye-sore. He added that much emphasis must be ensured for the central portion of the Pookkalams.
