hiruvananthapuram North sub-district with 437 points was leading on Day 2 of the Thiruvananthapuram Revenue district school arts festival, under way at Neyyattinkara.
It was followed by Thiruvananthapuram South with 427 points, and close behind was Attingal with 424 points.
As many as 120 events were held till late evening. Thiruvananthapuram North with 167 points is leading in the HSS section, Thiruvananthapuram South with 117 points in the HS, and Kilimanoor with 64 points in the UP section.
Among schools, Carmel E.M. Girls HSS, Vazhuthacaud, is leading the tally with 70 points in the HSS section and 53 in the HS section.
The road leading to the main venue, Government Boys Higher Secondary School, and the nearby Government Girls Higher Secondary School was chock-a-block with people and traffic since morning. Contestants, teachers, parents, officials, media personnel, and the public made their way to the venues all through the day. National Service Scheme volunteers and Student Police Cadets went about various jobs entrusted to them.
Competitions in a host of events such as Thiruvathirakali, Nadodi Nrittam, group song, ganamela, Mohiniyattam, Kerala Nadanam, classical music, Oppana, Vattapaattu, Chenda melam, maddalam, Panchavadyam, violin, guitar, recitation, Bharatanatyam, drama, and those organised as part of Sanskrit and Arabic festival were held. Some, especially dance and group events, saw a large crowd, but others had only a few spectators. Delays started plaguing the festival from morning with the Thiruvathirakali event for Upper Primary section starting nearly an hour-and-a half late.
The spill-over effect continued with the High School section of the event delayed by over two hours. Sources said failure of the teams to get ready in time, reluctance to pick the first lots, and lunch break contributed to the delay.
The number of appeals in various events did not help with the Upper Primary section seeing five appeals from the sub-district level, High School having 33 appeals, and the Higher Secondary section seeing 63 appeals. Organisers said the time allotted for an event was sufficient for 12 participants, one from each sub-district, but the number of appeals increased the number of competitors substantially. They said the case of Mohiniyattam (HS) in which 18 contestants, six of them on the strength of appeals, took part.
Appeals against decisions made in competitions held on Wednesday numbered 68.
As on Tuesday, the events are expected to continue late into the night, though the organisers had hoped to wind up the proceedings each day by 11 p.m.
The events scheduled for Thursday include group dance, Nadodi Nritam, Kathaprasagam, Kuchipudi, light music, instrumental music, Yaksha ganam, Koodiyattom, Parichamuttu, Chakyarkoothu, Ottanthullal, Margamkali, and mono act.
