Twenty-eight years ago when Kasaragod, the district headquarters, was chosen as the venue for the State School Arts Festival, the people of Kanhangad were disappointed. But on Thursday, as this year’s school festival begins at Kanhangad, a long-cherished dream of the people here is being fulfilled.
P. Sreedharan, former District Education Officer who was the organising convener of the 1991 State school festival, recalls how the Education Department chose Kasaragod over Kanhangad as the venue for the 1991 event.
“Conducting such a huge event in those days was unimaginable. There were no means of communication and service facilities as they have today. There were just five venues where 64 events were held with help from experienced teachers from within and outside the district,” he says. That Kanhangad is getting to host this year’s festival is a great achievement for the district, he adds.
Shanavas Padoor, member of this year’s festival publicity committee, says huge arrangements have been made for the people arriving to see the festival. For the convenience of people arriving by train, all the trains, except Rajdhani Express, have been allowed halt at the Kanhangad railway station during the festival period. The transport committee has arranged buses for the contestants at the railway station and bus stand. As many as 40 buses will operate every five minutes, he says.
Schoolteacher Kodakkad Narayanan, who won the national award for the best teacher, says it took no time and effort to convince the government to conduct the school festival this year at Kanhangad. “When it was proposed, we were able to immediately provide 35 venues within the town to organise such a mega event. With the intervention of Rajmohan Unnithan, MP, most of the trains have been given halt here. The bus operators and autorickshaw drivers too came in to support us with transportation. The issue of accommodation has also been addressed,” he says.
“Though we could never participate in such events during our school days, but now as a councillor it is a great opportunity to ensure that the festival becomes a huge success and people remember it for a long time,” says K.V. Usha, Kanhangad municipal councillor.
