Thunchan festival from February 1

This year’s Thunchan Literary Festival will begin at Thunchan Paramba, Tirur, on Februrary 1.

Kendra Sahithya Akademi president Vishwanath Prasad Tiwari will inaugurate the festival on February 1 morning. Jnanpith laureate and Thunchan Memorial Trust chairman M.T. Vasudevan Nair will preside.

Writer M.K. Sanoo will inaugurate a book festival. M.P. Abdussamad Samadani, MLA, will deliver the keynote address. Writer B. Rajeevan will deliver the Thunchan Memorial Lecture.

A poetry writing competition and a literary quiz for college students will be held on the inaugural day.

Carnatic music vocalist T.M. Krishna will inaugurate the Thunchan Arts Festival on February 1 evening. Mr. Krishna will present a Carnatic vocal concert after the inaugural.

Writer Amiya Dev will inaugurate a seminar on ‘Indian literature: the changing concept of family and kinship’ jointly sponsored by Kerala Sahithya Akademi and the Thunchan Memorial Trust on February 2 morning. Writer C. Radhakrishnan will preside. Jnanpith laureate Chandrasekhar Kambara will be the chief guest.

Swami Agnivesh will inaugurate a seminar on ‘Democracy, secularism, and communalism’ on February 4. On February 5, writer Satchidanandan will inaugurate the South Indian poets’ conference. Several South Indian poets will present their poems at the meet. Malayalam University Vice-Chancellor K. Jayakumar will inaugurate the valedictory session on February 5.