The Hindu : Carnival parade marks New Year celebrations

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 02, 2004

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Kochi

Carnival parade marks New Year celebrations

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI JAN.1. Shrugging away the hangover of the late night partying and New Year celebrations, which went into the early hours of the day, West Kochiites gathered at the Fort Kochi Veli ground this afternoon to participate in the annual carnival parade.

West Kochi youth sang and danced to the tunes of pop numbers, while some others displayed their mastery in fancy dress and even martial arts.

The West Kochi area wore a sleepy, holiday look as if it was yet to recover from the fatigue of the New Year celebrations. Most of the shops and other commercial establishments declared holiday in the afternoon so that they could party one more day to usher in the New Year.

The carnival parade, which marked the end of the month-long celebrations, began with traditional Panchavadyam and a caparisoned elephant to be followed by various art and dance forms.

As the police had banned the vulgar portrayal of women, there were no obscene presentations as had happened during the past few carnival rallies.

A group of social activists working for special children had also complained last year about the fancy dress presentation of mentally challenged children. Barring one participant, who dressed up as a mentally challenged person quarrelling with his mother for toys, it was a clean and politically correct carnival parade that took place this time.

One of the participants used the occasion to highlight the plight of the West Kochiites, who are on a warpath against the toll being collected at the new Mattanchery bridge, in a satirical manner.

The float depicted the representatives of the bridge stopping a child who attempted to cross the bridge with a cycle tyre.

The look-alike of president, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Baba Saheb B.R. Ambedkar, a woman tennis player wearing mini skirt and rallying the tennis ball and a reveller, who was dressed up in a long gown stitched with playing cards, were cheered by the crowd that gathered in large numbers to see the rally.

A group of martial arts experts displayed their mastery in the art of self-defence, much to the appreciation of the onlookers. The anti-war and anti-terrorism campaign also found place in the carnival with a group presenting a float that reminded one of the miseries of war and tragedies of innocent people, especially children, who are the hapless victims of human brutality.

The float of the elephant, Ravipuram Govindan, which gored its mahout to death, a magician suspending a child in atmosphere without any support and a Kalari fighter flying down from the sky with a sword in his hand were the other attractions of the carnival. A couple of West Kochi youth groups dressed up as pop singers were seen crooning popular hits and exchanging flying kisses with a few foreigners who came to see the carnival rally.

`Kavadi' dancers and a `Paricha muttu kali' team also participated in the carnival.

V. K. Ibrahim Kunju, the MLA from Mattanchery, Mini Antony, the RDO of Fort Kochi, K. J. Sohan, the chairman of the Kochi Corporation Welfare Standing Committee, councillors K. J. Antony, Shyamala S. Prabhu and C. U. Anus were seen at the front row of the rally.

The rally culminated at the Parade ground and a public meeting was held.

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Carnival parade marks New Year celebrations