KOCHI: Kerala Governor Justice P Sathasivam on Saturday urged the Kerala Fine Arts Society (KFAS) to initiate steps to preserve the folk art forms. Speaking after inaugurating the diamond jubilee celebration of the Society, the Governor said most folk art forms were facing extinction, and that artists and performers were struggling to survive. “The Fine Arts Society should facilitate performance of folk arts and encourage research on them,” he said.
PWD Minister G Sudhakaran, who presided over the function, said the hangover of foreign cultural invasion still remained in the minds of Malayalis. According to him, in Kerala no one is capable of speaking good English. “What Malayalis speak is something called ‘Manglish’. Even MLAs and ministers use several English words while speaking in the House,” pointed out Sudhakaran.
Writer M T Vasudevan Nair, who offered felicitation, called art a never-ending search for something beyond life. “Having a centre for art is a decoration for any city,” he said.
On the occasion, the Governor honoured Artist Namboothiri by draping a ‘ponnada’ on him and presenting a trophy, citation and cash prize.