THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: This year’s edition of ‘Mambazhakalam’, the children’s vacation camp, will kick-off on Monday. Sculptor Kanayi Kunhiraman will inaugurate the festivities at Vyloppilli Samskrithi Bhavan. The week-long summer camp has been conceptualised to give children a break from their hectic school schedules and enjoy their summer vacations. The camp includes folk music, graphic designing course, cartoon, drawing, drama and film-making.
“This year, we are expecting more than 50 students on a first-come-first-serve basis,” said Vyloppilli Samskrithi Bhavan member secretary M R Jayageetha. “Accommodation for the participants arriving from different districts has also been arranged here,” she added.
Students from various districts in the state from Class V to X can participate in the camp. The registration fee is Rs 700 and will include food and accommodation. Classes will be held from from 9.30 am to 6 pm. After which, various events will be organised for entertainment.
The camp provides an opportunity to explore new paths of knowledge, said Vyloppilly Samskrithi Bhavan vice chairman Vinod Vaishaki. There will also be sessions by professionals. Prashant Narayanan, will speak and train the children on drama, while Adoor Gopalakrishnan will give a session on cinema, and V Karthikeyan Nair, director, Kerala Bhasha Institute, will talk on the importance of the mother-tongue.
Other professionals conducting interactive session swith the students include artist B D Dathan, art director Nemom Pushparaj, artist Karakkamandapam Vijayakumar, writer George Onakkoor, poet-lyricist Ezhacherry Ramachandran, folk singer Jayachandran Kadampanad, Cartoonist Haku and Author S R Lal.
The camp is scheduled to end on May 28. It will be inaugurated by filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan and K Sachidanandan, a noted Indian poet and critic, will be the chief guest at the valedictory function.