KOCHI: Another Cochin Carnival is here. With Unity Day having been observed on December 10 and the flag hoisting on December 17, the festivities are truly on. But not many have, as yet, got a grasp of what is set to unfold in the heart of Fort Kochi this New Year’s Eve.
Last year, during the carnival finale, the customary burning of Pappanji at the Parade Ground saw around 2.5 lakh people in attendance, with the capacity of the ground a mere 25,000. That the city expects around 3 lakh people for the midnight spectacle this year shows it is high time the Cochin Carnival realised its mass appeal and the city administration and the Carnival committee paid more attention to crowd management. With people from around the city and beyond preparing to celebrate the New Year at Fort Kochi, the question is ‘Is the Cochin Carnival ready to welcome the masses to its home?’
Johann Binny Kuruvila, a resident, says beyond those in Fort Kochi, not many are even aware of the events being organised and there is very little clarity about the itinerary. Beyond the burning of the Pappanji, the carnival has a slew of cultural events and competitions, including bike races, on the cards.
“Tourists ask for information sources like the social media page and the website. But the carnival’s pages are not being updated,” Johann says. He believes Cochin Carnival should at least use social media to spread awareness about the events and the traffic restrictions. “It is also important to increase the quality of events,” he adds.
Francis Solly, who is part of the Carnival Committee, says notices are being distributed in Malayalam detailing the programmes.“The carnival is a mega event held over a couple of weeks, for the residents. It’s a festival of the common people, and has its share of limitations too, especially financial,” he says. Francis laments the funds allocated for the 2022 carnival, to the tune of Rs 4 lakh, were released only recently.
“So it’s difficult to predict when this year’s funds will be released,” he shrugs. To decrease the crowding issue, while visitors try to return to the city after the burning of Pappanji, programmes will continue till 4 am to ensure there is no overcrowding and traffic congestion while people return to the city.
“Last year, three Ro-Ro services were in operation, but this year, there are only two. However, the city administration is planning to increase bus services,” says Francis. “To decrease congestion, vehicles from outside will not be allowed into the island.”The organisers are also planning to set up 50 public toilets. But without adequate funds, it will be difficult to organise a festival seamlessly, the Carnival Committee member says.“The police are responsible for crowd management and are planning to ensure things are as smooth as possible,” Francis says.
According to Mattancherry Assistant Commissioner Manoj K R, crowd management details will be finalised next week.“It is better to spread the crowd, rather than allowing around 2.5 lakh people to enter a ground which cannot contain so many people,” he says. To do so, with thousands of visitors coming in, the Carnival should hold quality events around venues like Fort Kochi, Mattancherry and the Veli Ground on New Year’s Eve. Interestingly, with just nine days to go before the carnival finale, the making of Pappanji is yet to begin.
According to Francis, it will take two more days to finalise the design — something that sparked a controversy last year — and the club that will take up the making of the model. Meanwhile, many residents have raised complaints about synthetic and plastic materials being used for the making of Pappanji, which will create massive pollution when burned.