KOCHI: The burning of Pappanji, a tall effigy of an old man symbolising the passing year, on the midnight of December 31 and the massive procession on the New Year’s Day have long been the key attractions of the Cochin Carnival festivities. However, an open-gym-themed Santa Claus, made of cotton cloth wrapped on an iron structure, is now the talk of the town in Fort Kochi.
And the man behind the 37-ft-tall unique Santa is a Kochi corporation councillor. Bastin Babu, the councillor representing Karuvelippady, along with his six-member team, gave the finishing touches the other day after a 17-day effort.
“We wanted to make a unique Santa, but one that sends a social message. Here, we made Santa with the underlying theme of an open gym. We wanted people to focus on their health. One way they can do that easily is the open gym facilities that have been opened at major locations in the city,” said Bastin.
His team has showcased the ‘open-gym Santa’ in the ‘Santa Fiesta’ event being held from December 22 to January 1 at the newly-opened Queen Park.
December 24,Tuesday
7am: Crossbow 35 metres by Kerala CrossBow Academy (Corporation Ground, Mundamveli)
6.30pm: Classical dance performances by Nrithyopasana Bharatanatyam Dance School and Guru Gayatry Bhatt (Pallath Raman Ground)
December 25, Wednesday
10am: ‘Kolam’ drawing & rangoli competition (Gopala Krishnaswamy Devaswom Panditan Temple Road, Mattancherry)
6pm: Ganamela (Parade Ground, Fort Kochi)
December 26, Thursday
9am: Men’s wrestling competition (Fort Kochi Beach)
5.30pm to 6.30pm: Tsunami commemoration event (Vasco Da Gama Square, Fort Kochi)
6pm: International Shorin-Ryu Seibukan Karate Association event (Pallath Raman Ground)
6.30pm: Cochin Nadamayoogha performance (Vasco Da Gama Square)
6pm to 10pm: D J War curtain raiser (Parade Ground)
December 27, Friday
10am: Karaoke competition (Amaravathy UP School, Fort Kochi)
2pm: Old is Gold Malayalam film song competition (Amaravathy UP School)
4pm: Angling competition (Venduruthy Bridge)
4.30pm to 6pm: D96 Dance Troupe performance (Parade Ground)
6pm: Nritya Sandhya (dance events) (Taluk Office, Fort Kochi)
6pm: Ganamela by Cochin Sarang (Vasco Da Gama Square)
7pm to 10pm: Mega
Show by Nadirsha and team (Parade Ground)
December 28, Saturday
9am: Children’s pencil and painting drawing (Bastion Bungalow, Fort Kochi)
9am: Motocross bike race (Corporation Ground, Mundamveli)
9am to 1pm: IMA blood camp (Vasco Da Gama Square)
3pm: Mehendi competition (Bastion Bungalow)
6pm: Mega Show Third Eye (Vasco Da Gama Square)
6pm to 10pm: Cochin Music Fest Day 1 (Parade Ground)
December 29, Sunday
6am: Coast Guard Cochin Carnival Marathon (Vasco Da Gama Square)
8am: Tug of war competition (South Beach)
9am: Kayaking competition (South Beach)
9am to 10pm: State kurash competition (Pallath Raman Ground)
10am: Tekootam play (Pallath Raman Ground)
5.30pm to 7pm: Grand Mothers Tea (Nehru Park, Fort Kochi)
6.30pm to 10pm: Mega Show ‘Nammal Kochikkar’ (Vasco Da Gama Square)
6,30pm to 8.30pm: Open Mike ‘Lime Tea’ (Parade Ground)
8.30pm to 10pm: Cochin Music Fest Day 2 (Parade Ground)
December 30, Monday
9am: Boxing competition (Pallath Raman Ground)
10am to 9pm: State ju-jitsu championship (Pallath Raman Ground)
3pm: Slingshot cat bite (Bastion Bungalow)
4pm to 6pm: KDKKS kalari event (Vasco Da Gama Square)
8pm to 10pm: Karaoke ganamela (Pallath Raman Ground)
6.30pm to 8.30pm: Dance & songs (Parade Ground)
8.30pm to 10.30pm: Cochin Music Fest Day 3 (Parade Ground)
December 31, Tuesday
7pm to 9pm: Open Mike Band (Parade Ground)
9pm to midnight: Mega Music Show (Parade Ground)
Midnight: Burning of Pappanji (Parade Ground)
January 1, Wednesday
3pm: Cochin Carnival Rally (Starts from Veli Ground)
6pm: Festival concluding ceremony (Parade Ground)
8pm to 10pm: DJ programme: New Year Vibe (Parade Ground)
7pm to 9.30pm: DJ Sundown: New Year Vibe (Santa Cruz Ground)