THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: For the next 14 days, city folks can enjoy the scent of beautiful flowers. The third edition of ‘Vasantholsavam’ was inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday. The flower show, along with a slew of programmes, has been arranged in and around Kanakakunnu Palace, Nishagandhi and Sooryakanthi auditoriums. Inaugurating the event, the chief minister said it was high time the state utilised the opportunities in floriculture.
According to him, instead of planting flowers for pleasure or hobby, people should think of making profits out of it. “We all enjoy the beauty and scent of flowers. The overwhelming response that ‘Vasantholsavam’ received in its previous editions points to that. But when it comes to producing flowers on an industrial basis, the state is yet to make a mark. The government is in the process of promoting that,” said Vijayan.
According to him, farmers who take up floriculture could ensure a steady income out of it as the government will facilitate its timely transportation. The airports of the state could also play a major role in it, he said.Presiding over the function, Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said ‘Vasantholsavam’ will be promoted as a major event of the tourism department and made into a must-visit flower show at the national level.
“As many as 12 institutions and 10 nurseries are participating in the event. In addition to the flower show, visitors can experience the tribal lifestyle and their art forms. Floral decorations resembling Sabarmati Ashram and Jatayu Nature Park will be another takeaway of the event,” said Surendran. According to the tourism department, the flower show has been organised in association with other organisations and departments as they too will chip in with exhibition-cum-sale of agricultural produce, rare herbs, medicinal plants and food festivals.
Major attendees include the Secretariat, Museum-Zoo, Agriculture College, Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Malabar Botanical Garden, Kerala Institute of Research Training and Development Studies of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The event organised as a prelude to the Loka Kerala Sabha in January will also feature around 20,000 plants brought from Bengaluru. The ticket rate is `50 per head.