THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Even as the state government imposed strict restrictions to tackle the Omicron variant of coronavirus, including a seven-day compulsory home quarantine for international passengers, CPM will stage a mega Thiruvathira with the participation of over 500 women at Parassala on Tuesday.
The group dance is a prelude to the party’s district conference to be held from January 14 to 16. Apparently, the party is unmindful of the restrictions imposed by the government in the wake of the Omicron threat. The Covid review meeting chaired by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on January 4 had restricted the number of people allowed for indoor programmes to 75 and outdoor functions to 150. The restriction is applicable to weddings, funerals, social, cultural and political functions, said the official release issued after the meeting.
The first joint rehearsal of the mega Thiruvathira will be held at the Samuel LMS Higher Secondary School at Cheruvarakonam on Monday, said Salooja V R, programme coordinator and chairman of the health and education standing committee of the Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat. As many as 502 members have confirmed their participation. Health Minister Veena George is expected for the rehearsal, she told TNIE.
The programme is an initiative by the Parassala area committee of the All India Democratic Women’s Association, CPM’s women’s wing. “The participants are members of various local committees of the AIDWA and their family members. The youngest is an eighth standard student and the eldest a 58-year-old worker. They were undergoing training at different locations for the past 10 days,” Salooja said.
Poovarani K V P Namboodiri penned the lyrics and rendered music. Bhairavi is the singer and Savitha V R is the choreographer. The AIDWA first trained one member from each of its six local committees at Parassala. They in turn trained the members of their local committees.
Senior district leaders of the party are expected to attend the mega Thiruvathira at the Samuel LMS Higher Secondary School on Tuesday at 4 pm. The dancers will sport the traditional set mundu and red blouse for the programme.