KOCHI: The celebrations, which have carved out a place for itself in history, to welcome the New Year is here once again at Fort Kochi.
The annual fete-Cochin Carnival- is already on and the favourite tourist spot in Kochi is already immersed in the festive spirit. The major attraction of the Carnival is the Portuguese custom of burning the ‘Paappanji’, which will take place on December 31, midnight at the first stroke of the New Year.
The word ‘Papaanji’ means grandfather in Portuguese and burning him in effigy is the tradition observed as a reminiscence of the nearly 160 years of Portugal rule in Cochin.
“The first Carnival was organised in Cochin almost 33 years back. From there on, burning Pappanji has become a vital part of Cochin’s New Year celebrations. There is a wrong belief among the youngsters that the big ‘Pappanji’, which is burnt on the New Year’s eve, is actually Santa Claus. It is not. The effigy is actually of an old man and it is burnt as a tribute to the colonial legacy that Fort Kochi bears,” said K J Sohan the former Mayor, who was one of the pioneers of the Cochin carnival fete.
Meanwhile, Carnival events are progressing at various venues in and around Fort Kochi. On Tuesday (December 27), major competitions that will be held at Pallathu Raman Ground are elocution, light music, recitation and karaoke songs. A folk song competition will be held at 10 am at Nehru Park. At 4 pm, Electronic Sunset Festival will be held at the Parade Ground. At 7.30 pm, a play - Mathayiyude Maranam- will be performed at Vasco Da Gama Square.
On Wednesday, Bhrathanatyam and Folk Dance competitions will be held at Pallathu Raman Ground. District free-style wrestling competition will be held at Vasco Da Gama square at 12 pm. A chavittu natakam- Romile Chekuthan- will be performed at the same venue at 7.30 pm. Highlights of Thursday include Mehndi competition at Nehru Park at 4 pm, Rock Show at Pallathu Raman ground at 6 pm and Band Orchestra competition at Vasco da Gama square.
Sports events like beach bike race, beach football, cycle race, boxing, bullet race, swimming and marathons will be conducted to attract youngsters. The beach motor bike race will be held on Friday at Fort Kochi Beach at 2 pm.
On New Year’s eve on Saturday, panchavadyam display will begin at 9 pm at Fort Kochi beach. Pappanji will be burnt at midnight.
