Schoolchildren admiring floral sculptures at the Malabar Botanical Garden during the ongoing Malabar Garden Festival in Kozhikode on December 21.
| Photo Credit: K. Ragesh
The first-ever Malabar Garden Festival began at the Malabar Botanical Garden in Kozhikode on Friday (December 20).
The Malabar Botanical Garden and Institute for Plant Sciences, under the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, is known for its collection of rare plant species, including water plants, as well as ginger and orchid varieties.
N.S. Pradeep, Director-in-charge of the Botanical Garden, told the media on Saturday (December 21) that Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas will formally inaugurate the festival at 5 p.m. on Sunday (December 22). M.K. Raghavan, MP, will deliver the keynote address.
The botanical garden has been prepared with extensive flower beds and sculptures for the event. The festival features cultural programmes, including folk music, band performances, ghazal nights, and Kathakali. Highlights include a dance performance by actress Navya Nair and another by Meera Nair from We Dance Studio.
Competitions in photography, clay modelling, watercolour painting, pencil drawing, and cartooning are being conducted for visitors. Workshops on artificial intelligence, biodiversity conservation, taxonomy, science writing, and nursery management are scheduled for selected participants.
An exhibition featuring stalls from the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM), Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), and the Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development is also part of the festival.
A variety of ornamental plants are available for sale in the garden. The festival will conclude on December 29, but the exhibition will remain open to schoolchildren for two to three days afterwards, Mr. Pradeep said.
Scientists A.V. Raghu, M. Sabu, V.S. Harish, and K.M. Manjula were also present at the press meeting.
Published – December 21, 2024 08:51 pm IST