Nanma Malayalam
is a colourful curtain raiser to the State festival of Onam, that unites
Malayalees across the globe in a ten day
long joyous feast of music, dance,
food and flowers. Scheduled to go on air
from August 15th , it will be telecast Monday to Friday at
7 pm.
An extensive
prelude to the fiesta, Nanma Malayalam
conveys the essence of Onam by presenting the vibrant hues, lilting rhythms and
piquant flavours of this centuries old celebration heralding spring.
Said to have
originated somewhere around 800 AD, Onam is at once a thanksgiving for a
bountiful harvest as well as an exuberant commemoration of the yearly return of
a mythical king. Whatever the roots of its origin, there is an entire history
of artforms associated with this magnificent carnival. Nanma Malayalam journeys through the rich landscape of conventional
and classical arts- the musical traditions, dance forms, folk art and recreational activities identified with the
fete, to get a panoramic view of the significance
and evolution of Kerala’s biggest festival.
It also accesses
the nostalgic reminiscences of eminent personalities about the festival days of their childhood, that endows
a pre-Onam aura to the show.
A prologue to a
glorious ancient festival almost as
antiquated as Malayalam itself,
Nanma Malayalam
is an amazing revelation of Kerala’s
fine artistic legacy and enviable cultural heritage.
By
Smitha Sivaji
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