Gadhika festival returns after five years, to showcase Kerala’s indigenous culture in Kochi
Kochi: After a gap of five years, Gadhika Kerala’s premier festival celebrating indigenous art, culture, crafts and knowledge is set to return in a full-fledged manner. The week-long event will be held from August 29 to September 4 at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, Kochi.
Jointly organised by the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes Welfare Department and the Kerala Institute for Research Training and Development Studies of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (KIRTADS), the festival will bring together around 500 artists from across the State.
“The last edition was held in Kannur in 2020, before the pandemic. Subsequent plans were deferred due to lockdowns and elections. This year’s festival is therefore special, a revival in its grandest form, with new features added,” said Joseph John, Joint Director (Development), SC Department.
The event derives its name from Gadhika, a healing ritual practised by the Adiyan or Ravular tribal community of Wayanad. The ritual has three facets: one performed to ward off illness, a thanksgiving ritual after recovery, and an annual community ceremony. The concept of the festival draws inspiration from these practices.
This year’s edition will present four key dimensions of indigenous life , culture, knowledge, cuisine and health. Traditional healers will offer consultations, while visitors can also experience indigenous herbal treatments, including a steam bath.
Performances of over 15 tribal art forms including Irula Dance, Mangalam Kali, Koraga Nritham, Koonthan Dance, and Nina Bali will be staged alongside Theyyam from north Malabar, Thira from south Malabar, and Padayani from southern Kerala. Classical Mohiniyattam by RLV Ramakrishnan and a musical evening by singer Pushpavathi will complement the line-up.
A food court serving forest-sourced cuisine and a traditional tree house installation are among the attractions. Organisers also hope the festival will encourage entrepreneurship within indigenous communities by providing them a platform to interact with a wider audience.
