Pomp and Pageantry mark start of NE Tamil Festival

[TamilNet, Saturday, 28 December 2002, 12:22 GMT]
The three-day North East Provincial Tamil Literary Festival commenced in Trincomalee Saturday with pomp and pageantry with a two km long cultural pageant depicting Tamil literary values progressed from the office of the provincial ministry of education to the venue of the festival Trincomalee St.Joseph's College through main street and Thirugnanasampanthar Street. A statue of Tamil Annai (Mother Tamil) lead the cultural pageant, sources said.

Thamil Annai

Students dressed as celebrated Tamil poets of past, Kambar, Avvaiyar, Barathi, Barathithasan, Arumuganavlar, Swami Vipulananda, Fr.Thaninayagam, Somasunthara Pulavar and Siththi Lebbe marched as part of the cultural procession along with dignitaries Mr.R.Thiagalingam, Secretary to the NE Provincial Ministry of Education, Provincial Director of Education Mr.I.M.Issadeen and education officials. LTTE's Trincomalee district political head Mr.Tilak and Trincomalee town political head Mr. Rajesh also participated in the inaugural event.

Later Mr. Thiagalingam declared open the three-day festival by lighting the traditional oil lamp. Mr.Thiagalingam then opened the Art and Magazine Exhibition.

Provincial Secretary Mr.Thiagalingan later presided over a symposium on "Tamil journalism in Sri Lanka."






(L-R)Additional Provincial Director S.Mahalingam, Provincial Ministry of Education Secretary R.Thiagalingam, Provincial Director of Education I.M.Issadeen, Senior assistant secretary to the ministry of Education M.K.M.Haniffa, Director of Education S.Sivanandan (with garlands)