Chennai: From folk-percussion instruments to music storytelling, sand sculpting and pot-painting, students of govt and aided schools will get a dose of traditional competitions in the fourth edition of the state-wide arts fest, to be held from July to Oct.With 105 competitions spread across five categories — school, block, zonal, district and state-levels — the ‘Kalai Thiruvizha’ 2026-27 will platform students’ talents in traditional folk arts, music, dance, visual arts, and drama, said a release from the school education department.The fest has been conducted annually since 2022 separately for govt and aided schools for all classes. Students are felicitated at each stage, and those emerging at the top in the state list have won chances to participate in educational tours.The other contests this year are for the higher categories (Classes VI – XII), which include puppet shows, carving, cartooning, and those involving percussion and classical instruments such as villupattu, parai, pambai and nadaswaram, among others. For lower Classes I – V, the events include story telling, rhyme recitation, clay modelling and fancy dress competitions. The fest offers individual as well as group contests for students,.“This year, the theme is youth talent, and we have introduced traditional games to scout more talent. All students have been encouraged to participate and chief/district education officers have been instructed to ensure smooth conduct of the contests,” said school education director S Kannappan..He further said that a school organising committee, headed by the headmaster, has been formed to conduct the contests. The recently formed student-ministers will disseminate all information pertaining to the contests and play a part in its smooth conduct.Details of all participating students will be recorded on the state’s EMIS portal competition-wise, and top-three winners will be saved. The first-place winner (individual and group) at the school level shall advance to the block.
