The artist performing Devarattam as part of Nethal Vizha in Thoothukudi on Friday.
| Photo Credit: N. RAJESH
The fifth edition of the three-day ‘Neithal’ Art Festival began with gaiety and pomp at the V.O.C. College ground in Thoothukudi on Friday.Organised on the initiative of Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi for the fifth consecutive year, the festival aims to showcase Tamil culture, traditions and heritage through various folk and traditional art forms.The first day of the festival commenced with a silambam performance by a troupe. This was followed by various folk and traditional performances, including Thevarattam, Periya Melam, Karagam and Seva Attam. The subsequent days of the festival will feature several other programmes including Kaniyaan Koothu, Thappattam, Kaanikaran Nadanam and others.The three-day festival continues until Sunday (August-16), with a range of cultural programmes scheduled to be held during the event.Apart from the performances, foot stalls of traditional cuisine and Sri Lankan Tamil’s cuisine have also been set-up at the venue. The stalls offer visitors an opportunity to try out different food varieties.Fun games and entertainment activities have also been arranged for children and youngsters, adding to the festive atmosphere at the venue. The festival seeks to provide a platform for artists to showcase traditional art forms while enabling the public, particularly the younger generation, to learn about several traditional artforms. Published - August 14, 2026 08:22 pm IST
