Vasantholsavam, light show open in Thiruvananthapuram city

The twelve-day ’Vasantholsavam’ and light show, organised by the Department of Tourism, opened in the city on Wednesday evening, offering a visual treat of an amazing range of flowers and stunning illuminations, elevating the festive ambience of Christmas and the New Year.

“The light show is designed to align with its theme ‘Illuminating Joy, Spreading Harmony,’ highlighting Kerala’s communal harmony and social unity,” said Minister for Tourism and Public Works P.A. Mohamed Riyas, who inaugurated the festival.

“The Tourism department is focusing on every vertical of the State’s tourism sector whether it is beach tourism, high range experiences, cinema tourism or wellness tourism,” Mr. Riyas said.

Welcoming the year 2026, an illuminated giant sleigh pulled by reindeer is installed at the iconic entrance of Kanakakkunnu palace ground.

The light show has immersive walkways lined with oversized, glowing floral and leaf-like structures in shades of purple and white, designed to create a whimsical garden atmosphere.

One of the major attraction of the light show will be a giant dragon, a thematic centerpiece featuring a massive, intricately detailed red-and-gold dragon.

The visually fascinating event comes as a double delight for city residents as well as tourists with the light festival illuminating the streets and heritage structures.

A stunning range of over 35,000 pots of flowering plants is being showcased at the event, curated by Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI), Palode.

Chrysanthemum festival

A chrysanthemum festival, displaying a profusion of over 8,000 chrysanthemum flowers and plants is a salient feature of this edition of the festival.

Also on display are a wide variety of dahlias, marigolds, petunias, zinnias, daisies, anthuriums, lilies, and tulips, besides a range of locally grown flowers.

An expo of flower decoration as well as a competition in this category will also be held for adults and students. Visitors can also buy flowers and plants from the stalls put up by various nurseries. Entry ticket for adults is ₹50, while for children it is ₹30.