Cochin Carnival cancelled due to COVID-19 scare in Kerala

Kochi (Kerala) [India], December 22 (ANI): Cochin Carnival, the biggest annual year-end celebration in Kerala cancelled in a wake of the coronavirus situation in the state, said the founding chairman of the Carnival KJ Sohan.

Sohan, who was also the former mayor of Kochi, said the Carnival which used to hold at the Vasco da Gama Square in Fort Kochi every year has been cancelled.

"This will be the first time in history since 1984 that the carnival, which normally sees the participation of more than five lakh people, is cancelled," he said.

"For the first time in 36 years, the Cochin Carnival has been cancelled. This happened because there is a possibility of the spike in Covid-19 cases in the wake of local body polls held in the last week. Everyone is disappointed, especially the youth. They asked us to conduct the carnival on a small level. There was no other way but to skip the event," he said.

During the Carnival, people burn a giant effigy of the old man called 'Pappanji' with a suit and a beard, which symbolises bidding goodbye to the past year and welcoming the New Year. (ANI)