Thiruvananthapuram: “Kerala people made our beautiful days, it’s awesome.” Even as she prepared to return after celebrating Onam and watching the procession, the excitement of 11-year-old Serbian native Nika had not faded. “I will come again, this country is so beautiful to see. The land, the city and the arts have all offered magnificent sights. Thank you to Kerala for including us foreigners in the Onam celebration,” said Nika, a painter, adding that she would capture the new views on her canvas.

The winners of the third season of the international online painting competition organised by the Department of Tourism, children from abroad and other Indian states, had come to Kerala to see Onam and receive prizes. Nika was one of them.

When she saw the Onam procession, the Sri Lankan cultural festival 'Perahera' came to mind. However, she did not expect to see so many art forms together. Sinali said they loved everything from spicy delicacies to Pulikkali (tiger dance) and that Kerala had become their home country. This was their second visit to Kerala, where they shared an equal love for arts and painting. Sinali also expressed a wish to visit Kerala for the next Onam.

They came to Kerala as winners after exploring unseen parts of the state through Google and capturing them on canvas. Every moment was filled with excitement as they experienced the land, the city and unique life first-hand. Nine children and their parents from Bangladesh, Serbia, Bulgaria, Russia, the UK, Uzbekistan and Sri Lanka took part. For many, it was their first visit to Kerala. The theme of the competition was 'Rural Life of Kerala'.

The winners were also able to interact with Minister PA Mohammed Riyas, along with the international responsible tourism delegation that arrived in Kerala as part of an 8-day cultural exchange programme. The competition was for children aged four to six. Five children from Odisha, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, along with Varna Ratheesh, a native of Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram, were among them. In total, 30 people, including the children’s mentors, attended.

All returned happy that the minister had fulfilled their wish to take part in the Onam procession.