Vasantholsavam lures over 1.5 lakh visitors, surge in turnout on New Year’s eve

Winners of institutional, individual contests declared

Trivandrum / January 1, 2026

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 01: The ongoing festival of flowers and lights, Vasantholsavam at Kanakakkunnu Palace grounds in the city has registered a record footfall of over 1.5 lakh visitors since the event opened on December 24 on Christmas eve.

The festival, organized by the State Tourism Department in association with the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC), was opened by Tourism Minister Shri P A Mohamed Riyas on December 24, elevating the Christmas and New Year vibe.

The most attractive flower festival the city has ever had, going by its scale and grandeur, this edition of Vasantholsavam kept attracting heavy turnout of visitors from the day-one.

New Year’s eve witnessed a big surge in visitors as the venue turned out to be a vibrant and elegant joint for city residents and tourists to gather and welcome the year ahead.

The show will run till January 4.

Meanwhile, the College of Agriculture, Vellayani, emerged as the overall champion in various contests held in the institutional category, scoring 648 points. The Museum and Zoo came runner-up with 497 points and the Kerala Legislature Secretariat the second runner-up with 182 points.

Smt Licy Joseph won the first prize in the individual category, followed by Shri V Manu Mohan and Shri Mohanan Nair as the runner-up and the second runner-up respectively.

In the commercial category Shri Jayakumar of Kumar Nursery, Kollam claimed the top slot, followed by Shri Vaisakh of Green Valley Akkulam and Smt Kochuthresy Joseph of Clare Orchid, Madhavapuram, taking the next two positions.

Offering a stunning visual treat, an amazing range of over 35,000 pots of flowering plants brought from different parts of the country are on display at the event.

The flower show is curated by Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanical Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI), Palode.

The chrysanthemum festival, displaying over 8000 chrysanthemum flowers and plants, has been a highlight of this edition of the festival. Also on display are a wide variety of dahlias, marigolds, petunias, zinnias, daisies, anthuriums, lilies, tulips, besides a range of locally grown flowers.

Besides seamlessly blending with the stunning range of flowers, the lighting spectacle elevates the festive mood at the venue.

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