'Pappanji' gets ready for the Cochin Carnival finale

Kochi: The final design of iconic 'Pappanji' or Santa Clause effigy for the New Year festivities at Cochin Carnival 2019 is ready.

The Pappanji will take shape under the supervision of renowned artist Bonney Thomas and its construction would begin on December 20. The burning of the majestic Pappanji, at the stroke of midnight, when the year bids farewell, is the highlight of the extensive New Year celebrations in Kochi.

In the Portuguese language, Pappanji means grandfather. This year, the Pappanji would be dressed in chic suit and blazers and would be more than 40 feet tall. It was at Fort Kochi that a New Year celebration in the European model had taken place for the first time in India. The Pappanji was introduced in 1984 as part of the Cochin Carnival. Since the inauguration of the Biennale, in 2014, the Pappanji is burned in the presence of well known artists.

This has brought an artistic significance for the ceremony. During the years when Kerala was battered by cyclone Ockhi and the floods, the Pappanji too had reflected these themes in its design. Last year, around Rs 3 lakh was spent for building the Pappanji. This year, the favourite grandpa of Cochin is sponsored by the Greenix Village of Fort Kochi.