Onam – 2013 was celebrated with great splendour at TAPMI on Sunday, the 15th of September. All the students, dressed in the traditional garb of Kerala, took part in the activities with enthusiasm. Students, belonging to various cultures and religions, and speaking various languages joined the celebrations this year round. For many of them, this was their first ever Onam.
Onam, the harvest festival of Kerala, celebrated in the month of Chingam, the first month in Malyalam calendar, also marks the beginning of a new year. The celebrations kicked off with the making of “Pookalam” (Floral decorations). Many students came forward and made a beautiful “Pookalam” sitting through the entire night. The enthusiasm was palpable. The festivities started off in the morning with the “Shingari Melam” and faculty and students came in large numbers to enjoy the festivities. The performance of the “Melam” artists was very well appreciated by the crowd. The afternoon meal was a veritable array of many dishes and everyone had their fill of the classic Kerala cuisine with many of them savouring the authentic Kerala “Sadya” (feast) for the very first time. A lunch consisting of delicacies like avial, puli inji, ada prathaman, special Kerala boiled rice, besides other specialties, was served. Post-lunch the students took part in various games and fun events. The tug of war event witnessed students cheering their teams on the top of their voices, and was one of the standout events. The winners of the events were given prizes. In the evening, students also put up an entertainment programme that included songs, dance and drama. A special skit depicting the visit of King Mahabali and the story of the origin of Onam was played out by the students. They also came up with a musical performance, comprising of old and new Onam songs and the beats of the traditional drums, which left the crowd revelling in the spirit of the festival. Girls performed the traditional dance of “Thiruvathira” with grace, elegance and poise, dressed in the traditional wear.
The dedication and the enthusiasm of the students made the day beautiful and memorable.
T
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