7th Sept

Onam Day Celebration- Kodiyettam’2022

After the tug of war competition held over the previous weekend, The Malayali Club was ready to celebrate the final bash of Kodiyettam, with the Onam Celebration and the Onam Sadya.

Onam, the annual harvest festival celebrated in remembrance of the noble King Mahabali, was a day that celebrated togetherness, community, and love. The day provided a feeling of being close to "home" for many Malayalees in the university from across the world, and was a window to the Non-Malayalees into a culture, land, and community knitted with love, values, food, and wide smiles.

The day began with the Academic Block entrance decorated with the pookalam(flower rangoli) and the positive energy of excitement brewing slowing across the whole campus.

The celebration began from the Boys’ Hostel with the Chendamelam. With the joyous and synchronous thumping of the chendas(dhols), King Mahabali and the boys began a drive to the AB. Flowers and colours were showered as people moved their hips and danced to get the vibe started.

 

 With the boys in traditional mundu (with a lot of them turning out in black shirts. Don’t know the exact source of this inspiration. But all looked dashing) and the girls in crisp, beautiful, white and golden sarees, with fragrant mullapooh(jasmine flower) gracing their hairs, the official celebration began.

The function anchored both in English and Malayalam, began with lighting of the lamp and a prayer song.

Onam, apart from the sarees and sadya, is a musical treat too. The audience swayed to the songs from God’s Own Country, sung by the talented singers.

Then there was the Maaveli, where King Mahabali entered the room as the origin story of Onam was narrated. Thiruvadhira (unique dance performed by women seeking blessing of Lord Shiva). The audience howled and the stage rocked by the gobsmacking fusion dance and rap performance.

The inside show ended with a ramp walk, to flaunt the traditional attire and the chemistry between club members.

  

The celebrations ended with the Onam Sadya- held in the LC in four slots, with over 300 students and teachers coming together to have a taste of the scrumptious meal prepared by the CRCL mess.The meal was served on a banana leaf with over 13 dishes.

As the day came to end, the tummies were full and happy, and the day was etched in everyone's memory.