The students of Acharya Institutes recently had a great time celebrating Onam – with a twist. 
Along with all the trappings traditionally associated with this harvest festival, they tweaked it to suit the student’s modern sensibilities by including a rock band performance as well.
The students put their best foot forward to ensure that the celebration was worth remembering.
Many of the students dressed in traditional attire, and the entire campus was decorated in a festive manner. A pookalam was drawn in the college and a troupe of students even performed some Kerala folk music, along with the rock band.
What really lent an air of bonhomie to the proceedings, however, was a dance performance by some of the foreign students of the college.
They performed to the Malayalam song Kuttanad. Other students chose to highlight the culture and traditional lore associated with this festival, by putting up a skit which represented the tale of Mahabali and Vamanvatar.
Another group kept the tempo
of the programme going by performing a Pulikkali folk dance.
A special team of performers was invited from Kerala to showcase the famous
Shingari Mela, which includes chende and thaala.
Traditional Onam fare, including ari paayasam – which is a sweet dish made with rice – was served to everyone. The students also had a great time playing some traditional games which originated in Kerala and are associated with this festival.
What was especially nice about the festivities was that it wasn’t just students of the college who came together to have a good time.
Some of the ex-students actually made it a point to travel back to their alma mater and spend the occasion with their friends and comrades. Riyaz Rasheed, one such alumnus, says, “I have passed out of this college but I have still come here, all the way from Kerala, to take part in this celebration.”
Malayali students, who were missing spending the festival away from their parents, weren’t disappointed.
Sachin Vyas, one such postgraduate student, adds, “I am definitely not missing my native land, I feel like I am at home. The credit goes to the organisers of this event.”