Happy Onam from ISP!!!
Onam is the harvest festival in the neighboring state of
Kerala. Today, Onam was celebrated at school through cultural dances and a ‘rangoli’ or ‘flower design’ competition. The students were off at their internship sites for part of
the day, but came back early in order to watch the festivities. Rangoli is an intricate design in a
circle that is created entirely with different varieties of FLOWERS!! The Malayalee (or Kerala) students at BACAS
competed in teams to create the best rangoli
design. Taylor, who is an art major, thoroughly enjoyed watching the designs
come to life.
In the afternoon, the Malayalee students put on a show with traditional (and non-traditional) dances and songs. The girls wore beautiful white saris which are traditional in Kerala and many of the guys danced hip-hop. There was even a girl who sang a Taylor Swift song in a 'southern drawl'!!
This was truly a cultural introduction for the students to
life in India in the way that programs are run but they definitely enjoyed it! Each
state has pride in their unique culture and so it was good or us to get to experience
that energy!
To see more photos from the celebration please visit our Facebook page: India Studies Program (ISP)
It's indeed wonderful to celebrate Onam. You can almost feel the mirth and enjoyment even you're away or not a Malayalee. I may not be a Kerala people but I feel the fun in celebrating this occasion.
ReplyDeleteHappy Onam!