Bhopal Celebrates Onam With Chenda Melam, Thiruvathira Dance, Pookalam & Tug-Of-War
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The United Malayalee Association (UMA) in association with Malayalam Mission celebrated Onam 2026 by organising events at HEMA School in the city on Sunday. King Mahabali received a traditional welcome featuring Chenda Melam performance and girls bearing Thalappoli. It was followed by Thiruvathira dance. The evening's showcase also featured performances by Natyashri,…
Onam 2026 was celebrated in Bhopal with a vibrant array of cultural events organized by the United Malayalee Association (UMA) and the Malayalam Mission. The celebration commenced with a traditional welcome for King Mahabali, marked by a lively Chenda Melam performance and the display of Thalappoli, a ceremonial headgear. This was followed by a display of Thiruvathira dance, a traditional Kerala dance form.
The cultural extravaganza also featured performances by Natyashri, a group that masterfully blended traditional and contemporary dance styles. A skit emphasizing the importance of family values was enacted, along with a group song by the UMA Ladies Wing.
The evening continued with a competitive tug-of-war event, where youth teams demonstrated their strength and teamwork. A floral rangoli, or athappookalam, competition added a touch of artistic beauty to the celebrations, with teams crafting intricate designs. Anirudh KV, a young traveller with cerebral palsy from Kerala, shared his experiences of traveling across India, inspiring the youth present.
The celebrations also included the felicitations of meritorious students from Class 10 and 12, who were honored with cash prizes and awards. Bhopal's ACP Santosh Patel announced that a keychain seller's sister had tied a rakhi, symbolizing her request for justice in her brother's murder case.
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