SHILLONG: Keralites from across the city converged at the U Soso Tham Auditorium here on Sunday to celebrate Onam and the silver jubilee celebrations of Kalakairaly, a city-based socio-cultural organisation.
The programme featured several cultural performances that highlighted the rich cultural history of the Malayalee community.
Speaking as chief guest, DD Lapang, advisor to the state government, said the state of Kerala has a very rich culture with Onam as the biggest and the most important festival.
Onam is the harvest festival celebrated in Kerala, usually in the month of August-September (according to the Gregorian calendar).
Lapang appreciated the contribution of the Malayalee community to the state in various fields, saying that people from Kerala were hardworking and adventurous.
He urged the students present at the function to be presentable, dependable and humble. Guest of honour Gokulam Gopala Krishnan, the president of All India Malayalee Association (AIMA), in his address, said Keralites are a part of a cultural tradition where the sun never sets.
In other words, Malayalees are seen in all nooks and corners of the world and are best described as a community of “Global Malayalees”.
A message sent by Lok Sabha MP from Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor was also read out by a member here , where the legislator said he was happy that Kalakairaly had completed 25 years in Shillong.
(Kairaleeyam , a souvenir was also released to mark the silver jubilee celebration of the organisation.
The tone to the function was set by a prayer song by Angel and friends which was followed by a feast of cultural items which included Tiruvatira, Khasi and Bihu dance among others. Besides, Triloka, a band from Mumbai, mesmerised the audience with their songs and music which were representative of the bright and vibrant musical tradition of Kerala.
The traditional Onam feast was also arranged on the occasion.
Earlier, Pradeep Pillai, the president of Kalakairaly, welcomed the guests and invitees.
In his address, he traced the history of Malayalees in Meghalaya to the early 1950s and gave a brief account of their contributions in various fields, especially in the field of education and health sectors.
