Bhavans Tostmasters Club celebrated Onam, Kerala’s state festival on 2nd September 2017 at the Smart Indian School, Jleeb Al Shuyoukh, Kuwait.
The celebrations kick-started with the welcome speech by TM Sunil Thomas, the VP Public Relations in which he beautifully explained the legend behind the Onam. Master Emmanuel Roshan Jaiby who disguised himself as Mahabali, blessed the audience and expressed his wishes to come back to Kerala to meet his people.
The sanguine TM Sindumol conducted the Table Topics session which focused on topics related to Onam. A few members spoke about their happiest memories of Onam celebrations, which were reminiscent of the celebrations with families back home in Kerala, India. It was followed by a couple of interesting Onam games organized by TM Noble, TM Thomas Selvan and TM Sunil Thomas, in which the audience participated vigorously.
The most significant part of the celebrations was the ‘Ona Sadya,’ the traditional Onam Meals of Kerala with a wide range of vegetable curries, rice, and payasams.
People belonging to different religions, states, languages and nations sat together and enjoyed the delicious food which was served in banana leaves. The food was prepared and served by the ardent Toastmasters whole heartedly.
An Onam celebration is not complete without the’ Onappattukal’ (Onam Songs). All the participants joyfully joined together in the rendering of melodious songs lead by TM Mahesh Iyer. The Thiruvathira performed by the Madam Toastmasters along with the daughters of TM Bhavitha Bright, TM Sheeba Premugh and TM Sindumol was a treat to the eyes. It was indeed a spirited performance, and the initiative took by TM Bhavitha became a grand success. Two boys, Vachan Premugh and Bebin Bright took the crowd by surprise with their delicate dance movements on the podium. Miss Medha Vidyanathan, a student in third standard sang the Malayalam song 'Indu pushpam choodi nilkkum Rathri’ with ease and composure. There were pleasing poems recited by TM Sasi Krishnan, and TM Suresh V. Balakrishnan. TM Suresh in his speech portrayed his memorable Onam celebration which he celebrated with the Ona Sadya at his friend's house many years back in Kerala, India. He rightly conveyed the message of Onam through his excellent speech.
The celebration was wound up with a vote of thanks by TM Thomas Selvan, the Club President. The ambience resembled a traditional Onam celebration in Kerala. Children and Toastmasters lead by TM Sasi Krishnan designed the vibrant 'BTC' in flowers - a traditional ' Athappookkalam' and all the participants were in traditional Kerala Dress. The meeting once again reiterated the spirit of Indians living abroad. When it comes to festivals like Onam, people set aside all the differences and celebrate them with a sense of oneness, togetherness, love, respect and understanding.
By celebrating Onam in grandeur, Bhavans Toastmasters Club had added one more feather in its cap, and had given a new dimension to a Toastmasters Club Meeting. A meeting can be informal, entertaining and at the same time be educative as well.
The club membership is open to all nationalities and for more details and membership please contact: Vice President Membership TM Anilkumar, Mob:99320125 President TM Thomas Selvan, Mob: 51714124.