Malayalees in CT celebrate Onam

TRUMBULL, CT: Over 400 people from Fairfield County in the state of Connecticut participated in the 9th annual Onam celebrations organized by Malayalee Association of Southern Connecticut (MASCONN) at Madison Middle School, Trumbull, CT on September 17.

Men, women, children and youth dressed in traditional attire, were welcomed with a colorful Pookoalm and the traditional lamp at the entrance of school, giving them a warm traditional Indian welcome.

The four-hour-long cultural extravaganza was in many ways “reliving the culture and traditions” and a “cherishing the past with a view to passing it on to the future generation.”

The cultural events consisted of several live dances, classical Bharatnatyam, fusion, Bollywood, folk and contemporary dances, live music and songs, sung in Malayalam.

Children from the ages of five to older adults delighted the audience with their melodious voices, and several dances both cinematic and traditional, showcasing the rich variety of dance forms prevalent in India. Through “Ottam Thullal” another traditional art from Kerala, the evolution of MASCONN into a strong organization today, was explained.

MASCONN was formed about ten years ago.