A special Onam celebration

Arathi K did not look too pleased at first when she was interrupted in the middle of her meal by the flash of a camera. Nevertheless, she and her friends, all students of the  Government Vocational Higher Secondary School for the Deaf in Jagathy donned bright smiles and posed for the picture as they tucked into their sadya - a hearty spread of all the traditional Kerala food items prepared by the staff of their school.

The onam celebrations of the school were on in full swing on Wednesday. One group of students enjoyed their lunch. Outside in the courtyard of their school, in front of the principal’s office, four of their colleagues were engaged in the traditional Pulikali, their bodies painted yellow and black and glistening in the midday sun. As Mahabali looked on, more students joined in the enthusiastic prancing, seemingly oblivious to the heat.

At one end of the courtyard was a stage on which a large floral carpet was decorated where girls in traditional set-mundus were waiting to perform their thiruvathira dance for the chief guest of the day, poet O N V Kurup.

Inaugurating the function, the poet expressed his appreciation to the teachers who he said “had spared no effort to ensure that these children, strangers to the world of sound, enjoy Onam in all its splendour.” Mayor K Chandrika was also present. This school, established in 1942, is celebrating its 70th year. It is one of the three government schools for the deaf functioning in the state.