Onam is one festival that is not limited to a specific community or caste. Unlike many other festivals, it is a festival that “takes along everyone”, said J.R. Lobo, Executive Director, Pilikula Nisargadhama, who inaugurated the event in the city on Sunday. The Onam celebrations and a feast was organised by the Mangalore-based Kerala Samajam.
The event included a cultural programme. It included “Thiruvathira”, a dance performed by women. This was followed by a contemporary dance performed by students of Kerala Samajam School. A play was presented. Winners of various competitions organised for the event were awarded prizes.
The celebrations included a traditional Onam
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The samajam would soon launch (on Sunday) a Kannada learning programme called “Namma Kannada”, said Ajith Kumar V.S, Secretary, Kerala Samajam, Mangalore. The programme was aimed at imparting basic knowledge of Kannada among all non-Kannada speaking people in Mangalore enabling them to read and write the language free of cost, said a press release.
The classes will be held on Sunday sand holidays. Kerala Samajam has projected the pogramme with the Chairman of Kannada Development Authoity and Kannada Sahithya Parishat and they have promised support for executing the project.
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Gopala Krishna Shetty, lecturer, Canara College, is the co-ordinator of the programme, and Karunakar Balkur, head of department, Department of Kannada, Expert PU College, is the chief instructor. Around 100 students have enrolled for the programme. Those interested (anybody of any age) may contact 2441323 and 9480055237. Classes will begin in the first week of October and registration is open till September 20, said a press release. Kerala Samajam was founded in 1957 and represents people from Kerala in Dakshina Kannada.