First year students of Government Law College, Thrissur, set the agenda for Onam celebrations on Wednesday in Kerala crippled by Covid-19 since January 2020.
Seventy-two students of the three-year stream LLB , who have not seen each other since the beginning of the course in September 2020 due to lock down of all educational institutions and who have been undergoing on-line classes every day thought of setting a new festivity to ward off the ennui resulting out of loneliness, separation and absence of physical interaction. “In Kerala, law college students set precedence for all cultural and social upsurges,” said P A Mahboob, chronicler of State’s modern politics.
“Lawyers in Kerala are made of different mould,” said Sujit Thannickal, class representative of the B Batch students who pointed out that Indulekha, the first Malayalam novel was authored by O Chandu Menon, a lawyer who became judge during the British regime.
Sujith and colleagues who were at far away places ganged up and the end result was a thought provoking show that included music, dance, dumb charade and skit.
Sherly Felix who was at her residence in Ernakulam rendered a mellifluous Onam song while Bindu Satish and her eight friends presented the traditional Thiruvathirakali (a group dance choreographed based on the lyrics of Maharaja Swathi Thirunaal of the Travancore Royal Family), from eight different locations. The show was live streamed by the baby of the team Sharon Justice who also staged a drama in association with Gopinathan, a former technocrat and the livewire of the on-line classes.
College Principal Prof Jayadevan, known as a tough taskmaster and disciplinarian gave in to the pleas by the students for an hour’s programme but the show turned out to be a two-hour long kaleidoscopic experience to the faculty. They were lavish in praising the students as such on-line Onam celebration is a once in a life-time experience for all. “It was an enthralling show and the students deserve our full compliments,” said Prof Khadeejabi, senior faculty. What added to the beauty of the show was anecdotes and real life experiences recounted by Gopinathan and Mohan, a former local self government secretary who opted for legal studies after retirement.
The on-line show enlivened not only the Thrissur Law College but other educational institutions in the State where students and faculty are busy preparing to present on-line shows on Friday and Saturday.
“It was an Onam with a difference. These students compensated the loss due to lock down with the live show which rekindled the spirits,” said Prof Rakhee. But the enthusiasm turned out to be a short lived one as by the end of the show all students were issued the time table for the semester examinations which begin on September 9. “It was like the major firework that mark the conclusion of Thrissur Pooram,” commented Gopinathan.