ADIMALI: When curtains fall on the four-day of the CBSE State Kalotsav at Viswadeepthi CMI Public School here on Sunday, the mystic valley will witness three schools vying for the coveted crown.
When results of 101 competitions were announced on Friday, Thrissur Sahodaya topped the chart with 1,090 points. The Malabar Sahodaya and Kottayam Sahodaya are close behind with 1,069 and 1,055 points, respectively.
The Ernakulam Sahodaya bagged 966 points, while the Palakkad Sahodaya finished at the fifth place with 940 points.
At the school level, Kozhikode Silver Hills CMI Public School is leading with 144 points. Thrissur Devamatha CMI Public School is in the second place with 86 points, followed by Chevayoor Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (84), Kavanda Lakeford School, Kollam, (74) and Kottayam Girideepam Bethany Central School (58).
On the third day, six appeals were filed, taking the total number of appeals to 14, and making the appeals committee richer by `28,000. The fees would be refunded, if the committee upholds the appeals.
Meanwhile, the venue witnessed unruly scenes on Friday when contestants and their parents engaged in heated arguments with the organisers. Later, the issue was settled.
Kerala CBSE School Management Association general secretary Indira Rajan said the results of folk dance and bharatanatyam would be reviewed by a panel of expert judges. Also, the judging panel assigned for the dance competitions to be held on the final day has been changed to avoid controversies.
The final day will witness competitions in miming, folk-dance, bharatanatyam, ottamthullal, extempore (Hindi), mono-act, light music, classical music, tabla and flute.
MG University Pro-vice-chancellor Sheena Shukoor will inaugurate the valedictory function, at which S Rajendran MLA and Kerala CBSE Schools Management Association president T P M Ibrahim Khan will deliver the keynote address. Confederation of Kerala Sahodaya Complexes president K Unnikrishnan will preside over the function.
Bijimol MLA, Muvattupuzha Carmel Province Provincial Fr Thomas Manjakunnel and finance committee convener K M Haris will offer felicitations. Cine artist Anusree will distribute prizes to winners.
A mix of smart choices and cliches
The mono-act performances stood out with quality of presentation and smart selection of subjects. The mimicry competition was a let-down as participants mostly dabbled with jarring cliches. But, the event had its moments when the performances transcended into reflections of reality - such as the irony of talented film actors being denied opportunity and an emotional appeal for help for ailing actors. From alcoholism and its effects on society to smart-phones and internet were used as tropes for the performances. Swathi Shaji, who is also a TV celebrity, stole the hearts of the audience with her flawless and exemplary mono-act performance. The ‘Manjurukum Kaalam’ actor performed in category-III.
An unusual feat for Priyanka
Unfazed by the domination of boys in the mridangam competition, percussion whiz-kid Priyanka Parameswaran was the shining star among the girl participants. Of the 34 students who participated in the category, only two were girls. A student of Koyilandy Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Thrissur, Priyanka has been getting training in mridangam since the tender age of seven. Now a class-X student, Priyanka aspires to become a mridangam maestro one day. Her father Parameswaran and mother Latha stay by her side as a constant source of motivation. She won first prize in the competition that is considered to be a male stronghold. First, she learned mridangam from Kongarappalli Parameswaran Namboothiri, and then from AIR artist K Jayakrishnan.
Folk dances serve a visual treat
The sleepy valley of Adimali woke up to the rhythm of margamkali on Saturday morning, when the CBSE cultural fiesta entered the third day. Later, the kolkali and oppana contests set the day rolling. The oppana stage resonated with the rhymes of Moidu Vanimel, and most of the teams depicted the marriage of ‘Khadeeja Beevi,’ with teams from Malabar winning the heart of the audience. Nassar Parasinikkadavu, who prepared six teams, was the star among the trainers. As many as 14 teams presented songs composed by him.