KANNUR: This Onam, a group of women from Kerala took the festive spirit to the iconic Great Wall of China by performing thiruvathira at the historical site. Six women, part of a 34-member tourist group from the state, performed the traditional dance form on Wednesday, turning the world-famous spot into a stage that celebrated Kerala’s rich cultural heritage. Their graceful movements drew the attention of onlookers and spread the festive cheer far beyond home.
In preparation for their trip to China, organised by Kannur-based travel company ‘Kannur Safari’, the group of travellers created a WhatsApp group to stay connected and share ideas. It was there that someone suggested wearing traditional Kerala attire when they reached the Great Wall on September 3.
Excited by the thought, another proposal soon followed to perform thiruvathira at the historic site by 59-year-old Suja T.
Salina N P, 61, Gerogiya Ani Pappachan, 26, Pushppa Sajeevan, 49, Sheeja M L, 52, and Leena Sathyan, 46, joined Suja to bring the essence of Kerala’s tradition to the historic site.
“When travellers from other countries noticed the entire group dressed in traditional attire, they grew curious and began asking about the occasion, giving us the chance to proudly explain the significance of Onam. Watching us perform the thiruvathira sparked even more interest, as many asked about the dance and its steps, their excitement adding to the festive spirit of the moment.
We shared our idea about performing at the Great Wall of China through the WhatsApp group,” said Sheeja, a resident of Mukkam. Leena from Kannur shared with the group the thiruvathira steps. The group ensured that their performance was carried out without causing any inconvenience to other tourists or disturbing the decorum of the historic site. They danced after training for three days at the hotel.
“We felt delighted after performing thiruvathira at a historic site. The only regret is that it could have been made much grander, but overall, I am satisfied with the performance. We had our first brief practice session in Shanghai and then managed to rehearse properly for two days after reaching Beijing,” said Leena.