TEACHERS DAY & ONAM CELEBRATIONS 2019

       

The Government College of Teacher Education, Thycaud, like all other institutions across the Kerala state celebrated Onam 2019 with subdued tones in respect to the lives lost in the floods and landslides of 2019. This year’s Onam celebration was much more important because Teacher’s Day also fell on the very same day. As a teacher training institute, the day is quite special to all the student-teachers as well as the teachers.

September 05 of every year is celebrated as Teacher’s day in honour of Dr S Radhakrishnan’s Birthday, the former president of India and one of the best teacher’s India has had. Teachers' Day aims to value and acknowledge the contribution of all the teachers in shaping one’s lives. Onam, the harvest festival of Kerala, is celebrated with various cultural programmes, games, competitions and get-togethers. The colourful athapoos, swings, the traditional set-sarees of the women and mundu of the men along with the full-blown smiles, varieties of eatables and the akosha-melas mark the season.

GCTE began its preparation in earnest under the supervision of the Principal, along with Kumar sir, the faculty-in-charge, Abjini Merin Roy, the student co-ordinator and representatives of each class. A committee meeting was held in the Principal’s chamber before the function to set the schedule for the event and go through the guidelines needed for the effective running of the festivities.

As it was the first Onam for all four batches – I B.Ed, II B.Ed, I M.Ed & II M.Ed.- excitement was prevalent throughout the institute. Our celebration  was spun over the course of two days  – 4^th and 5^th September -  and all the students put in their whole effort to make the event enjoyable for everyone.

A swing was put up for the students on September 3^rd and it was enjoyed by both, students as well as the staff members. The swing was a witness to many grownups reverting back to their childhood days. On the 4^th of September at around 11.30am, the I M.Ed students organized a flash mob in front of the college. It was a truly wonderful spectacle to watch. They performed outstandingly even with the limited time they had to practice. Despite the threat of rain, we held the games and competitions on the same day after lunch on the ground in front of the collge. Musical chairs, kalamadi, sundarik pott thodal, lemon and spoon, soochiyil noolkettal etc were the games that we played with many rounds for each game so as to ensure the participation of all the students. The teachers were also active participants in all the games. The games were made more fun by the witty anchoring from Nidhin C.P of I B.Ed.

The highlight of the day was the highly competitive vadamvalli which was held under the supervision of our physical education instructor, Shabu sir. Renji from II M.Ed was the anchor for the event and had us in stitches with his humourous comments. The teams for the event were house-based which brought up the team spirit even more. The teams even indulged in some light-hearted fun teasing before the start making it even more charged. The winners were presented with a vazhakola which was distributed among all the students gathered there. The students dispersed for the day after this.

The second day of the Onam – Teacher’s day function started at 11.30am. As part of the Teacher’s Day special, students welcomed each teacher into the UGC Hall by giving them a rose and guiding them to their seats. After the arrival of the Principal, we kicked off the schedule with a prayer. Asha Latha and Megha Basheer of I B.Ed. were the hosts for the day. The payer was followed by a welcome from Rajalekshmi P.R of I M.Ed. As part of Guruvandanum, Sreenath G recited a self-written poem and Aparna I Joy & Parvathy B.R performed a guruvandanum dance during which the “Spread the light” ceremony took place. The Principal lit his fellow teacher’s candles who went on to light the student-teachers unlit candles. The solemn ceremony had an air of sanctity and divinity to it. It was a time when each one of us remembered all the living candles that lit us up from our childhood to the day thus far.

The Principal was then invited to recite a pledge for all the teachers and the future to-be-teachers. He followed this up with a short message about the Day’s importance. After the message, two student representatives, Radhika of I M.Ed and Justin of II M.Ed spoke a few words and wished all the teachers on behalf of the students. As the function was going on, our unofficial chief guest, Sujeev Sir, who won the best teacher award from the Kerala state government arrived.

Following his teacher’s day message and onashamsakal, he was honoured with a momento and a ponnada. Due to his busy schedule, he had to leave the ceremony shortly. Felicitations were continued by Dr Sujith, the Vice- Principal and H.O.D of Geography. As his message neared the end, two personalities entered the stage, Maveli and Dr S Radhakrishnan, dressed up by Vinayakan and Greeshma of I B.Ed, carry a cake to the beat of a Onapatt. A surprise birthday party was held in between for Sujith sir in between likewise and cake was distributed to the gathered. The two personalities took their seats on the stage and the schedule moved on to the cultural programmes, which were started off by an onapatt sung by all the teachers of the college under the leadership of the Principal, Dr Suresh. The party soon broke off for lunch.

Delicious sadhya with homemade dishes were served to the students and the teachers. The programmes continued after lunch starting with a mega thiruvathira by females of all batches, on the college ground. It was quite a sight to behold. This was followed up by a fusion dance from the II B.Ed. students. Soon after the celebration moved back towards the hall and the students put on bright and creative activities onstage.

A duet from Nidhin and Shaiju, I B.Ed. had everyone clapping and singing together with them while the hilarious rendition of a fusion dance from the men of II M.Ed. had everyone in splits from laughter. The elegance of the thiruvathira from I M.Ed. mesmerized everyone when the duet by Rahul sir and Sreenath sir opened everyone’s mouths in wonder. Not to forget, the sight of the conductor, Principal, Dr Suresh, will be forever etched in the minds of the gathered. The youngest batch, I B.Ed. also did not fall back on activities with group songs and dances. The programme culminated with a Fancy dress runway walk from II M.Ed. and II B.Ed.

The festivities of the day ended with the National Anthem at 3.00pm. The entire success of the celebration was due to the active co-operation and participation from the students and the staff members. The two days long fun and frolic will be a part of the fond memories of the college.

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