Auckland Malayali Samajam conducted its annual children’s arts competition, Kalolsavam 2024, at the Blockhouse Bay Community Centre. All three stages of the venue witnessed a tough competition among talented young minds, their parents, and arts enthusiasts. The participants amused the audience with their charming performances,

ranging from traditional classical dances to modern cinematic dance routines.  

The event officially started at 8 am on Saturday, 20th July, with an inaugural address by AMS President Robin K Babu. The competition saw a record participation of 140 children in various cultural performances. “It was the best Kalolsavam in the last 25 years,” remarked Robin K Babu. “It was really heartening to see so many parents bringing their little kids and making every item very competitive. The community spirit was high as our team was able to make everyone happy with our accommodating nature. We are aiming for bigger, better things for our next event,” he added.

The judges faced a challenging task in determining the winners due to the extraordinary talent displayed by the participants. “We were struggling to make a decision about the winners as the quality of each performance was remarkable,” said Dr. Sam Mathai JP, a member of the judging panel.

“We have been receiving a lot of appreciative phone calls and messages from our community members acknowledging the success of the event. All the credit goes to our committee members and the volunteers from our community,” said Libi Jacob Oommen, Vice President of Auckland Malayali Samajam.

A food stall was also set up at the venue, offering delicious traditional Kerala cuisine at affordable prices to cater to the participants and attendees. Auckland Malayali Samajam, the largest Malayali association in Oceania, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Contact-02102415894 Mebin John, Secretary