This Onam, Melbourne will echo with the rhythm of tradition as nearly 200 women take the stage for the Mega Thiruvathira at Springvale Town Hall on 6 September, celebrating both Kerala’s culture and the city’s multicultural spirit.
The brains behind this ambitious project, set to be the festival’s centrepiece, are Padma Rajagopal, Nisha Madanan, Sindhu Jinesh, and Aswathi Unnikrishnan, four Malayali women who have made Melbourne their home.
They have poured months of effort into this labour of love. And what began as an ambitious idea has blossomed into a powerful movement, uniting women from diverse backgrounds through the graceful, circular movements of the Thiruvathirakali.
“We started by creating expression-of-interest forms and spreading the word among friends,” Padma says. “Normally, Onam celebrations are small, with groups of 10–15 people. But this time, the idea of a larger, community-focused event really resonated, and soon we had groups forming across Melbourne.”
With participants spanning ages 15 to 50, including university students and mothers performing alongside daughters, the event is truly intergenerational. “It’s empowering to see different age groups coming together,” Padma says. “We even have participants from other communities joining in the fun.”
The logistics were daunting. How do you coordinate 200 busy women, spread across Melbourne’s vast suburbs, to learn a complex dance without the luxury of weekly mass rehearsals? The answer lay in technology and trust.
“We created WhatsApp groups for each team, which made it easier for them to practice at their own pace,” says Sindhu, the choreographer. Choreography videos were meticulously circulated, with steps designed to be learned individually. Across Melbourne small groups practised in local parks, community halls, and living rooms.
The true test came on a recent Saturday, 23 August, at their first and only mass rehearsal. A nervous energy filled the air.
“We were all a bit nervous about maintaining uniformity and sync,” Sindhu says. “But we were absolutely happy because each group had given their best effort, and we performed as if we had been practicing together every week.”
The Thiruvathira dance holds deep cultural significance. Celebrated during the harvest festival of Onam, it commemorates the mythical king Mahabali, whose annual return is welcomed with joy and festivities.
“Onam is a time to celebrate peace, prosperity, and togetherness,” Sindhu says. “Through this dance, we’re connecting younger generations to their heritage while sharing the culture with the broader Melbourne community.”
“Mahabali was granted one wish: to visit his people once a year. This annual return is celebrated as Onam,” adds Nisha. “Now it feels like a proud moment, being a part of this.”
The Mega Thiruvathira is a powerful embodiment of that homecoming spirit for the Malayali diaspora. Strikingly, it is also a truly multicultural celebration, with participants hailing from Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and North India.
Attention to detail extends to costumes, with 200 outfits imported from India to create a visually stunning performance. The team has planned every aspect meticulously, from rehearsal schedules to stage arrangements, ensuring the final show reflects months of dedication and effort.
Excitement is building, with the women eagerly anticipating September 6, ready to perform together and share that joy with the audience.
Rest assured, on the day of Onam, 200 women will form concentric circles, their white and gold kasavu saris shimmering under the lights, their steps a unified prayer of celebration, community, and cultural pride.
It’s more than a dance; it’s a statement, the women agree. A statement that in the heart of Melbourne, the spirit of Kerala thrives, grows, and welcomes all—two hundred hearts beating as one.
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