More than 650 people gathered at Box Hill Town Hall on Saturday evening to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Vipanchika Grandhasala Melbourne Inc., with theatre, traditional performance and community participation reflecting the organisation’s decade-long commitment to promoting Malayalam language and culture in Australia.
The milestone event, titled Dashakam 2026, drew families from across Victoria and interstate for one of the association’s largest cultural gatherings since it was established.
Guests included Hon. Paul Hamer MP, Lee Tarlamis MLC, Whitehorse Deputy Mayor Cr Kieran Simpson and Dr Babu Philip, who spoke about the importance of preserving Malayalam language, literature and cultural traditions for future generations.
The evening opened with Kapikulam, a 30-minute comedy drama performed by visiting theatre artists Unniraja and Biju Irinave. Their performance was warmly received, with the audience responding enthusiastically to the production’s humour and stagecraft.
The programme continued with Pulijanmam, an amateur theatre production presented by the KEPTA Melbourne Drama Group under the direction of Girish Avanoor. Featuring 25 local performers, the play highlighted the depth of theatrical talent within Melbourne’s Malayali community. It marked the group’s second staging of the production and was well received by those in attendance.
A standout moment of the evening came with the presentation of Muthappan Vellattam, a sacred ritual performance from North Kerala led by traditional Theyyam artist Haridas Panicker and his team. Organisers said it was the first live presentation of Muthappan Vellattam in Australia, introducing audiences to one of Kerala’s most revered ritual art forms.
Vipanchika Grandhasala Melbourne Inc. said the anniversary celebrated more than the organisation’s first decade. It reflected the continued support of volunteers, artists, sponsors and families who have helped sustain Malayalam language, literature, theatre, arts and cultural activities within Australia’s multicultural community.
The association thanked supporters who travelled from different parts of Australia to attend the event, describing their participation as central to the success of the celebration.
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