Chennai, 01 Aug. 2025
Over 4,000 students of Dr. MGR-Janaki Women’s College celebrated Aadi Perukku, a Tamil festival observed on the eighteenth day of the Tamil month of Aadi to express gratitude for rivers. Donning half-sarees and sarees, students performed many traditional practices, capturing the essence of the occasion.
During the celebration, students participated in the ‘mulaipari’ worship, carrying earthen pots filled with sprouts from nine different types of grains and legumes. The girls floated lamps in a small pond, in a symbolic reenactment of the traditional practice typically performed in rivers. They enjoyed ‘chitrannam’, which included different varieties of rice such as lemon rice, tamarind rice, and coconut rice.
To add to the festivity, students performed traditional folk dances during the occasion and included ‘Devarattam’, ‘Karakattam’, ‘Puliyaattam’, ‘Oyilattam’, ‘Sakkaiyaattam’, ‘Poikaal Kuthiraiyaattam’, ‘Mayilattam’, and Dance Drama. Special children also performed a dance, and students from Agaram took part in the occasion. Altogether it was a spectacular sight and replication of celebrations indigenous to villages.
“Preserving our tradition and knowing our roots is important for human race to progress and leave in peace. Celebrations like this will help younger generation know our 5000-year-old tradition and pass on it to future generation. This is our little attempt towards preserving the Tamil culture. Also, the ‘sandhai’ concept with stalls fully managed by students will help nurture their marketing and entrepreneurial skills” said Dr. Kumar Rajendran, Chairman, Dr. MGR Janaki College for Women.
The event also featured experts discussing the social, cultural, and environmental significance of Aadi Perukku, as well as traditional practices, music, and dance forms of Tamil culture.
For more details, please visit: www.mgrjanaki.ac.in
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