Abhishek Anilkumar of St. Joseph’s HSS, Pavaratty, Thrissur performing Folk Dance at the State School Arts Festival in Thrissur on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: K.K. Mustafah
With lightning footwork, gripping narratives, and striking costumes, boys competing in the Higher Secondary Folk Dance event turned the State School Arts Festival stage into a space of resistance on Sunday. Subaltern struggles may be a familiar theme, but several performances stood apart for their daring imagination and sharp treatment.
One of the arresting acts came from M.R. Devasurya, a Class XI student of GHSS Cheemeni, who embodied Kuyili, a fearless commander in the army of Rani Velu Nachiyar of Sivagangai and regarded as India’s first suicide warrior.
Set against the backdrop of colonial invasion, the performance revisited the moment when Kuyili, in a blazing act of defiance, set herself on fire and stormed the British armoury at the Sivaganga Fort in Tamil Nadu, reducing it to ashes. Devasurya’s choreography questioned why such a sacrifice has been pushed to the margins of history. He earned an A grade for the performance.
Abhishek Anilkumar of St. Joseph’s HSS, Pavaratty, matched intensity with finesse. Based on the story Kiratham, his electrifying stage presence left both judges and audience in awe. A Plus Two commerce student, Abhishek clinched his third consecutive A grade in Folk Dance.
Equally compelling was Krishnaraj of KKM HSS, Alathiyur, Malappuram, who also secured an A grade in the event for the third consecutive year. His performance drew from the anguish of the struggles for land titles, translating collective pain into controlled, powerful movement.
Other standout performances addressed the lived realities of transgender communities, feudal exploitation and everyday discrimination, widening the emotional and political canvas of the competition.
Published – January 18, 2026 08:44 pm IST
