Onam celebration: Students barred over sarees and mundus, protest forces school to allow entry

KOZHIKODE: Students who arrived at Al Farooq Residential Senior Higher Secondary School in Feroke wearing sarees and mundus for the Onam celebrations were denied entry on Friday, after the principal issued an order banning the traditional attire at 1.38am. There had been no such restriction in previous years.

The students, including those who had brought food from home to share with their classmates, were made to wait outside the school gate. They were allowed to enter the venue for the celebrations around 11.30am following strong protests.

The move came as a setback for Plus Two students who had been preparing for the Onam celebrations for several days. The students had already made arrangements to wear sarees and mundus as part of the dress code.

The school authorities had also instructed each student to prepare and bring a food item for the celebrations. The students said no such instruction had been issued at the PTA meeting and that the ban was imposed only after midnight. The school authorities declined to comment on the issue.