Thrissur: For the first time in its nine decade history, Kerala Kalamandalam has served non-vegetarian food to its students. Traditionally, the campus mess has provided vegetarian meals. However chicken biryani was served on Thursday, marking a significant departure from the long-standing practice. The "Freedom Chicken Biryani" from Viyyur Jail was distributed to the students in the canteen.
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Despite the tradition of serving vegetarian food, there was no official ban on non-vegetarian food, as clarified by the Vice-Chancellor of Kerala Kalamandalam, Dr B Anandakrishnan. He said that previously, eggs and similar items had been provided, indicating that the mess was not strictly vegetarian. The recent decision to serve non-vegetarian food was made in response to student demands.
To facilitate this change, the university formed a mess committee that included students, ensuring that their needs were considered in the decision-making process. This move is seen as a timely update to the campus practices, reflecting the evolving preferences of the student body.
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Kerala Kalamandalam, located in Kerala's Thrissur district, established in 1930, follows the traditional Gurukula system and performing art forms are taught here. This recent decision to include non-vegetarian options in the mess is perceived as another step in the institution's progressive approach. Recently the governing council decided to allow male students to learn Mohiniyattam, a classical dance form traditionally performed by women.