When Kollam Collector Afsana Parveen decided to shake a leg during Onam celebrations, she had no idea that her impromptu dance will take the internet by storm.
But the bureaucrat in traditional Kerala attire grooving to the tune of Onapattin thalam thullum went viral over social networking sites accumulating a multitude of views and shares in no time. While her performance left the entire civil station staff amazed, the non-Malayali Collector also sparked a flurry among netizens.
With many persons taking to the comments section to share their thoughts, Ms Parveen has been tagged as the ‘coolest Collector in Kerala’.
“It was just an attempt to spread the festive cheer among my team. I am not a trained dancer and I hardly got any time to practice. Apart from selecting the track one day before, everything else was impromptu and it’s a first-time experience for me also,” says the Collector.
While the first part of the one-minute performance is a slow traditional dance, it moves to a fast pace in the middle. Ms Parveen says she went for a fusion song so that the whole team will enjoy. “It had both the elements and I think everybody was able to connect to it,” she says. Since the video hit internet, her phone has been ringing off the hook and the Collector says she is overwhelmed.
“I am getting calls and messages from all parts. It was a huge surprise for my family also as they have never seen me performing before,” she says. Coming from Ranchi, Ms Parveen says she has a special interest in all Kerala dances including Kathakali and Thiruvathira. “Back home we have tribal dances, but it’s not performed at all platforms. When I first came to Kerala, all these traditional dance forms were new to me. But here Onam is celebrated across the State and I really relish all people wearing the Onam costume, dancing and enjoying together. I love the culture of Kerala,” she adds.
