Utsav 2026

The younger generation in Kerala gets numerous opportunities to showcase their creative talents through school/college arts festivals and Keralotsavam. The CTMA Arts Festival, under the name 'Utsav', was started in 2009 to provide a similar platform for school/college children and youth of non-resident Keralites living in Tamil Nadu to express their creative skills. Subsequently, Utsav has been organized thirteen times until 2025. Similar to the school/college arts festivals in Kerala, CTMA Utsav has now become the largest cultural gathering of the talented Malayali youth community in Tamil Nadu.

Preparations for the 14th edition of Utsav have already begun. The literary and writing competitions will be held on Sunday, June 28, 2026, at Madras Kerala Samajam in Chennai and Coimbatore Kerala Samajam Hall in Coimbatore. The cultural and stage competitions of Utsav will be staged on Saturday, July 11, and Sunday, July 12, 2026, at the Mar Gregorios College Ground in Mugappair, Chennai. The rules, competition events, evaluation methods, etc., related to Utsav are included in this book. Applications must be submitted online through CTMA's website www.myctma.org. Registration will commence at 10:00 AM on Friday, May 15, 2026, and will close at 10:00 PM on Sunday, May 31, 2026.

Contestants and officials of member associations are requested to read these rules completely before applying. Each member association should take special care to ensure maximum participation of contestants in the arts festival! For clarification of doubts and further information regarding Utsav, you may contact the Utsav General Convenor on mobile number 98410 42460 or via email at utsav2026@myctma.org.

Chapter 1: Rules

• The Utsav arts festival is organized exclusively for the children and youth of CTMA's member associations.
• Only one participant/group from an association will be considered for each competition event. An individual can participate in a maximum of four individual events and two group events.
• The platform of Utsav should be utilized to encourage Malayalis who are waiting for opportunities to showcase their creative skills, excluding professional artists.
• Competitions will be held in four categories: Sub Junior (7 to 12 years), Junior (13 to 17 years), Senior (18 to 23 years), and Super Senior (24 to 50 years). The date 01-06-2026 will be used to calculate the above-mentioned age limits. Use the table given below to determine the group.

• Trophies and merit certificates will be awarded to those who win the first three positions in all events. Participation certificates will be given to all participating contestants.
• The CTMA Championship Trophy will be awarded to the member association that scores the highest points across the four categories: Sub Junior, Junior, Senior, and Super Senior. In addition, special trophies will be awarded to the member associations securing second and third places.
• The boy/man scoring the highest points in each category will be awarded the "Kalapratibha" title, and the girl/woman will be awarded the "Kalatilakam" title.
• To be considered for the Kalapratibha and Kalatilakam awards, a participant must have competed and won a grade in at least three stage events across any of the artistic disciplines of music, dance, or acting.
• Only points obtained from individual competition events will be considered for the Kalapratibha and Kalatilakam awards. However, member associations will also receive points from group events toward the championship.
• If more than one participant scores the same points for the Kalapratibha and Kalatilakam awards in any category, the winner will be decided by prioritizing the number of first prizes and higher grades they have achieved.
• The final individual point standing will be calculated by adding the points obtained according to the grade along with the points obtained for the first, second, and third place positions in the order of 3, 2, 1.

• An event will be considered a competition only if at least three people participate. However, even if there are only one or two contestants in any event, the competition will be conducted, and marks and grades will be awarded based on the quality of performance. But for Kalatilakam, Kalapratibha, and Championship, only the points received for the grade of these events will be considered.
• If any participant/team is disqualified or expelled for any reason from a competition in which at least three people participated, it will still be considered a valid competition, and the position and grade according to the rules will be given to the other eligible participants/teams.
• Audio tracks for dance events and background audio for Fancy Dress, Tableau, etc., must be sent in MP3 format to the concerned official via WhatsApp/Email before July 5. In addition, it must also be brought recorded on a pen drive. A pen drive should contain only the single track required for that specific event. The pen drive must be handed over to the respective stage manager at least half an hour before the commencement of the competition.
• Background music or pen drives are not permitted for Light Music, Patriotic Song, Group Song, Folk Song, Mono Act, etc.
• Live birds or animals are strictly prohibited on stage for any purpose.
• The presentation and stage settings of all competitions must remain entirely within the boundaries of the stage.
• In the Fancy Dress competition, importance is given to the costume. Background sound is allowed, but dialogue is strictly prohibited. Movement must be present. Costumes that completely obscure the person should be avoided.
• Tableau: Must be presented on stage for one minute without any movement. A maximum of two minutes will be allowed for stage setup.
• Folk Dance performers must wear attire suitable for folk dance. Extravagance should be minimized as much as possible to preserve traditional folk authenticity.
• Only Malayalam songs are allowed for Group Dance. Use only one song or a segment of a song that fits within the maximum permissible time limit of 10 minutes. Fusion music is not allowed. Minimize extravagance as much as possible.
• In Thiruvathira, simple traditional Kerala attire should be worn to maintain the purity and authenticity of the art form.
• Traditional attire is mandatory for Margamkali. The Chatta (traditional blouse) used for Oppana is not allowed.
• For Oppana, the song and rhythmic clapping are the primary components. Clapping and moving around in a leaning and swaying manner in a non-dance form are permitted. There must be one bride (Manavatti). High priority should be given to traditional attire in Oppana.
• The organizers will provide the traditional lamp (Nilavilakku) required for Thiruvathira and Margamkali.
• A Sruti box/drone can be used for Classical Music. The contestant can sing the Raga of their choice. Raga, Keerthanam, Niraval, Kalpanaswaram, etc., must all be performed within the maximum allocated time of 10 minutes.
• 'Film songs' are not allowed for the Light Music competition. However, if a light music track has contextually appeared in a movie, it will be considered for the competition provided the contestant proves its origin.
• Patriotic songs must contain messages of national integration. The song does not necessarily have to be in the Malayalam language.
• The topic for the Elocution competition will be decided and provided by the judges only 10 minutes before the competition begins.
• There must be at least three participants in all group events.
• If a performance is delivered without complying with any of the above rules, that participation will be invalidated without prior warning.
• If a competition is interrupted due to reasons beyond the control of the contestants, an opportunity will be provided to re-conduct the competition if necessary.
• Contestants requiring makeup must make their own arrangements. The organizers will provide a designated makeup room.
• The makeup room is permitted to be used only within the officially allotted time limits.
• All organizations must share the makeup rooms. Male helpers will not be allowed inside the ladies' makeup room.
• The organizers will provide the paper required for Pencil Drawing, Water Colour Painting, Poetry Writing, Story Writing, Essay Writing, and Cartooning. Contestants must bring their own pencils, pens, colors, etc. The themes for the writing competitions will be given by the judges at the venue. Books, communication devices, etc., are strictly prohibited inside the competition hall.
• The participation of those who do not complete their performance within the maximum time allowed for each event will be disqualified.
• Performance or speech that creates resentment, offense, or hatred in others is prohibited. There should be no performances that undermine the unity and integrity of the nation or offend religious sentiments. Presentations must maintain a high cultural standard.
• If there is any complaint regarding the conduct of the program or the declaration of results, contact only the Grievance Committee appointed by the Organizing Committee. Under no circumstances should behavior causing disruption to the program or inconvenience to others occur from the contestants or member association officials.
• As the results of the competitions are finalized, the prize distribution will be held on a special stage. Results will also be available live on the CTMA website.

Chapter 2: Registration

• Registration for participating in the arts festival must be done online through the website www.myctma.org.
• The name and mobile number of the coordinator officially appointed by each member association must be informed in advance to the Utsav 2026 General Convenor at mobile number 98410 42460.
• Registration must be done only with the prior knowledge and consent of the member associations. The details of each applicant will be shared with the respective organizational officials. Registration will be approved only after receiving clearance from them.
• Those who participate only as members in group events must also complete their individual registration before the final deadline.
• Only permanent residents studying or working in Tamil Nadu are eligible to participate in Utsav. If it is discovered that any contestant is participating by concealing information, their participation will be terminated immediately.
• Documents proving the age and residence address in Tamil Nadu of all participating contestants must be submitted along with the application. A recent passport-size photograph with a clear view of the face must also be uploaded.
• Birth Certificate, School/College ID Card, SSLC Certificate, Central/State Govt. Issued ID Card, Driving Licence, Voter ID, and Aadhaar [Aadhaar Redacted], which clearly display the name and date of birth, are the only documents accepted as proof of age.
• School/College ID Card, Voter ID, and Central/State Govt. Issued ID Card, which clearly display the name and residential address in Tamil Nadu, are the documents accepted as proof of address. No other documents outside of these will be considered. In the absolute absence of any of the above documents, a formal affidavit from the member association will be evaluated.
• Applications submitted without a clear passport-size photograph or valid proof of age and address will be rejected automatically.
• Each contestant is bound to produce the originals of the documents submitted with the application if requested by the organizers on the days of the festival.
• All members of a group item must strictly fall within the age limits specified for that group. Otherwise, the entire group's participation will be invalidated.
• If it comes to light that members participating in group events of one member association are also participating in group events of another association, both concerned organizations will be disqualified from those competitions. All contestants participating in group events can participate in a maximum of two group events only.
• Contestants who complete their registration successfully, along with the official coordinator of their respective organization, will receive subsequent updates via WhatsApp messages.

Chapter 3: Execution

• The reporting counter will start functioning at 8:00 AM on Sunday, June 28, 2026, for writing competitions, and at 8:00 AM on Saturday, July 11, 2026, for cultural/stage competitions. Contestants or coordinators must show proof of identity to collect their printed registration chest numbers.
• There will be dedicated Stage Managers assigned to each venue. Contestants must report to their respective Stage Managers at least 30 minutes prior to the scheduled time for their event.
• Utsav is a harmonious gathering of youth with artistic talent. Contestants need to develop a healthy habit of recognizing and encouraging one another. When they do not have active events, contestants should take care to watch and support competitions at other stages. All contestants must participate in the cultural procession and opening ceremony held on the morning of Saturday, July 11, and the valedictory/prize distribution ceremony held on the evening of Sunday, July 12.
• Each member association must appoint a responsible official as their coordinator to assist their contestants and to streamline their schedules across various venues at the festival.
• For the seamless execution of the programs, various committees will be operational, including the Registration Committee, Reception Committee, Finance Committee, Tabulation Committee, Food Committee, Grievance Redressal Committee, Transportation Committee, etc.
• The organizing committee holds full authority to make necessary changes to the program schedule or venues based on prevailing circumstances. The decisions of the organizing committee will be final and binding.
• The organizers emphasize that the judging process must be completely flawless. Therefore, the best available external experts will be appointed as judges for each event. The decision of the judges will be final. No appeals or reviews will be entertained.
• For assistance regarding online registration, call 63992 13992, and for general clarifications, call 98410 42460. E-Mail: utsav2026@myctma.org

How points are calculated for winners and their associations:

Chapter 4: Events & Details

Table 1: SUB JUNIOR BOYS

*Events 101 to 103 will be conducted on June 28, 2026, in Chennai and Coimbatore.

Table 2: SUB JUNIOR GIRLS

*Events 201 to 203 will be conducted on June 28, 2026, in Chennai and Coimbatore.

Table 3: JUNIOR BOYS

*Events 301 to 306 will be conducted on June 28, 2026, in Chennai and Coimbatore.

Table 4: JUNIOR GIRLS

*Events 401 to 406 will be conducted on June 28, 2026, in Chennai and Coimbatore.

Table 5: SENIOR BOYS

*Events 501 to 506 will be conducted on June 28, 2026, in Chennai and Coimbatore.

Table 6: SENIOR GIRLS

*Events 601 to 606 will be conducted on June 28, 2026, in Chennai and Coimbatore.

Table 7: SUPER SENIOR MEN

*Events 701 & 702 will be conducted on June 28, 2026, in Chennai and Coimbatore.

Table 8: SUPER SENIOR WOMEN

*Events 801 & 802 will be conducted on June 28, 2026, in Chennai and Coimbatore.

Table 9: JUNIOR COMMON

*Event 901 will be conducted on June 28, 2026, in Chennai and Coimbatore.

Table 10: SENIOR COMMON

*Event 911 will be conducted on June 28, 2026, in Chennai and Coimbatore.

Table 11: SUPER SENIOR COMMON

Chapter 5: Evaluation Criteria

1. Classical Music (Must be performed with Sruti)

• A- Voice Quality & Culture - 15 Marks
• B- Sruti & Laya - 15 Marks
• C- Knowledge & Bhava (Jnana Bhavam) - 20 Marks
• D- Talam (Rhythm) - 20 Marks
• E- Purity of Diction & Literature - 15 Marks
• F- Manodharmam (Improvisation) - 15 Marks

2. Mappilapattu

• A- Lyrics & Literature - 25 Marks
• B- Traditional Mappila Authenticity - 25 Marks
• C- Talam - 25 Marks
• D- Sruti & Laya - 25 Marks

3. Patriotic Song

• A- Purity of Sruti - 20 Marks
• B- Talam - 20 Marks
• C- Clarity of Pronunciation - 20 Marks
• D- Bhava (Expression) - 20 Marks
• E- Ability to sing in perfect unison - 20 Marks

4. Bharatanatyam / Mohiniyattam

• A- Posture & Precision (Angasudhi) - 15 Marks
• B- Costume - 15 Marks
• C- Expression (Bhava) - 20 Marks
• D- Footwork (Chuvaduveppu) - 15 Marks
• E- Talam - 20 Marks
• F- Perfection of Mudras - 15 Marks

5. Margamkali

• A- Suitability of Costume - 25 Marks
• B- Devotional Expression (Bhakti Bhava) - 25 Marks
• C- Talam - 25 Marks
• D- Footwork - 25 Marks

6. Thiruvathira

• A- Authenticity of Costume - 25 Marks
• B- Choreographed Movement - 25 Marks
• C- Talam - 25 Marks
• D- Footwork - 25 Marks

7. Light Music

• A- Voice Quality - 20 Marks
• B- Sruti & Laya - 20 Marks
• C- Knowledge & Bhava - 20 Marks
• D- Talam - 20 Marks
• E- Purity of Diction & Literature - 20 Marks

8. Group Song / Folk Song

• A- Sruti - 30 Marks
• B- Talam - 30 Marks
• C- Clarity of Pronunciation - 20 Marks
• D- Coordination & Harmony among singers - 20 Marks

9. Recitation

• A- Memorization - 25 Marks
• B- Clarity of Pronunciation - 25 Marks
• C- Moderate Expression & Modulation - 25 Marks
• D- Clear Delivery of Meaning & Concept - 25 Marks

10. Folk Dance

• A- Bodily Grace & Structure - 20 Marks
• B- Costume - 20 Marks
• C- Expression (Bhava) - 20 Marks
• D- Talam - 20 Marks
• E- Elegance of Movement - 20 Marks

11. Oppana

• A- Authenticity of Costume - 25 Marks
• B- Choreographed Movement - 25 Marks
• C- Synchronization of Rhythm and Clapping - 25 Marks
• D- Authentic & Traditional Presentation - 25 Marks

12. Keralanadanam

• A- Bodily Grace & Structure - 25 Marks
• B- Footwork - 25 Marks
• C- Clarity of Mudras - 25 Marks
• D- Rhythmic Sense (Talam) - 25 Marks

13. Group Dance

• A- Coordination & Synchronization among dancers - 20 Marks
• B- Authenticity of Costume - 20 Marks
• C- Choreographed Movement - 20 Marks
• D- Talam - 20 Marks
• E- Overall Presentation - 20 Marks

14. Mono Act

• A- Clarity of Pronunciation - 20 Marks
• B- Clarity of Concept - 20 Marks
• C- Expressive Acting (Bhava) - 20 Marks
• D- Dialogue Delivery - 20 Marks
• E- Theme & Characterization - 20 Marks

15. Fancy Dress

• A- Makeup - 25 Marks
• B- Costume - 25 Marks
• C- Acting/Mimicry - 25 Marks
• D- Presentation - 25 Marks

16. Elocution

• A- Confidence & Stage Presence - 20 Marks
• B- Clarity of Pronunciation - 20 Marks
• C- Clarity of Thought/Concept - 20 Marks
• D- Linguistic Purity - 20 Marks
• E- Voice Control & Modulation - 20 Marks

17. Water Colour Painting

• A- Relevance to the assigned theme - 20 Marks
• B- Composition - 20 Marks
• C- Artistic Style - 20 Marks
• D- Completeness - 20 Marks
• E- Excellence in the application of watercolours - 20 Marks

18. Cartooning

• A- Relevance to the assigned theme - 20 Marks
• B- Style of Sketching - 20 Marks
• C- Satirical & Social Criticism - 20 Marks
• D- Composition - 20 Marks
• E- Sense of Humour - 20 Marks

19. Instrumental Music - Percussion (Laya Type)

• A- Sound Quality (Nadam) - 20 Marks
• B- Fingering Technique (Anguli Prayogam) - 20 Marks
• C- Laya - 20 Marks
• D- Manodharmam (Improvisation) - 20 Marks
• E- Purity of Rhythmic Syllables (Chollushudhi) - 20 Marks

20. Essay Writing

• A- Simplicity of Language - 20 Marks
• B- Systematic Arrangement of Facts - 20 Marks
• C- Style of Presentation - 20 Marks
• D- Technical Knowledge of the Subject - 20 Marks
• E- Contextual References & Bibliography - 20 Marks

21. Pencil Drawing

• A- Relevance to the assigned theme - 20 Marks
• B- Composition - 20 Marks
• C- Technical Skill & Execution - 20 Marks
• D- Completeness - 20 Marks
• E- Quality of Lines, Light & Shade Shading - 20 Marks

22. Tableau

• A- Theme/Concept - 25 Marks
• B- Direction & Setup - 25 Marks
• C- Visual Presentation - 25 Marks
• D- Suitability of Costumes & Props - 25 Marks

23. Poetry Writing

• A- Purity of Language - 20 Marks
• B- Creative Imagination - 20 Marks
• C- Rhythm/Meter - 20 Marks
• D- Aesthetic Appeal - 20 Marks
• E- Mode of Expression - 20 Marks

24. Story Writing

• A- Purity of Language - 20 Marks
• B- Creative Plot/Imagination - 20 Marks
• C- Narrative Style & Technique - 20 Marks
• D- Aesthetic Appeal - 20 Marks
• E- Mode of Expression - 20 Marks

25. Instrumental Music - Wind Type

• A- Sound Quality (Nadam) - 20 Marks
• B- Raga Bhava - 20 Marks
• C- Talam - 20 Marks
• D- Manodharmam (Improvisation) - 20 Marks
• E- Sruti & Laya - 20 Marks

26. Instrumental Music - String Type

• A- Sound Quality (Nadam) - 20 Marks
• B- Raga Bhava - 20 Marks
• C- Talam - 20 Marks
• D- Bowing Technique - 20 Marks
• E- Plucking/Fingering (Meet) - 20 Marks