1. The last day of accepting duly filled Kalamela Registration forms without a late fee is March 13, 2026, and submissions must be made online only. A late fee of an additional $10will be applied to each submission made after March 13, 2026. The last day to register with a fine will be March 20, 2026. The applications received after March 20, 2026, will not be accepted.
2. Registration fee for each participant forevery single item will be $20.00, and registration fee for each groupitem will be $20.00 per participant. Fees should be submitted online along with the registration form. For the Kids Talent Contest (ages 5 and below), the registration fee is $10.00. No registration fee will be refunded after March 20, 2026.
3. Competitions will be conducted in the following 3 age categories. Sub Junior: Kindergarten to Grade 4; Junior: Grades 5-8; Senior: Grades 9-12.
4. Spelling bee competitions are limited to Grades 2 to 8, in 2 groups, Sub Junior (2-4) and Junior (5-8). Thecoordinator may add words in case of a shortage in the distributed words.
5. Separate forms and fees are required for group items. Multiple contestants can use one form but needseparate fees for each group member. There must be at least three (3) participants in a group item. Thecategory for a group item is decided by the age of the oldest participant. No restrictions on the upper limit.
6. There will be three categories for the competitive items. Group A (Dances), Group B (Non-Dances), and Special items.
7. Kalaprathiba (Male) and Kalathilakam (Female) must win at least one prize in both categories, A and B.  He/She must score more points than any other contestant in single items.
8. The contestants from the Seniors category will not be considered for the Kalathilakam and Kala Pratibha titles.
9. The points earned in group items, special items will not be considered for Kalaprathiba and Kalathilakam titles. Only in the event of a tie between 2 contestants, points earned from the group items will be considered to determine Kalaprathiba or Kalathilakam.
10. No contestant can register for more than five single items, excluding group items and special items.
11. If an item has fewer than 3 participants in an age group, the points and prizes will be distributed as follows:  Grade A (Score 90-100) – 5 points, Grade B (Score 80-89) – 3 points, Grade C (Score 70- 79) – 1 point.
12. If an item has 3 or more participants in an age group, points will be distributed as follows: 1st prize – 5 points, 2nd prize – 3 points, 3rd prize – 1 point.
13. The Kalamela Committee reserves the right to cancel any competition and/or to change the venue, time, order, rules, and/or disqualify participants.
14. All complaints and suggestions should be submitted in writing to the Kalamela Organizers.
15. In determining the winners, the Judges’ decisions will be final.
16. Competitors should be the Child/Children of at least one Malayalee parent and living in the Midwestregion. 
17. Film songs are not allowed for Solo Malayalam and Group Malayalam Light Music competitions. Film songs are only permitted for the Solo and Group English Song competition. Karaoke and instruments are not allowedfor Solo Malayalam Light Music, Solo English Song, Group English Song, and Group Malayalam Light Music competitions.
18. For Malayalam reading, participants should have done their entire schooling in the USA.
19. All participants should bring the necessary materials needed for the painting/drawing competition. Please note that only paper for drawing and painting will be provided by the organizers. Painting and drawing competition willbe taking place between 9 am and 1 pm. No entries will be taken after 1 pm.
20. For fancy dress, only SOLO performances are allowed. Background music, verbal comments, and commentaries arepermitted.
21. The speech topics and the Spelling Bee word list will be available on February 28, 2026, on this website.
22. Topics for drawing, painting & Malayalam reading will be provided only on the spot, on the morning ofthe competition.
23. Three different passages will be given for the Malayalam Reading, and the contestant will be asked to readone passage chosen by the organizers/Judges just before the competition.
24. For Group Film Song with Karaoke competitions, participants may use any language.
25. Tamil / Malayalam / Hindi film songs can be sung for the ‘Film songs with Karaoke’ competition. Points earned in this item will not be considered for the title of Kalaprathiba or Kalathilakam.

1. All participants should report to the assigned area 30 minutes before the competition begins.
2. Please bring all music in MP3 format on a USB Drive, and it must be given to the competition organizers 15 minutes before the competition begins. No CDs allowed.
3. There will be 1 item for kids 5 and under. The Kids Talent Contest evaluates the skills of the kids for smiling, speaking, memory, singing (Nursery Rhymes), and general knowledge.
4. Any special item category will not be considered for the Kala Prathibha/Kalathilakam title.
5. Male participants (Sub-Juniors, Juniors) who score maximum points in single items will be judged as Kala Prathibha.
6. Female participants (Sub-Juniors, Juniors) who score maximum points in single items will be judged as Kalathilakam.
7. Any participant who has won Kalathilakam or Kala Prathibha consecutively for 3 years is no longer eligible for the title. They can keep the ever-rolling trophy!
8. Participants who score maximum points in single items in the Sub-Junior, Junior, and Senior categories get the Rising Star title.
9. For group items, the minimum number of participants should be 3, and the maximum number should be 15.(Next year (2027)onwards the maximum number will be 12.
10. A participant cannot contest in more than one group in a single category.
11. Participants should adhere to the specified time limit allotted for each item.

• Bharatanatyam: 10 minutes
• Mohiniyattam: 10 minutes
• Western dance: 06 minutes
• Folk Dance: 07 minutes
• Cinematic Dance: 06 minutes
• Semiclassical Dance: 07 minutes

• Elocution Malayalam: 05 minutes
• Elocution English: 05 minutes
• Fancy Dress: 05 minutes
• Pencil Drawing: 1 hour
• Painting (Watercolor): 1 hour
• Classical Song: 10 minutes
• Solo Light Music Malayalam: 05 minutes
• Solo English Song: 05 minutes
• Group Malayalam Light Music: 07 minutes
• Group English song: 07 minutes

Instrumental Music: 05 minutes

• Kids Talent Contest (ages 5 and below)
• Group Film Song with Karaoke: 05 minutes
• Solo Film Song with Karaoke: 05 minutes
• Malayalam Reading: 05 minutes
• Spelling Bee