A Bible Kalotsavam (or Bible Kalolsavam) is a kalolsavam-style arts festival for catechism students, run by Malayalee Catholic parishes and dioceses — the two real rule books below come from the UK and Australia. The items are familiar from any kalolsavam — song, dance, elocution, drawing, writing — but most are tied to the Bible: Bible reading, Bible mono act, Bible costume, a Bible tableau and a Bible skit. Below are two real structures from two diaspora rule books, as a programs list with age groups, items and time limits you can adapt.
Jump to: Structure 1 (diocese-wide, all ages) · Structure 2 (one parish, children) · Which one to use
Structure 1: a diaspora-wide Bible Kalotsavam, from under 7 to adults
Used by a Malayalee Catholic diocese in the UK for a Bible Kalotsavam open to all its parishes. Every item is marked out of 50, and a few team items are open to all ages together.
| Age group | Ages |
|---|---|
| Up to 7 years | up to 7 |
| 8-10 years | 8–10 |
| 11-13 years | 11–13 |
| 14-17 years | 14–17 |
| 18-24 years | 18–24 |
| Adults | 25+ |
| All ages (team items) | All ages |
| Item | Age groups | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bible Reading | Up to 7 years, 8-10 years, 11-13 years, 14-17 years | 2 min |
| Elocution | 8-10 years, 11-13 years, 14-17 years, 18-24 years, Adults | 3 min |
| Colour Painting | Up to 7 years, 8-10 years, 11-13 years, 14-17 years | 60 min |
| Pencil Sketching | Up to 7 years, 8-10 years, 11-13 years, 14-17 years | 60 min |
| Essay Writing | 8-10 years, 11-13 years, 14-17 years, 18-24 years, Adults | 30 min |
| Bible Mono Act | 8-10 years, 11-13 years, 14-17 years | 5 min |
| Bible Costume | Up to 7 years, 8-10 years, 11-13 years | Not fixed |
| Song Solo | Up to 7 years, 8-10 years, 11-13 years, 14-17 years, 18-24 years, Adults | 5 min |
| Dance Solo | Up to 7 years, 8-10 years, 11-13 years, 14-17 years | 5 min |
| Song Group team item | 8-10 years, 11-13 years, 14-17 years, 18-24 years, Adults | 5 min |
| Dance Group team item | Up to 7 years, 8-10 years, 11-13 years, 14-17 years | 5 min |
| Instrumental Keyboard | 8-10 years, 11-13 years, 14-17 years | 3 min |
| Margam Kali team item | All ages (team items) | 9 min |
| Bible Tableau team item | All ages (team items) | 1 min |
| Bible Skit team item | All ages (team items) | 10 min |
| Short Film team item | All ages (team items) | 11 min |
Structure 2: a single parish, children only, with combined team pools
Used by a Malayalee Catholic parish in Australia for its catechism students. Every item is marked out of 10, and team items combine neighbouring age groups so each team has enough children.
| Age group | Ages |
|---|---|
| Sub Junior | 6–8 |
| Junior | 9–11 |
| Senior | 12–14 |
| Super Senior | 15–17 |
| Group dance pool: Sub Junior + Junior | 6–11 |
| Group dance pool: Senior + Super Senior | 12–17 |
| Bible quiz teams: Junior to Super Senior | 9–17 |
| All categories (team items) | 6–17 |
| Item | Age groups | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Single Song boys and girls separately | Sub Junior, Junior, Senior, Super Senior | 3 min |
| Elocution | Sub Junior, Junior, Senior, Super Senior | 3 min |
| Bible Reading | Junior, Senior, Super Senior | 2 min |
| Essay Writing | Junior, Senior, Super Senior | 40 min |
| Poem Writing | Junior, Senior, Super Senior | 40 min |
| Pencil Drawing | Sub Junior, Junior, Senior, Super Senior | 45 min |
| Biblical Story Telling | Sub Junior | 4 min |
| Bible Verses Writing | Junior, Senior, Super Senior | 30 min |
| Bible Quiz team item | Bible quiz teams: Junior to Super Senior | Not fixed |
| Fancy Dress | Sub Junior | 1 min |
| Margamkali team item; girls only | All categories (team items) | 5 min |
| Group Dance team item | Group dance pool: Sub Junior + Junior, Group dance pool: Senior + Super Senior | 5 min |
| Biblical Skit team item | All categories (team items) | 15 min |
| Biblical Tableau team item | All categories (team items) | 1 min |
| Group Song team item | All categories (team items) | 6 min |
Which structure should you use?
- Many parishes, whole families taking part? Structure 1 runs from under 7 to adults. Its “all ages” team items (tableau, skit, Margam Kali, short film) let a parish enter one mixed team instead of forming a team for every age group.
- One parish, children only? Structure 2 keeps four children’s bands and combines them for team items. Group dance runs in two pools (younger and older), Bible quiz is a team item from Junior upwards, and group song, skit, tableau and Margam Kali are open to all categories.
- Decide the mark scale first. One structure marks every item out of 50, the other out of 10. Either works, but judges, the tabulation and any grade bands must all use the same scale.
For judging the Bible-themed items, see the criteria for mono act, tableau and mime, skit and costume and fancy dress. For other church competitions, see the Sunday School talent test programs list and the church youth talent test programs list.
Run your Bible Kalotsavam on eTalenter
Age groups, combined team pools, the items in each, girls-only and boys’/girls’ entries, time limits and your mark scale are all settings. Parents register their children online, each parish’s coordinator approves its entries, judges score on their phones, and results and certificates are published for every parish. Open a live demo and log in as a demo coordinator or judge (no sign-up), message us on WhatsApp (WhatsApp only — no phone calls), or email support@etalenter.com.
Frequently asked questions
What items are in a Bible Kalotsavam?
Bible reading, elocution, solo and group song, solo and group dance, drawing and painting, essay and poem writing, Bible verse writing, Bible storytelling, Bible mono act, Bible costume or fancy dress, Bible quiz, Margam Kali, and the team items Bible tableau and Bible skit. Some add a short film.
What are the age groups in a Bible Kalotsavam?
Each organiser sets its own. One real pattern runs from under 7 through 8–10, 11–13, 14–17 and 18–24 to adults; another uses four children’s bands — Sub Junior 6–8, Junior 9–11, Senior 12–14 and Super Senior 15–17.
How is a Bible tableau judged?
A tableau is a frozen scene, so it is judged on how clearly the Bible story reads, the composition and grouping, stillness and expression — usually with a very short time on stage. The tableau judging criteria give a full sample rubric.
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