EDITORIAL-The era of instant Onam

The era of instant Onam

Onam is the season in which Keralites around the world are struck by a strong spell of nostalgia. We celebrate onam with great pomp and splendour for ten days.  Elaborate preparations are made for this   grand carnival beyond the barricades of caste and creed.  The festival is in reminiscence of King Mahabali’s golden rule.  During the eve of Onam streaks of festivity and fun can be witnessed everywhere in Kerala.

                Kerala’s traditional values have been eroded by the onslaught of time. Onam has now turned into a commercial fiesta. It has lost its simplicity, beauty and traditional flavor. Unfortunately extravagance has become a mark of one’s individuality. Onam, the very name itself calls for shopping where people buy some of the latest home appliances to grab a few eyeballs. As the Onam bandwagon begins to roll, businessmen in every nook and cranny of Kerala are in high spirits. Discount sales, exhibitions and fairs are organized to entice customers. Keralites have indeed lost the essence of virtues associated with this festival. In the good old days we made athapookalam with native flowers but all of them has vanished due to excessive land usage. Now we buy flowers from Tamil Nadu. Kerala has truly become a dependent state.

                Some people prefer to have onam meals from sumptuous star hotels whereas some prefer ‘instant meals’. One no longer has to search for banana leaves because artificial banana leaves are readily available. The get together of family members in the ‘tharavadu’ was a unique feature of onam, that spirit of family get-together is now fading out. Family vacation or an overseas sojourn is preferred now.  Liquor no doubt is a star today. As usual the Kerala State Beverages Corporation would be making whopping revenue from liquor sales, as the demand for the season

is massive. Being an auspicious period there would be a forced purchase of jewellery despite the skyrocketing   price of gold.

                The pristine glory of onam has completely faded out. Children now celebrate onam sitting in front of the ‘idiot box’ without feeling the spirit of onam games and traditional values. When the youngsters, the budding blooms of the nation, lose interest in Onam it raises eyebrows about the future of the colorful celebration itself.