Another Onam. It is primarily an agricultural festival, related with paddy cultivation. Now there are no paddy fields as in the past. They are been destroyed to serve the wishes of greedy man. Thus we are killing the golden goose. Our state is now feeling the bitter consequences of wetland reclamation — water shortage, global warming and more.
The entire fashion of celebrating Onam has also changed. The payasam and Onasadya is now been replaced by readymade kits and catered food. The athapookkalam is now the only remaining symbol of Onam. The village flowers of thumba, mukkootti etc are now been replaced by flowers bought from markets. You never see children going from house to house collecting flowers. The games of yore are now unknown.
People are celebrating the festival not in their houses but in tourist spots. Onam celebration which brings memories of our rich past is now ridiculed. The Government plans celebrations to attract tourists. Seeing these I feel that Onam is for tourists. In the future the great king Mahabali will have to go to tourist centres to see his people. Thus more than anything else, the cooperation and collective work of Onam has now been lost.
Vaishnav.M.S , IX A, SVV NHSS, Neyyattinkara
