The class was excited about the festivals and holidays coming up.
Seeing their cheerful mood, Shyamala asked, “What do you know about the holidays this week?”
Mukund said, “Pongal holidays, Miss.”
“Yes, in other words, the harvest festival. The farmers give thanks to nature for helping them with a good harvest. Farmers also thank a few others who helped them. Do you know them?”
“The Earth, or soil...?” asked Rasa.
“The Sun God,” said Laya.
“And the cattle that ploughed the fields,” said Mukund.
Festive song“Very good. The week-long festivities include rituals and prayers. On the first day the Bhogi festival is celebrated by burning rubbish in the fields and in the houses. It is symbolic of the cleansing of our minds of all evil thoughts and deeds.”
“Miss, now we do not burn anything because of the pollution,” said Rasa.
“Yes, because in the cities people put plastic and rubber into the bonfire and that generates poisonous gases and hydrocarbons, creating more pollution. But in the villages, they only burn organic waste. When we were children, we used to make a small drum and play on it when the bonfire was lit. This is easy to make, and we will make a simpler version of it.”
“What are the things we need for it, Miss?” asked Laya.
“I have brought everything needed. Now follow me and make one to take home and play with.” Shyamala Miss took out paper cups, ice cream sticks, cello tape, grains of sand and some seeds of mustard. “Come up and take two paper cups each, some sand or mustard seeds and one ice cream stick.”
“Take the cups and hold the mouth of the cups together. Now, insert the ice cream stick from the side through the gap in the middle. Put some sand or mustard seeds in between the cups, and seal the opening with tape. Once you have taped it securely, you can hold the stick to play it like a modern maraca— Thaka dhimi thaka Janu ....1,2,3,4 ,” Shyamala Miss demonstrated.
‘When all the drums were done, she said, “Now, let us learn a Kummi song to dance and sing with for Pongal — Kummiyadi Thamizhnaadu Muzhudhum Kulungida Kaikotti kummiyadi. Nammai Pidiththa Pisaasugal Poyina Nanmai Kandomendru Kummiyadi ...”
They learnt the famous PennViduthalai Kummi song of Subrahmanya Bharathiyar, punctuating it with appropriate beats and rhythms from their own maracas thus spreading the song and joy of the harvest festival!
