Some traditions never die and one is the pookkalam for Onam. This fact was more than evident at the fourth edition of The Hindu Metroplus Pookkalam contest at the Gold Souk, Vytilla, Thursday last.
The space in the atrium filled with the 47 varied pookkalams was a sight to behold, looking down, from the upper floors. The very air was vibrant with Onam reverberating within, the contestants' attire, the bright multi-hued flowers lying in patterns and forms and the celebratory mood simply infectious. And along with Kochiites came Peter, from US, all ready to partake of the festivities. “I was supposed to go back, but I'm staying back to celebrate Onam with you all,” he said. A teacher, he has visited India a few times, but it is his first visit to Kerala. “I saved up money for four years to make this trip,” he remarked, looking at the lovely flowers, lovelier kasavu-bordered attire that the women wore and the mood that heralded Onam in.
Though it was a contest, all 47 kalams had a very high standard as one of the judges, V. K. Jayan, terracotta artiste said. From the artistic angle, the way the colours were used was impressive. While some had floral patterns that were clearly compartmentalised, others had the shades tapering down, with the colours turning lighter, as in a painting. Well, using flowers to do this clearly calls for great expertise. The show was in a way, partisan.
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Why? Because women had an edge. Again, why? Because it was children and women who traditionally make the pookkalams in the house. Only of late, did the pookkalams move away from the confines of private homes to halls and auditoriums. Just as kathakali, Krishnanattom and koothu, some of the traditional art forms that survive out of their original arenas because some dared to do it, pookkalam, part of the Onam tradition has to be preserved in the days of the flat culture too. This kind of contests help keep tradition alive and men also take an active part in helping women make pookkalams, what men did not do in the old days!
Times keep changing and so do pookkalams. The truly traditional type had only ‘naadan' flowers and what grew in that season. Leaves were there but not in good measure, as they use today. Gone are the days when they used ‘chethi poo, thumba poo, arali, mukkootti, chembarathi, ashokam…But today, there are hybrid roses, lemon leaves and what have you. No, orchids have not yet made their entry, but soon, they will. (Look out for the imported ones!). At the Gold Souk, it was not the competition that was important but the fact that they were all ushering in Onam, wearing traditional clothes, keeping alive the spirit of this festival which the entire State celebrates.
The title sponsor of the Pookkalam contest was Videocon d2h. Associate Sponsors were Indica Vista (Tata Motors Ltd), TBZ- The Original. (Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri Pvt Ltd), Mahindra 2 Wheelers, Berger Paints, SBI local head office, Thiruvananthapuram.
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The regional sponsors of the event were H.P.L. India Ltd, Spice Rich Seasonings (P) Ltd., Periyar Rice, Kleansys, Fruitomans, Hairomax and Ayur care.
Prize Sponsor was Olympus Camera's (Olympus Imaging Corp) and travel sponsor: Akbar Holidays (The Holidays division of Akbar Group), and Gold Souk was the venue partner.