At It Again - Onam Musings

Jillam Pada Pada, Jillam Pada Pada, is how as young lads we used to transcribe the sound of the percussion instrument, Chenda, where five or six players on each row faced the other and hammered out for supremacy. Competition is the name of the game. Outwardly it might seem healthy, but intense one-upmanship is the undercurrent. The result?  A field day to the listeners - those who can stand the decibel, that is. And when the audience feels elated, they simply raise and swing their towels, fully supportive of the beats, and asking for more.

Yes, these were the thoughts that drove me down the memory lane as I witnessed Chenda Melam at SFV premises this morning.  Initially I felt that artists roped in from various Kerala-type temples situated in Bangalore would be at work. Be that so, but the seven member team enthralled the audience for an hour.

Our friend, Mr Bhargav, of Maple, who donned Mahabali’s attire stood through with unruffled calm (like our stonewall Rahul Dravid at the crease), with all those heavy-metal ornaments hanging around his neck all the while. Thankfully the artificial clipped moustache did not tickle him to sneeze in which case God Know s if it would have fallen off – as happened to my father when he enacted a King’s role in a drama.

If Sobha Developers can convert a rocky mountain area into an enviable Sobha Forestview and entice customers pay the price they asked for, the SFV Onam Day organizers proved equal to the occasion by turning a pipe-laden Alder car parking area into a wonderland for a few hours. Kudos.

Also they deserve full compliments for presenting a short and crisp programme that included a video introduction to Kerala and its culture, a dance recital by an accomplished danseuse, a symbolic enactment of Vamana Avatara,  the Kerala fishermen dance by children under ten, a joie de vivre film dance by adolescent boys and girls in a glittering attire, the Tiruvathira dance by ladies, a dance from Malayalam movie, Amar, Akbar, Anthony, in all conceivable languages; not to speak of the free for all Jimmiki Kammal dance - the present-day craze in Kerala, and a host of other items.

The organizers did well unto themselves not to appoint judges to evaluate events to announce winners. That would have been a Herculean task.  Each item had its own stand-alone quality. The Pan India participation was however the highlight of the show – Malayalee, Kannadiga, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Marathi that I could figure out.  Once again it brings home that SFV is Little India.

Initially one would have thought that the tug of war event was misplaced. No, far from it.  It proved a star attraction. In the one for ladies, it had to be the best of three, as they won one each. We will watch their attendance at tomorrow’s morning walk to gauge the casualty.

One would guess everyone enjoyed the Onam Sadya (feast). If the coupon-sale collection is any indicator, then all the three batches must be full.

A morning well spent will aptly describe the event.  Too bad, Aunty and I will miss SFO’s Rajyotsava festivity slated for 1 November.

V V Sundaram

08 Oct 2017