Come Sunday next, 8 October, SFV will be agog, yet again, with a festive look for its Onam Day. Yes, so soon after Navaratri celebrations when ladies attired in their glittering best were busy visiting and inviting others for Haldi and Kumkum to wish one another many many years of togetherness with their spouse. Onam per se was celebrated on the 4 September. But SFV decided to celebrate it on 8 October to suit residents’ convenience. Fair enough.
Godavarma might steal the thunder as the sheet anchor for this, given the outflow of messages from his desk in the SFV Malayalees’ group. That of course is not to rob others of the silent but significant contribution they make to ensure it is a grand success. Suma, as I see her, has been running around day in and day - and I don’t know at what cost to her domestic chores. There must, equally, be others who are fine-tuning choreography, flower decoration, or the Onam Sadya (meals), not to speak of the Chenda Melam, a percussion instrument that doesn’t need a public address system for a radius of two kilometers, Thus with ever so many unsung heroes and heroines behind the scene, it will be more appropriate to say that, together as cogs in the wheel, they are all geared to give SFV residents an eventful day on Sunday next.
The ceremony will start with ‘king Mahabali’ taking a round of his kingdom (read SFV premises) to see how his subjects are faring in life, to the beat of Chenda Melam. Other programmes include Thalapoll, Lighting of the Lamp, Kids dance, Teenagers Dance, Skit about Mahabali, Vanchi patte, Adults Dance, Vadamvalli to culminate in Onam Sadya (feast).
To quote excerpts from Google, Onam commemorates the Vamana avatar of Vishnu, and the subsequent boon Vishnu grants to king Mahabali by which the latter could visit again, once every year, the land and people he previously ruled. This revisit marks the festival of Onam, as a reminder of the virtuous rule and his humility in keeping his promise before Vishnu. The last day of Mahabali's stay is remembered with a nine-course vegetarian Onasadya feast. Almost every Keralite attempts to either make or attend one. The Onasadya traditionally consists of nine courses. The importance of the feast to the Kerala's Onam celebration culture is captured in the famous Malayalam proverb "Kaanam Vittum Onam Unnanam" which means "One must have the Onam lunch even selling his property.
Yes, Onam Sadya is on the cards; and it certainly doesn’t warrant one to sell or mortgage one’s property to enjoy it. Just pay Rs280/-, and select the pandi (batch) where you would like to have a go at it – the 12 noon, 1 pm, or the last 2 pm batch. If the corridor news is correct, only a few coupons remain unsold. I have ensured my berth. Have you? Better do it before it is too late.
Happy Onam Day, everybody.
V V Sundaram
Maple 3195
01 Oct 2017
No comments:
Post a Comment