It’s festival time in India. With the onset of the South-West monsoon, the harvest season begins and it brings a flurry of festivals like Gudi Padwa, Sankranthi, Pongal, Baisakhi, Vishu, Ugadi etc. And to add sparkle to these we have Diwali, Eid and Christmas; culminating with the spirited New Year.
I have just returned from Kerala after celebrating our main festival - Onam. While I was lazily sitting on the couch and browsing through the numerous TV channels, I happened to listen to one chat show in which one participant proclaimed the following - “these festivals are celebrated in a more vibrant fashion by people who are staying outside their homeland”. In this case he meant, Onam is celebrated more by Keralites living in places such as Bangalore, Chennai, Dubai etc.
This made me think.
What could have prompted the speaker to say this?
When I was a little boy I used to stay with my grandparents who were essentially farmers. My parents went to near and far away towns when their work demanded, but I stayed in my little village to do my schooling. And then, fortunately, I passed every grade, and was replanted in another place with the aim of being called as bread earning member of the family. I have celebrated Onam in both the places. In my village we celebrated with what we had cultivated. But in far away places, we are eager consumers swiping the plastic cards in search of the elusive reward points.
When I look back at all these, I have come to conclusion that this is the necessity of our times and we have to live by it. Because each time a festival comes, it brings us new hope for a brighter and prosperous tomorrow.
Happy festival times!
I have just returned from Kerala after celebrating our main festival - Onam. While I was lazily sitting on the couch and browsing through the numerous TV channels, I happened to listen to one chat show in which one participant proclaimed the following - “these festivals are celebrated in a more vibrant fashion by people who are staying outside their homeland”. In this case he meant, Onam is celebrated more by Keralites living in places such as Bangalore, Chennai, Dubai etc.
This made me think.
What could have prompted the speaker to say this?
When I was a little boy I used to stay with my grandparents who were essentially farmers. My parents went to near and far away towns when their work demanded, but I stayed in my little village to do my schooling. And then, fortunately, I passed every grade, and was replanted in another place with the aim of being called as bread earning member of the family. I have celebrated Onam in both the places. In my village we celebrated with what we had cultivated. But in far away places, we are eager consumers swiping the plastic cards in search of the elusive reward points.
When I look back at all these, I have come to conclusion that this is the necessity of our times and we have to live by it. Because each time a festival comes, it brings us new hope for a brighter and prosperous tomorrow.
Happy festival times!
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