Flood-ravaged Kerala is gearing up to welcome Onam, but this time Mahabali cannot be as joyous as usual as the floods are still preventing him from entering the houses of his subjects. Every year on Thiruvonam day, Mahabali is believed to visit his land, the God’s own country, to see whether his subjects are hale and hearty. Unfortunately, the flooding has caused extensive damage to many houses saddening many subjects.
Onam is also the season when the farmers reap a rich harvest.
But this time all the standing crops are destroyed. Granaries are not filled with grains and the hearts of farmers are not filled with happiness. What is left in the hearts of many is only sadness and fear of the future. Many have taken refuge in the adage, ‘What cannot be changed must be endured.’ What can they do but to suffer in silence?
But the Onam myth has something to cheer up the saddened people. Whatever situation one is going through, they must not forget to celebrate Onam. They should prepare themselves to be ready and should be happy to welcome Mahabali, which is the age-old belief.
During the Onam days in the past, all our family members had to assemble without fail in our ancestral house and eat a sumptuous feast ceremoniously prepared on the noon of Thiruvonam day. It was a joyous occasion when mother would emotionally declare, “Next Onam, I am not sure I shall be there to share my joy with you.” The moment she finished saying this, all of us would be transported into deep sorrow. Then all of us would give a morsel of rice coated with curries to her. Emotionally speaking, Onam is an occasion for recalling goodness and forgetting enmity. It is also an occasion of giving and taking, and helping and caring of those who are poor.
So this year’s Onam becomes even more relevant than previous ones, because some of us are facing hardships as acute as ever due to the unprecedented floods. Many are left in the lurch without the wherewithal to pay for anything. Even worse off are the people whose houses have been destroyed, and though the damage has not been yet fully assessed, the losses are irreparable. In the midst of these harsh realities, Onam comes to prepare us to be more considerate and kind-hearted. Let us all rise to celebrate it by extending our support to the hapless and needy. If such an act can bring smiles on the faces of the victims of the floods, then that will be the real meaning and message of Onam too.
T K Nandanan
Email: nanduthejus@gmail.com