Tradition rules!

No matter the progress made, traditions and rituals have not faded away when it comes to our biggest festival Onam, feels Mittu Gopalan

I feel that in this fast paced world that we live in, the younger generation are in a mad race to embrace modernity with least regret; whether it be in their outlook to life, dressing, cuisine etc. But the biggest blessing is that, when it comes to festivals, weddings and other rituals, any generation immediately loves to cling back to their traditions and customs. And this of course is a great feeling!

Its such a wonderful feeling to be in Kochi when the city is preparing for Onam. I love to see how Kerala welcomes Chingam onnu, with everyone clad in their traditional Kerala attire. Even the transport buses in Kerala decked up for Onam is always overwhelming sight! However I was surprised to see people ‘ordering in’ the Onasadhya dishes that they otherwise would have taken the trouble to cook at home in the past. But people still hold onto traditions such preparing the pookkalam (even if it means a small one), giving Onakodi and so on.

However, an Onam countdown in Sydney involves me preparing the dishes and getting ready to have a Sadhya with our family and friends on Thiruovam day. But to put attapoo for ten days in winter in Sydney is simply not possible. Its difficult to strictly comply with traditional  Athapoo carpets to be laid in front of our home due to the weather. But we do ensure that for Thiruovam, we put a flower carpet, so that kids can see what the tradition is and also ensure that we have a sadya, even if it’s in the evening after work and eat it on a paper banana leaf instead of a real one!!! And then of course, I secretly await to see the new Onam special Malayalam movies being screened on TV as well!!!

So though we improvise, accommodate and change the traditions to suit the modern era, but being so far away from home, I am glad that we strive do our best to stick to traditions and culture as much as we can. At the end of the day, it is these traditions and culture that form our backbones and that’s what makes us a true Malayali!

(The author is a lawyer and partner at Freedman & Gopalan Solicitors, Sydney)