Onam for the non Malayalis

Onam, the mother of all festivals in Kerala, goes way beyond caste, community and religion. For it is celebrated with equal gusto and fervour by the non Malayalis in Kerala as well

Kerala is home to numerous communities such as Gujaratis, Sikhs, Tamil Brahmins, Kutch Muslims, Kannadigas and Marwaris, who have migrated to God’s own country decades ago for trading and other businesses. Over the years, they have embraced Kerala and its customs, practices and festivals as their own.

Until a few years back, Onam was just another festive season for the non Malayalis living in the state. Not anymore. The most remarkable facet of Onam is its secular nature. All the communities living here actively participate in the Onam festivities and celebrated it in a grand manner.

For the Gujarati community living in Kerala for generations, Onam holds a very special place in their hearts. The Onam celebrations are held every year at their 97 year old Gujarati school in Mattanchery. “Just like any other Kerala school, we have a variety of cultural programmes and competitions organised for Onam, such as a skit on the legendary King Mahabali, vadamvali and pookkalam competition for students.  We also make payasam and have a grand Onasadhya. The ladies in our community are very enthusiastic about the celebrations and keen on wearing the traditional Kerala sari. It has been a tradition we have never let gone till date,” says Chetan Shah, secretary, Kochi Gujarati Mahajan.

Essa Gaffar’s fondest memories of Onam takes him right back to his school days, starting from Onam exam, the long holidays, pookkalam and ends with the grand onasadya. “There is immense excitement in air, high-spirited celebrations and lots of happiness all around.  With no mobile phones and internet, life was simpler then and more importantly, people had a lot of time for each other,” recollects Gaffar, a Kutch Muslim, based in Fort Kochi.

While there are generations of migrated non Malayali communities who have made Kerala their home, there are others who have settled here for good. A Konkani by birth, businessman Umesh Kamath’s family migrated from Goa years back, and he was brought up in Kochi. “Onam celebration in our homes is just like that of the Malayalis. We visit the temple in the morning, make pookkalam and place onathappan in front of our house. Every year, we make it a point to invite our family friends over to our house for Onasadhya,” says Kamath.

Onam is very special for Delhi based Punjabi, Anupam Luthra, who married a Malayali and settled in Kerala. “Apart from the pookkalam and thiruvathira competitions in office, adorning the traditional Kerala sari with jasmine flowers is something I look forward to. This year, I would like to experiment with a set mundu for Onam. I have always been intrigued by the number of dishes prepared for Onasadhya, each having a distinct taste and flavour, especially the payasams. I still remember my first Onam in 2012, which I celebrated with my in-laws, I helped with the Onam dishes and there was so much of family bonding and re-union at home,” says Luthra.

The Marwari community from Rajasthan has been living in Kerala for more than three decades. Businessman Rajesh Kejeriwal, a Marwari, puts pookkalam at home on all the three days of Onam, makes Onasadhya and wears the traditional attire for Onam. “In the 1980’s, as a student, it was my pookkalam design which won the first prize in the school competition. My most memorable Onam was about 15 years ago, when as part of Onam celebrations in our locality, Mahabali visited every home including ours,” recollects Kejeriwal with a smile.

Iona Leekha, a pathologist in a reputed hospital in Kochi, initially found eating on a banana leaf weird, but got used to it in course of time. “Different departments in the hospital hold payasam fest, so I get to taste a variety of payasams during Onam. I enjoy dressing up my pre-schooler daughter Nia, for her Onam celebrations in school,” says Leekha.

While the Onam celebrations are on in full swing this year also, it is a known fact that Onam has transformed over the years. Kamath finds the pookkalam and onathappan missing these days, as most people live in flats. Kejeriwal agrees. “Onam today is commercialised and people have no time for festivities, owing to their busy life. Even onathappan is nowhere to be seen,” he says. Luthra feels that Onam has lost its old charm of family bonding due to the nuclear family. According to Gaffar, though Onam has changed drastically from what it was earlier, its essence remains the same, and still evokes a great deal of nostalgia - the unmatched aura of the good old Onam days!  

Onam Reminiscences

Onam, the most colourful and much awaited festival of Kerala, has transformed over the years. It has come of age with the changing times. Malayalis from different walks of life goes nostalgic as they share their most vivid memories of Onam

Deepa Srijit, Homemaker
“What I miss the most about yesteryears Onam is the flower picking for pookkalam and the Onam games like pulikali and thiruvathirakali. It used to be fun going around the neighbourhood, picking flowers for the floral carpet. We used to put pookkalam from atham upto thiruvonam, which is rare now. Children dressed as puli for pulikali, visited every house, which is totally missing now. Family bonding has also reduced as most people now live in flats and it’s instant Onam everywhere. However, I still ensure that a grand Onam Sadhya is prepared and give onakodi to our nearest relatives.”

Bhadran, Retired police official
“Onam holds such nostalgic memories, as Onam celebrations in my hometown in Kollam, is quite different from the rest of Kerala. Way back in the 70’s, kite flying used to be a popular sport during Onam, wherein we used to make huge kites which was so heavy that it needed at least 3-4 people to simply carry it! Stealing flowers from the neighbourhood for pookkalam, preparing all the Sadhya items at home etc. is missing now. In our part of Kerala, we even eat non-vegetarian food like chicken and mutton for second Onam, which is a rarity now.”

Gopika Murthy, Student
“As a student, I enjoy celebrating Onam in college every year by wearing the traditional Kerala saree and taking part in various cultural events including pookkalam making competition. But, nothing like the atha pookkalam we used to put at home as a kid, which has become a thing of the past now. Also, relatives and loved ones are too occupied these days with their busy life for a family union. The old charm and festiveness of Onam is also missing these days.”

My tryst with Onam

The sheer excitement and fervour that is in the air around the time of Onam is hard to miss, says Suhas S IAS, as he recollects his very first Onam celebrations

Having heard and read so much about Onam, one of the biggest festivals in Kerala, I was always intrigued about its traditions and rituals. The legendary story of King Mahabali visiting his folks during the harvest festival, the beautiful floral carpet, the elaborate Sadhya, the traditional Thiruvathirakali, pulikali etc. were some of the images that played in my mind about Onam, but last year in 2013, I had the opportunity of experiencing it live for the first time.

I was being trained in Ernakulam district in the capacity of Assistant Collector last year and had the rare opportunity of organising the week long Onam celebrations conducted by Department of Toursim Promotion Council (DTPC) every year. Every evening, we organised cultural progammes and activities at Durbar Hall grounds,
which had performances by danseuse Shobana, musician Jerry Amaldev and so on. A visit to a tribal village in Kothamangalam for Onam was one I will never forget. There was a grand sadhya prepared and I ate alongside with the people of this remote village on a plantain leaf. Their bamboo rice payasam was unique and tasty.

Besides, I also enjoyed the Onam celebrations at the district hospital, Kochi and at various schools, where I was invited as the chief guest. I even had to give a speech in Malayalam on the occasion of Onam, which was my first attempt at speaking the local language. Believe me, it was tough to speak in Malayalam, even if it was just a few sentences!

The sheer excitement and fervour that is in the air around the time of Onam is hard to miss. What makes it really beautiful and worth cherishing is the way it is celebrated by all the people of Kerala, irrespective of caste, creed or religion. It was an experience I will never forget in a lifetime.

Salute to the indomitable spirit and enthusiasm of Malayalis across the world especially in the state, as each community tries to bring out the best of Onam flavour. This was my first-hand experience with one of the best festive seasons of God’s own country, surely the beginning of many more to come, as I look forward to a grand and colourful Onam this year also.

                                                  (The author is Sub Collector and SDM, Fort Kochi)

              

Freedom to be!

As India celebrates its 67th Independence Day, we asked a few youngsters on their thoughts of freedom. Here is what they had to say:

“Freedom becomes an experience and reality when every single person in the country can live without fear and enjoy equity and justice- substantive equity. As long as religion, caste, gender and ethnicity divides and oppresses, freedom has no meaning.” - Aleyamma Vijayan, Secretary, Sakhi Resource Centre for Women, Trivandrum

“Freedom to me in the absence of restriction to do what I feel like irrespective of my caste creed religion or status in the society. Being a law abiding citizen I think India gives enough freedom to citizens. But it's frustrating that the ability of citizens to enjoy freedom is restricted by these factors.” – Jugul Thachery, Founder and COO, Ruby Seven Studios Inc.

“Freedom to me is the right to live your true self without fearing your neighbours, the right to express what you feel is right & also the choice to walk away from what you feel is wrong. Freedom would mean responsibility towards others’ lives as well.” – Harish Janardhanan, Kerala Head-Customer Service, Docomo

“The sleepless nights of our brave soldiers put us to peaceful sleep. Let's dedicate this Independence Day to our soldiers, who gave us the freedom to live peacefully. Proud to be an Indian. Happy Independence Day. Jai Hind” - Shamim Rafeek, CEO & Founder, Winner In You Training & Coaching Services, Kochi

“Freedom - As a person born in Free India, I dont think I can appreciate the emotion as much as my forefathers felt on August 15, 1947. Freedom of expressing your thoughts and carrying out your deeds without fear is a simplistic way of explaining the concept yet it does not capture its true feeling or depth. If you really want to feel free, you have to look within to understand what it means to you and celebrate our Independence Day for it. Freedom is not about the flag, our culture, its not about the geographical landmass, it is about YOU!!” – Adarsh Kavungal, CEO, Titan Educate

Language Matters

Interview with Ms. Leela Joseph, head of the department, department of Communicative English, St. Teresa’s College, Kochi

English language has undergone a revolution from merely a subject of prose, poetry and literature to a more practical subject that offers great scope for communication. It is the language of the global village, used in business, diplomacy, media and education. With the invention of new communication technologies, the power of mass media has grown in stature and defines one’s thoughts and views. Also called functional English, communicative English deals with interesting subjects like journalism, advertising, management studies, public relations, mass communication and film studies.

Students who have completed their plus two in any stream with a minimum of 50% marks can opt for an under graduate program in communicative English and graduates in any discipline can apply for its post-graduation. Good reading habit, an open mind and general awareness about current affairs is a must. Apart from this, good communication skills, innovative thinking, creativity and an eye for detail are an added advantage for communicative English students.

Of late, there has been an upsurge in the visual media with the focus on short films, ad films and documentaries. Internships are a part of this three year course, where students are given on the job training in hospitality sector and advertising firms. In the final year, apart from presenting a thesis, they are required to organise a public relations campaign on a topic of their choice. There are about 100 seats available for a bachelor’s programme in communicative English.

Communicative English offers interesting career options in the education sector as well as a variety of fields such as journalism, mass media, advertising, and management studies like public relations, human resources management and entrepreneurship development. Teaching the subject in a college or university is also an option, apart from a career in a media production house, advertising industry or PR agency. Students can also opt to do an MBA in human resources, to get into management jobs.

With immense possibilities offered in the field of communication, the subject is gaining recognition as a career oriented course and more students are opting for it today.

Socially responsible

Dr Mary Venus Joseph, dean & administrator, Rajagiri School of Social Work, Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Kochi

Social work education provides adequate inputs in social research, community assessment, community project development and  implementation. The alarming rise in social problems, mental health issues and family problems, along with the rapid developments in the society, have increased the need for social work professionals with specific knowledge and skills to deal with these social issues.

Recognising the importance of professional social workers, a number of colleges and universities across India are offering bachelor and master programmes in social work. Students, who have completed their plus two in any stream with 50% marks, can opt for a degree in social work, and graduates in social work or any other degree preferably in related areas, can apply for a post-graduation in social work. Selection is based on a common entrance test by the university and final interview by the college.

Since the very nature of job is helping people in resolving their issues, right attitude is an important prerequisite to work in social work field. Regular reading habit and written proficiency in English will make the learning easier and effective. Apart from this, interpersonal skills, analytical and reflective skills, documentation skills programme, planning, evaluation and management skills are an added advantage for social work students.

Social entrepreneurship is an emerging trend among professional social workers. Similarly, innovative corporate social responsibility projects undertaken by the corporates and disaster management and environment protection are areas that require trained social workers. Specializations in social work ranges from mental health,  medical and psychiatric social work, family and child welfare, community development, human resource management, welfare administration etc.

Social work offers interesting career options in the government sector, educational institutions, corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities of different companies and with the NGO’s in the field of community based rehabilitation, school counselling, child adoption, health promotion rural management and son on.  Teaching is also an option for MSW post graduates.

There are also government positions like probation officers, block development officers, and counselors in family which specify Master’s Degree in social work. Many multinational companies specifically ask for social workers with HR specialization for managerial jobs in their personnel departments. Besides, social work is a highly rated skilled job in countries like Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA and Canada.

                                                                                                                     sherene.joseph@timesgroup.com

 

Money matters

Dr Sunil Kumar S Menon, Assistant Professor and Head, Department of Economics, Maharaja's College, Kochi

Economics deals with all aspects of a country's economy, from utilizing its resources, to dealing with the problem of scarcity, and avoiding problems such as inflation and unemployment. It is economics that attempts to frame policies for the elimination of crisis and sets strategy for growth. Even ordinary people are concerned about the various developments in the economy. Hence, there is a growing demand for the subject of economics today specially among civil service aspirants.

Students who have completed their plus two in any stream can opt for a degree in Economics, and graduates in Economics or any degree, can apply for a post-graduation in Economics. Those who have opted mathematics as a subject during graduation will have an upper hand than others.

Apart from this, a reasonable quantitative aptitude, sensitivity towards social issues and enthusiasm for experimental learning are essential skills. Similarly, ability to draw and interpret graphs and figures, and a nose to draw inference from data are added advantages for economics students.

Economics as a subject offers various new specialisations like risk management economics, cultural economics, behavioural economics, behavioural game theory and so on. Game theory has been an emerging trend and interdisciplinary areas like complexity economics and econophysics are also evolving rapidly.

Of late, there has been revived enthusiasm in traditional fields of economics like the economics of the commons, environmental economics, macroeconomics, monetary economics, time series econometrics, market design and experimental economics. There is also a tendency for research in economics to be guided by the requirements of the market.

Economics graduates/post graduates with a specialisation are highly in demand today and great opportunities exist both in the private and public sectors. Graduates in economics can find decently paid jobs with banks, stock brokers and stock exchanges. Market regulators like SEBI, FMC and TRAI strictly prefer economics students as it is easier to communicate the basic concepts with them.

With a post-graduation in economics, one can work in international institutions like the World Bank, the IMF, WTO etc.  Those who clear UGC National Eligibilty Test and JRF (Junior Research Fellowship) are eligible for teaching economics in colleges after undertaking research and a doctorate degree in Economics is much appreciated.

Apart from this, the RBI employs post graduate economists through a competitive examination and the corporate sector also hires economics analysts. The UPSC conducts an all India examination to select post graduates for the Indian Economic Service. It is a Group- A civil service constituting a professional cadre of economists, who make valuable contribution to policy making, implementation and monitoring of development programmes.

                                                                                    sherene.joseph@timesgroup.com

 

Lessons in History

Ashmi Jalal, final year, BA Islamic History, Maharaja’s College, Kochi

As a student, I was always intrigued by history and the culture of our country as well as the world. I felt one would gain more knowledge about a nation by understanding its history. That prompted me to take up Islamic History for my graduation, after completing plus two in humanities.

Contrary to popular belief, Islamic History is not a religious subject. It has more to do with politics, philosophy and economics of a country than a particular religion. The subjects include world history, political science, economics, Islamic banking and so on.  We also learn about Islamic dynasties like Abbasid and Caliphates that ruled the Middle East and other countries as well as the social and cultural impact of different Indian Islamic empire’s rule in India.

Apart from what I had learnt at the Madrasa, my knowledge of Islam was very limited before taking up this course. There are about 30 students in my class and a good number of them are non-Muslim students, whom we teach and help them to understand the subjects better. After completing BA, one can opt for its post-graduation or do higher education in Delhi. As for my future plans, I would like to do my masters in Islamic History and take up teaching profession.

As told to Sherene Joseph
 

Bridal fashion at its best

Wedding Times Fashion Fiesta, organised by The Times of India presents the ultimate wedding fashion trousseau

Three renowned fashion designers from the Indian fashion industry will present their latest wedding couture at Wedding Times Fashion Fiesta to be held in the city today. Organised by The Times of India, the event will feature the themed wedding collections of Hari Anand, Sumit Dasgupta and Thahir Sayed Mohammed.

Kochi based designer Hari Anand will present the golden theme, aptly named ‘Alchemy’, showcasing gold based fabrics in georgette and pure silk. “I have chosen base fabrics and nude colours and enhanced the bridal sarees and lehengas with embroideries,” says Anand. The highlight of the show will be his interpretation of kasavu bordered Kerala sarees. His bridal collections are ideal not just for weddings but for the sangeet and wedding receptions as well.

Thahir Sayed Mohammed will be exhibiting his wedding collection based on Goth fashion. “Gothic has a reciprocal relationship with the fashion world. With the main colour as black and a bit of white, I plan to use black fabrics like lycra, velvet and lace, apart from sequins, swarovski head gear and lace net for veil,” adds Mohammed. He also has a collection of prom and cocktail gowns for bridesmaids.

Mumbai based Sumit Dasgupta’s designs are purely Indian ethnic and bridal wear. “My collections are inspired by Maa Durga and is my tribute to naari shakti. The ethnic wears are made of a variety of fabrics such as brocade, georgette, velvet, chiffon, satin, raw silk and Italian crepe. The colours used are beige, maroon, bright green, bright yellow, dark blue, golden, and baby pink,” says Dasgupta. The ability to experiment with different weaving techniques like zari, aari, antique tikki work, resham, gota work, LCD work and zardozi makes his collections unique.

Apart from the display of trendy wedding collections, wedding jewellery is sponsored by Joy Alukkas. Model turned actress Parvathy Omanakuttan will be the show stopper at the fashion fiesta!
Expectations are high as the designers are presenting their wedding collections for the first time in Kochi, the fashion capital of Kerala. “With the wedding season on in a few weeks, the fashion fiesta will have a high impact on the audience looking to take a cue from the show,” chips in Anand.
Entry to the fashion fete will be through invitation only. An array of splendid wedding couture, teamed with classic ethnic jewellery and finest accessories is sure to make many heads turn. So, spice up your glam quotient and get ready for a fashionable evening of glitz and glamour.

Sherene.Joseph@timesgroup.com

A day for doctors

Doctor’s Day is observed in India on 01 July every year to honour the legendary physician Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy.  It reminds us about the nobility of this selfless profession, a vocation that gives us new life

Doctors play an inevitable part in our daily lives. There is not a single person who has not visited a doctor atleast once in his lifetime. They are always remembered with gratitude for their selfless services to mankind. The most rewarding part for many doctors is to see their patients get better and being able to make a difference in their lives. We asked a few doctors on their take on Doctor’s Day. Here is what they had to say:

Dr P A Abdul Hakkim,
director, Mother Hospital, Thrissur
On Doctor’s Day, I would like to reminisce with gratitude all my colleagues especially the senior doctors who have remained with us right from the inception of this hospital in 1991. Their relentless support has helped a long way in building this hospital to what it is today.

Dr K K Gopinathan,
executive director, CIMAR, Edappal
Doctor’s Day is a remembrance day for us doctors to remember the Hippocratic Oath and to perform our duties to the patients sincerely. It is also a time to recognise the contribution and services of senior doctors. I would advise aspiring doctors also to put service to society first and monetary benefits will automatically follow. 

Ms. Manju Thomas Poonolil,
Audiologist and Clinical Specialist, Cochlear Implantation
Ephphatha Speech and Hearing Centre, Thrissur
It is important to create awareness about hearing impairment. As an audiologist, I urge all parents to do a hearing screening for early identification and intervention of hearing impaired children. Cochlear implantation is most effective to children between the age of 0-3 years. Let us do our best to bring up socially productive children at par with their peers.