Don't we love our festivals?

 Why do I celebrate Onam?

So the festival of Onam passed by recently and I was asked why did we celebrate Onam since we are not Keralites? Some even asked me you are not Hindu, why are you celebrating Onam? Before I answer these questions, I pondered about how we celebrate festivals and that inspired this post.

There are some broad heads under which we celebrate festivals and here I am being generic and this has nothing to do with religion or region. Let me begin:

1.Family: If you had tried booking a train ticket on IRCTC or any flight tickets before a festival the chances of you being highly disappointed are quite high. Why is this? Because the essence of festivals is to be home with the family, though there are some who choose to travel on festivals, for many a festival is a time to be home with the family and loved ones.

2. Friends: We have heard friends like family and for some friends are family, so friends are an integral part of festivals. You look forward to connect or reconnect with friends in the festival time often taking nostalgia trips and generally having a good time.

3. Fun: Festivals are fun, whatever be the festival there is usually an element of fun to it. Deepavali is known for crackers and likewise others have their own set of fun activities. Pongal is interwined with Jallikattu though I am not sure how much fun that is for those not keen on being chased by a fiery bull.

4.Food: No festival is complete without good food and usually festivals would me excessive good food. Sweets and savouries will compete with each other and usually the exchange of sweets between homes was a special task that was given to the kids. I remember the Christmas rounds where trays went back and forth and at the end we would have two sets of sweets to eat – our own and those received.

5.Fashion: Festivals mean new clothes for many and people tend to save up to buy new clothes for the family on festivals and it is a glorious sight to see people dressed up in their best celebrating the festival. Onam in Kerala is special as everyone seems to celebrate in their finery.

6.Faith: Many festivals are tagged with faith despite their origins and sadly this has left a bad taste off late. The Ganesh Chaturthi pandals were the smart attempts of the freedom fighters to manage the Section 144 imposed by the British in the freedom struggle. Being a “religious” event the Britishers allowed it, what was an act of defiance has now become an act of hooliganism by some who use it as an opportunity to make money and cause public nuisance forgetting the reason for the festival. On the other hand we have the Coca Cola mascot taking over Christmas celebration and for many Christmas is all about a jolly old man.

So 6 Fs define festivals. Now coming back to the opening questions,

I am of mixed blood with a Kerala strain running through the blood line, so I often say that I am 25% Malayalee and that should be enough to celebrate, not to mention the fact that the state of Kerala is our neighbor and some regions overlap and the festival is common there and the fact that many friends of ours are Keralites, there are enough reasons to celebrate it. I am not a Hindu and if you look deep the festival is a harvest festival like Pongal and the harvest is a time of thanksgiving irrespective of your personal beliefs. And if you remember the 6Fs, 5/6 is good reason to celebrate so though its late Onam Ashamsakal to all who celebrated, still celebrating and not celebrating also.