We all know the different stories behind Onam's origin : for some it is a harvest festival, for others it is the day when good old King Mahabali comes back to visit his people once in every year.
But for me Onam is a nostalgia.
No, I didn't have the luxuries of elaborate Onam celebrations that kids these days enjoy. Being part of a lower middle class family, it just meant that Onam is special, because it the time when I will get a new dress, no matter what the financial situation of the family at that point. The only other special day when i will get a new dress was my Birthday.
But more than that, this is that time of the year when nature is at the best. All greenery around, and plants filled with flowers, birds and squirrels. And schools will also be having onam vacations meaning, no worry of studies, and lot of time to play and enjoy nature.
We never used to buy flowers for pookalam, because flowers used to be in abundance around the house. Me and my brother used to put a small pookalam all 10 days early morning.
Sadya used to be really simple, only special used to be payasam.
It was simple but it was special.
Being in Bangalore and celebrating Onam in a flat is of course different. I used to think it is boring, but then i realized that this is how I can build memories for my daughter, my disappointment in the new age Onam celebrations should not stop her from building her own memories.
We buy flowers, make elaborate Onasadya, dress up in kasavu and take pictures. Its different but it is also nice.
Sunrise today was beautiful, I should get up early more often. Chants from neighboring temple and the wake up crowing of some rooster near by did make it special. We don't need anything big to experience special, its just the simple and small things that matters.
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