Future Woman
Future Woman

Onam musings


👤Jeena Jacob 🕔8/24/2015
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Keralites all over the world celebrate Onam, the festival of prosperity, without the  restrictions  of class or caste. Six women  from the entertainment world  share  with Future Woman  their  Onam  memories  and plans for this Onam


Ananya, actress

I hope and  pray  for a great Onam this time also.  My Onam celebrations are with my family. I think childhood is the time when we enjoy the most. My memorable Onam was during those days, when my cousins and other family members  come home  to celebrate  Onam with us. I remember the myth about welcoming Maveli ,  The new clothes,  floral  decorations and the special  dishes, all are in my memory.  We also  decorate the  path towards home  with ‘thumbapoovu’  to welcome  the great king  home.  Those days I blindly believed that Maveli would come home to enjoy those  delicious dishes with us. It was years later that  I  came to know that  Maveli  was only a mythological ruler who ruled Kerala, in whose memory we celebrate Onam. However, I miss the feeling  of togetherness during those days  awhen all our family members come home.  Now they  all are  away  in different places. After my marriage I used to celebrate it with my husband’s family and after the celebrations  there, we go to my  home and celebrate  Oaam with  my family members.

Devika Mukesh, dancer

What I like about Onam the most is the togetherness during those days. I still remember my childhood days, when we were in Dubai.  We used to wait for Onam to come as it is the time we used to come to Kerala. Those days, our Onam celebrations  and exams start on the  same  day and our  minds  were occupied  with  thoughts of Onam celebration in Kerala.  At that time, all used to gather at our home, not only relatives,  even our neighbours used to be with us. It was a great celebration, but as time passed on. there came changes in everyone’s attitude towards  such happy occasions. Today Onam means only  ‘Onakodi’ and ‘Onasadhya’. ‘Onakalikal’, which  were the most awaited thing to do during Onam in my childhood days,  are no more. Nowadays, kids don’t even know  the  names of those games. We should make them know  about these  games and bring back those old glory of Onam celebrations.

Mridula Warrior, Playback singer

I wish to celebrate this Onam with my family as usual. Usually I don’t book any programmes during those days. I cherish each and every moment that I spend with my family. Festival days like Onam Vishu and all  others are close to my heart. I have  not planned anything special for this  Onam, but wish to be with my family members as they are the ones who take pain for me and inspiration  behind all the success in my life that I have achieved.


Renjini Haridas, Television anchor

My childhood Onam celebration was very much related to my school ‘Pookalam competition’, and ‘Thiruvathira competition’.   Above all,we were given permission to put on colour dresses. But my celebrations to the fullest happened after being part of  television channels.  We start  the celebrations a month before . We will have skits, acts and dance performances. Due to busy schedules, Onam  at home is less, I think more than  we in  Kerala, it is those  who stay abroad take more efforts to celebrate Onam. We should congratulate  the Malayalee associations all over the world for taking our tradition to every  nook and corner. 

Aparna Nair, actress

 To me, every Onam is special. My Onam days will be most probably at my ancestral home. I try not to miss the celebration.  I missed one Onam in my  life as I was away and was not able to reach home on that day. I still regret. In fact, I celebrate two Onams every year.  Half of the day will be spent at my father’s home and  in the afternoon, we move to mother’s house for another round of celebration. I try my maximum to avoid other engagements. My very special Onam was in 2007, as my film Nivedhyam was released during Onam. It was a lucky year for me.   That  Onam was indeed  different from others.


 Lena, actress

All my Onam celebrations  until I aged 12 were very colourful . We were  in the  North East those days and used to come to Kerala  to celebrate Onam at my father’s house at Vadakkanchery. Those days I  used to think that all days in Kerala  were the same like Onam, with full celebrations. Now Onam is very drab, everything has become readymade. Celebrations now end up in Whatsapp and Facebook.

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