For the film industry too, this is a time of merriment. A look at what the festival means to some of them:

Adoor Gopalakrishnan: Internationally acclaimed filmmaker.

Notable films: Swayamvaram, Elipathayam, Mukhamukham, Nizhalkuthu, etc.

One thing that still remains in my mind is the kind of freedom and gay abandon we enjoyed on Thiruvonam as children. We could do play till we dropped tired.

At our place, I don't remember having seen pookkalam (floral decorations in the front yard) in front of any house, and I do not know why it was not there.

On Thiruvonam day, we used to have the sadya (feast) a bit early -- by 12 noon. After the sumptuous sadya, we kids used to disappear and play the traditional games like kili thattu, pandu kali, etc till the sun sets in the evening.

When we returned in the evening, tired after playing for hours, what awaited us were the leftovers of the lunch. I still cherish the sadya in the evening, which would be very cold and almost turned bad! It had a special taste, which still lingers in my mind!

Onakodi (new dress for Onam) used to reach us only the previous day as tailors were extremely busy during Onam, and the entire village depended on the services of two or three tailors. Receiving Onakodi was like a festival as unlike today, new clothes were bought only for Onam and Vishu.

I grew up in a joint family and there were many grown-ups and children in the family to make the festival an unforgettable day. We kids used to have a variety of entertainment programmes for the entire family, and I used to be the leader of those programmes.

Even after we moved to different places, all of us make it a point to assemble at our ancestral home to celebrate Onam.

I don't look at Onam with nostalgia. I am one person who likes the present more than the past. We had problems in the past and yesterday was not without any trouble. I feel the changes in society are for the better. There was a lot of inequality when I was young and the landless labourers who worked for us celebrated Onam because of the kindness of the landlords.

Today, nobody is dependant on anyone, and everybody celebrates Onam with their own hard-earned money. When I look back, I feel only the moneyed, landowner class celebrated Onam in those days. There is more equality in society today. I feel the dream of Mahabali that all are equal is more apt today than yesterday. I feel this change is remarkable.

Text: Shobha Warrier

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