Festivals then and now

PushpavalliSrinivasan · Jan 16, 2013

Festivals then and now
During our younger days festivals were celebrated with whole lot of family members. This was the time for a family get together. Elders will cook and the youngsters will help them in whatever way they could.

On the day of pongal youngsters will prostrate :bowdown before the elders and will seek their blessings. They will give a piece of raw turmeric (pasu manjal) and the elders will scratch it and then apply the turmeric on the forehead and on the mangalyam and bless them to have a long happy married life .

Kanu day in South India is similar to Raki festival of North India. It is celebrated for one's brothers longevity and prosperity.. Brothers will give sari or money or some gift.

During Karthigai festival after lighting the lamps we used to go to our relatives and neighbours houses and give thambulam to them and then would seek their blessings.

All these customs are slowly diminishing and people are just sitting in their drawing rooms glued to the TV. If there is a new film released of their favourite stars, then they will go to see the picture.

The unique concept of joint family system has become a thing of the past. Both parents and children are responsible for this. This is the case of conflict of interests between the young and the old, brought about by changes in the socio economic developments.

Both the young and old think it affects their independence and life style. Due to the lack of understanding old age homes are springing up, which cater to the affordable elderly people who want to live independently.

Previously old age homes were started for poor people by charitable institutions or philanthropists with like minded people.

Anyway we have to accept the change and carry on.

suby · Jan 16, 2013

Dear Pushpavalli Madam,

You have brought out correctly a seroius malady that has crept in.
1) In those days, without TV, there was enough time for people.
2) Homes are getting broken because more and more women are educated, in many cases they are more educated than their husbands ("husbands" includes yours sincerely too). They have to manage both office and home. They find it difficult to manage husband and children; and how can we expect them to take care of old people. Perhaps a line has to be drawn. After some time, one should quit either the husband or the wife. Again husbands will be useless. Because atleast now they were working in office. Later that too will stop.

However, it is serious social issue which needs to debated. We talk about social service etc but "charity begins at home".
regards
suby

PushpavalliSrinivasan · Jan 18, 2013

Dear Suby,
You have made my day by posting your fb to my blog.
I was also a working woman and gave importance to our traditional customs and never made compromises. I too had three small children during those days and an ailing m-i-l constantly straying with me as my husband being her only son. When she was hale and hearty she used to go to my sil's house whenever she needed her help.
If there is a will there is a way.
Thanks once again for your valuable comments,
PS

BharadwajThiru · Jan 28, 2013

Great post. I sometimes wonder what kids of today will reminisce about as they ruminate about their childhood days. As we think of the festivals, we think of our friends and those specific moments when someone emptied a bucket of colored water over a friend during hopi, or the singing during lori in front of the fireplace, or the diwali houses the kids used to make!
Perhaps kids of today will ponder about that movie they went to where they had to pay a huge sum of money to procure tickets in the black market only to sit on the floor and watch a movie!

PushpavalliSrinivasan · Jan 28, 2013

Dear Bharadwaj,
Thank you for your appreciation and also for sharing your thoughts. When we were staying at Telco Colony our children thoroughly enjoyed Holi and Lori festivals with their friends and flat people. They used to play outside in open air.
PS

Sriniketan · Feb 2, 2013

You said it right, Ma.
Festivals, their significance and importance is fading and it is only looked upon as a holiday or rest from the usual days.

Sriniketan

PushpavalliSrinivasan · Feb 4, 2013

Dear Sriniketan,
Many of our festivals are celebrated for spiritual uplift and also for family togetherness. As you say now they lost the significance and spent on merry making.
PS