LiFestivals

The only problem I had to face working in the creative field is the creative differences that I had to face at the workplace on a daily basis.  

I had once posted this on my facebook : 

 “Earlier I used to work with people who knew everything about something and now I work with people who know something about everything…” this was with reference to my work-mates at Radio Mango.

It was just another day in my old office (Radio Mango) and we were into an argument where almost the entire office mates were on one side and I was on the counter-side. The argument 
was about the arrival of a new festival in Kerala called “Akshaya Tritiya” in Kerala which according to my office mates was an alien festival, a festival that is (or 'should be') celebrated only by the north Indians (If that is the case then I wonder if Christmas in an Indian festival for that matter!) and according to them, the infinite jewelers in Kerala are the people responsible for bringing in this strange and stupid festival wherein purchasing Gold is considered good and auspicious this day.

I did agree that the festival has been introduced and promoted by jewelers and they indeed had their own vested interests behind doing this. The only question that came into my mind was “So what?” 

one of the biggest events in the world "Thrissur Pooram" in Kerala  started by the then King HH Shakthan Thampuran for promoting trade and commerce!

They were not ready to accept the fact that most of the festivals we celebrate today have got a commercial background behind…  Business should happen; trade should happen that is the prime motive behind any celebration! Even one of the biggest events in the world "Thrissur Pooram" in Kerala was started by the then King HH Shakthan Thampuran with the very same intention! Moreover you are always free whether to celebrate or not to celebrate any festival. It is really foolish to blame the advertisements for you having ended up purchasing something which you never wanted. Advertisements are meant for that. 

The logic here is “If you have money, you will celebrate Akshay Tritiya by purchasing Gold or else you can’t even if you want to” …

When I am in Kerala, I miss these amazingly vibrant and colorful festivals and at times I feel if Kerala is not at all a Part of India when it comes to celebrating festivals even though we too have a couple of festivals to our credit like Onam and Vishu.

Malayalees are very private and basically very serious about whatever they do and whatever they say. And this is quite evident from our events and stage shows with audience finding it difficult to smile and applaud. I have had this opportunity to interact with a lot of people from almost every national and international community and the one thing that differentiates a Keralite from others is their lack of ‘flexibility’ in accepting another person’s point of view and being a Keralite I myself have this problem of acceptance!  The same problem is also there in accepting traditions and cultures from other states.

But when I am in Mumbai, I hate these very same festivals to the core. It may be because of some idiots who play the spoil sport. This is sad when you are a person who loves to celebrate!

I used to love “Holi” as a kid as I get this liberty to put colors on anyone without their permission and I can splash water balloons on anyone (especially girls) without any problem.  But as a grown-up, I now hate that festival because of people who do public nuisance in the name of celebrating Holi. I have seen people throwing balloons filled with urine and mud from slums to running local trains.

If you see most of the Indian Festivals are loud and public. Diwali, we have crackers, Ganeshotsav we have Lord Ganesha creating traffic jams and pollution, Navratri- You have loud speakers and people who don’t care if others are sleeping or what…  According to me Festivals are the reason for celebration but definition for Celebration depends on the people celebrating.

Celebrations are personal. While you are celebrating others shouldn’t suffer but on the other hand celebrations also boost up the trade and commerce and it also brings the people and families together. It shouldn’t be at the cost of others sufferings! And I think we certainly have to change our definition of "Celebration"

 

While I still expect more of national and international festivals to reach god’s own country. I also expect the eradication of festivals like “Hartaal and Bandh” from this place.

Have a Happy and Safe Diwali...  :)                    

Cheers!  

The Silence

On 9 November 2012, Mumbai witnessed a massive event organized by the 'Malayalee Samajams' across Mumbai.

Malayalees are the best critics in the world and hence the lack of unity in between Malayalee Samajams and Malayalees in particular is often highlighted by the Malayalee himself.

“Where there are 3 Malayalees, you will find 4 Malayalee Samajams” is a famous saying that we often hear while talking about our lack of unity... But this year’s “Mumbai Pooram” proved it wrong (at least for the time being) by managing to bring all Malayalee Mangas (Mallayalee Ladies) together and arrange for a Mega “Kaikottikkali” event with whopping 2963 + participants and the organizers claim it to have created a Guinness World Record!

I have always been a great admirer of beauty and according to me the traditional malayalee outfit "Set-mund" is something that makes every woman look at their best as compared to any other attires. Thousands of beautiful women made this huge circle, which to me appeared like a huge lotus... but no one noticed a petal which had already fallen out of this huge lotus somewhere ... 

She was young. Passionate about life and was full of life. A smart, talented, intelligent Malayalee girl from Bhayandar ; a bright engineering student and moreover the one and only child for her parents.

As any other girl of her age, she was also passionately involved in the preparations to be a part of this 'world record' in the making since its inception. She participated in the rehearsals and bought her set of bangles and costumes. 

Last Saturday i.e on the 3^rd of November, exactly a week before the grant event, while returning home after her girly gossips and rehearsals, she fell sick and the very next day she was taken to the hospital for check-ups.

The Doctor after going through the reports was unable to detect the actual cause for her sickness and he was unable to decide whether this is a case of Typhoid or Malaria (This is what I learned from my sources) and he prescribed medicines that were not the right ones.

We are a nation of shame when it comes to basic health facilities, life-saving drugs and with Doctors that become Doctors not on the basis of their merit but on the basis of caste-reservations and students who can financially afford MBBS.

Life saving drugs must have hardly saved lives of people who can’t afford it. Insurance is always a matter of solicitations and a lot of non-applicable conditions are applicable to avail medical facilities and Medi-claim often remains as mere claim.

While a so called Doctor fails to diagnose the exact cause for her illness, she continued with the same medicine. 

On the other hand, thousands of women were busy buying ornaments and traditional set-mundu for the occasion, her condition worsened day by day. Her friends used to call her to ask about her health and to see if she can come to rehearsals. She promised one of her dearest friends that she will make it to the event anyhow. 

On 9 November, Saturday, while Malayalee ladies in Mumbai were ready for the mega event, this pretty girl was in tears on her bed. She was in pain… terrible pain. The pain of not being able to participate in the event was more than her physical pain. Soon she was taken into the Hospital, where she went unconscious and was soon declared dead by the Doctors.

Death is something that is unforeseen. This can happen to anyone, anytime… But if this incident  happened because of the negligence and lack of professionalism of the Doctor then this certainly needs to be investigated and the Unity that we have showcased to organize this event should  also be shown to the 2964^th girl. While the celebrations were on, she left all of us in silence… This needs to be booked and the culprit should be punished. Tomorrow It can happen to you, me , our sister, mother , friend, lover,  or any of our loved ones...

May her soul Rest in Peace.