ONAM is like a Dream! (George Abraham)
Published on 29 August, 2020
Onam, the biggest festival of Kerala, is being celebrated this week:
Kerala is known for its enchanting beauty. The swaying palms, the sky kissing hills, the sun-bleached plains, the lush paddy fields, the placid lakes, and the shimmering lagoons make it a veritable paradise on earth. I often hear the phrase ‘God’s own country’ as Kerala is often characterized.
We are all too familiar with the legend behind the festival. For the sake of the young people, let me briefly state two versions of the story. Maveli, the king Mahabali, the legendary king, was unjustly pushed down into the Nether world by Vamana, the fifth ‘avatar’ of Vishnu. It is said that there was perfect equality, peace, and happiness in his kingdom. No one dared to lie or cheat. However, gods grew envy at his acts of benevolence and increasing popularity. After the banishment, Mahabali was given the unique privilege to visit his subjects once a year.
Historians give a different twist to the legend. According to them, Mahabali, who was a Buddhist, defeated by Hindu kings from Narmada (currently Maharashtra) in the North. Subsequently, they conquered the land and sent him into exile in Ezahm, presently known as Sri Lanka. It was believed that permission was granted to Mahabali to come and visit his subjects during the period when they traditionally celebrated Sravanolsavam. Therefore, it may be a symbolic description of the Aryan invasion and the imposition of its culture on the native Dravidian populace of Kerala.
Regardless, Onam is a grand harvest festival that is celebrated with flowers, sumptuous feasts, and swings under mango trees. Onam represents Kerala’s spirit, transcending the people of Kerala the world over to an enchanting mood of thanksgiving, idyllic pleasure, and music and dance. People irrespective of religion celebrate Onam with traditional gaiety and fervor.
It is stated that where there is a Keralite, there will be Onam. Now the celebration is extended to the Diaspora, Mahabali needs to travel around the globe to visit all his subjects. Onam embodies the message of the essential goodness of a man who is selfless in his deeds towards fellow man.
It is also about a dream; it is a dream about peace and tranquility in the world. It is a dream about economic well-being and resource sharing; it is a dream about love and brotherhood; it is a dream about high ethics and morals, and it is a dream about human justice and preservation of nature.
Great men in history dreamed before they embarked on a course to achieve them. Mahatma Gandhi had a dream. He set out to gain freedom for the 300 million Indians from colonial rule and slavery. He mobilized and motivated the masses through non-violent protests, which eventually gained the long-cherished independence. Fulfilling his own dream was fraught with dangers, and he paid the ultimate price with his own life to preserve what he dreamed about.
Jawaharlal Nehru had a dream which was set out in the preamble of the Indian constitution: to set up a secular republic with equal rights for everyone with the freedom to think and speak and freedom to worship; to build a democratic society which fights fascism and communism; to promote equal opportunity and justice for the common man and independence in International relations.
Today, that dream is being challenged by forces of communalism that would like to turn India on a path towards Hindutva. It is quite shocking to see that this divisive philosophy is tacitly endorsed by some in our own community here in the U.S. who enjoy the secular freedom in this country yet, want to deny the same freedom to others who live in India.
The great Martin Luther King, who emulated the non-violent method which Gandhi has pioneered, had a dream of his own. He had a dream to deliver his people from slavery and second-class status – We are all too familiar with his ‘I have a dream’ speech. – ‘I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal ‘With the voting rights acts in 1964, his dreams came to fruition. Yes, there is continuing injustice faced by the black community at the social level, which may require further attention and remedy.
America, as a nation, had a dream as well. When the pilgrims took the boat and landed on the Plymouth seeking religious freedom, their dream was to develop the most democratic, secular, and prosperous society based on capitalism and market economy. They seemed to have accomplished that by making America a superpower, second to none, economically and militarily. Yet there are significant challenges ahead of this nation as it is falling victim to a valueless culture that could rot away a nation’s moral and spiritual fabric.
Yes, there are challenges all around us; however, we all need to dream as individuals, society, and as a nation. For many of us, the dream of prosperity is only half of the puzzle. We might have accomplished them. We may still be missing that moral and spiritual dimension, which made Kerala once a land of prosperity, justice, and brotherhood.
All of us should have clear goals in life, and it is a non-optional component of a spiritually healthy life. You can see from many of these examples I have elicited; there is a close connection between dreams or, in other words, goal-orientation, motivation, and fulfillment? The lack of those dreams is a big reason why so many of us are unmotivated in our tasks. It is said that performance is equal to motivation and ability. The component motivation requires expectancy, and that is where the dream fits in. If it is motivating, it has to be making progress and accomplishing things for everyone.
This week as we celebrate Onam, let us once again become nostalgic. Let Onam transcends our thoughts and process. Above all, it remains a dream. Attainable or not, it symbolizes human yearnings, which keep the dreams alive. It motivates us to go on. Bible says, without vision, people perish; keep dreaming and let the spirit of Onam burns within us forever.
Happy Onam to everyone!
(Writer is a former Chief Technology Officer of the United Nations and the Vice-Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, USA)
Kerala is known for its enchanting beauty. The swaying palms, the sky kissing hills, the sun-bleached plains, the lush paddy fields, the placid lakes, and the shimmering lagoons make it a veritable paradise on earth. I often hear the phrase ‘God’s own country’ as Kerala is often characterized.
We are all too familiar with the legend behind the festival. For the sake of the young people, let me briefly state two versions of the story. Maveli, the king Mahabali, the legendary king, was unjustly pushed down into the Nether world by Vamana, the fifth ‘avatar’ of Vishnu. It is said that there was perfect equality, peace, and happiness in his kingdom. No one dared to lie or cheat. However, gods grew envy at his acts of benevolence and increasing popularity. After the banishment, Mahabali was given the unique privilege to visit his subjects once a year.
Historians give a different twist to the legend. According to them, Mahabali, who was a Buddhist, defeated by Hindu kings from Narmada (currently Maharashtra) in the North. Subsequently, they conquered the land and sent him into exile in Ezahm, presently known as Sri Lanka. It was believed that permission was granted to Mahabali to come and visit his subjects during the period when they traditionally celebrated Sravanolsavam. Therefore, it may be a symbolic description of the Aryan invasion and the imposition of its culture on the native Dravidian populace of Kerala.
Regardless, Onam is a grand harvest festival that is celebrated with flowers, sumptuous feasts, and swings under mango trees. Onam represents Kerala’s spirit, transcending the people of Kerala the world over to an enchanting mood of thanksgiving, idyllic pleasure, and music and dance. People irrespective of religion celebrate Onam with traditional gaiety and fervor.
It is stated that where there is a Keralite, there will be Onam. Now the celebration is extended to the Diaspora, Mahabali needs to travel around the globe to visit all his subjects. Onam embodies the message of the essential goodness of a man who is selfless in his deeds towards fellow man.
It is also about a dream; it is a dream about peace and tranquility in the world. It is a dream about economic well-being and resource sharing; it is a dream about love and brotherhood; it is a dream about high ethics and morals, and it is a dream about human justice and preservation of nature.
Great men in history dreamed before they embarked on a course to achieve them. Mahatma Gandhi had a dream. He set out to gain freedom for the 300 million Indians from colonial rule and slavery. He mobilized and motivated the masses through non-violent protests, which eventually gained the long-cherished independence. Fulfilling his own dream was fraught with dangers, and he paid the ultimate price with his own life to preserve what he dreamed about.
Jawaharlal Nehru had a dream which was set out in the preamble of the Indian constitution: to set up a secular republic with equal rights for everyone with the freedom to think and speak and freedom to worship; to build a democratic society which fights fascism and communism; to promote equal opportunity and justice for the common man and independence in International relations.
Today, that dream is being challenged by forces of communalism that would like to turn India on a path towards Hindutva. It is quite shocking to see that this divisive philosophy is tacitly endorsed by some in our own community here in the U.S. who enjoy the secular freedom in this country yet, want to deny the same freedom to others who live in India.
The great Martin Luther King, who emulated the non-violent method which Gandhi has pioneered, had a dream of his own. He had a dream to deliver his people from slavery and second-class status – We are all too familiar with his ‘I have a dream’ speech. – ‘I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal ‘With the voting rights acts in 1964, his dreams came to fruition. Yes, there is continuing injustice faced by the black community at the social level, which may require further attention and remedy.
America, as a nation, had a dream as well. When the pilgrims took the boat and landed on the Plymouth seeking religious freedom, their dream was to develop the most democratic, secular, and prosperous society based on capitalism and market economy. They seemed to have accomplished that by making America a superpower, second to none, economically and militarily. Yet there are significant challenges ahead of this nation as it is falling victim to a valueless culture that could rot away a nation’s moral and spiritual fabric.
Yes, there are challenges all around us; however, we all need to dream as individuals, society, and as a nation. For many of us, the dream of prosperity is only half of the puzzle. We might have accomplished them. We may still be missing that moral and spiritual dimension, which made Kerala once a land of prosperity, justice, and brotherhood.
All of us should have clear goals in life, and it is a non-optional component of a spiritually healthy life. You can see from many of these examples I have elicited; there is a close connection between dreams or, in other words, goal-orientation, motivation, and fulfillment? The lack of those dreams is a big reason why so many of us are unmotivated in our tasks. It is said that performance is equal to motivation and ability. The component motivation requires expectancy, and that is where the dream fits in. If it is motivating, it has to be making progress and accomplishing things for everyone.
This week as we celebrate Onam, let us once again become nostalgic. Let Onam transcends our thoughts and process. Above all, it remains a dream. Attainable or not, it symbolizes human yearnings, which keep the dreams alive. It motivates us to go on. Bible says, without vision, people perish; keep dreaming and let the spirit of Onam burns within us forever.
Happy Onam to everyone!
(Writer is a former Chief Technology Officer of the United Nations and the Vice-Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, USA)
Facebook Comments
Comments
M.V. 2020-08-29 15:09:57
' The Coming of the Kingdom ' of peace , of living in the Divine Will , as revealed for our times , through the mystic Luis Piccaretta ( lots and lots on info on line ) who lived only on the Eucharist for about 60 years , 1st grade education , yet wrote 36 volumes of revelations about the various aspects of the coming of the Era of Peace , of the reign of the Father 's Will - an exmaple of wording in the morning offering prayers -
' I put my reciprocal ' Love You ' Father , on every act of Your creation ..
on every drop of the Precious Blood or redemption , Jesus ,
on every act of sanctification , beloved Holy Spirit ..
unite all suffering , all acts with all of humanity and offer it to You Father ..' -
the grace and power The Father wants to bestow upon all who desire to live in His will ..
Hope many would desire same and receive same .. rid off the 'self will ' as the cruel master , to instead receive what we all have been meant to have .
Blessings !
Leave A Reply
മലയാളത്തില് ടൈപ്പ് ചെയ്യാന് ഇവിടെ ക്ലിക്ക് ചെയ്യുക
അസഭ്യവും നിയമവിരുദ്ധവും അപകീര്ത്തികരവുമായ പരാമര്ശങ്ങള് പാടില്ല. വ്യക്തിപരമായ അധിക്ഷേപങ്ങളും
ഉണ്ടാവരുത്. അവ സൈബര് നിയമപ്രകാരം കുറ്റകരമാണ്. അഭിപ്രായങ്ങള് എഴുതുന്നയാളുടേത് മാത്രമാണ്. ഇ-മലയാളിയുടേതല്ല
EMalayalee Available in MediaAppUSA
Copyright © 2024 emalayalee.com - All Rights Reserved.
Webmastered by MIPL, Web Hosting Calicut Kerala