All the bloody mallus out there – logically today is the happy mallu new year to you
all. Today is 1st of day of the Malayalam month of Chingam in the
lunar year 1190. Chingam is month where festival of Kerala (Onam) is
celebrated. Chingam falls in Aug-Sept in Gregorian calendar; probably one of
the best time to Visit Kerala.
Most of us are not aware and not really care of this
day; Vishu is considered as New Year by most of the north keraliets even if
there is no year start on Vishu day in April. That’s fine we use coconut oil –
we are different breed altogether.
I have a memory of Chingam 1st from my
school days. One of the child Stream of Ithikkara River used to flow in front
of my house. Yes- it used to, where did this river gone now – I will come back
with another post. Lets come back to the river part. The evening before Chingam
1st, i.e. Last day of Karkidakam; Amma and neighboring aunties broom
their houses in the evening and take all the dust and waste in a palla (a spathe
of the areca-nut palm). After putting a handful of cooked rice, they light a
lamp. Along with some flowers they place this in the river and let it go. We
all children follow the group and sing the song as below.
This is for welcoming
Onam month to our households; the above lines literally translates to – let all the
waste go out and Onam month please comes in.
Another story related to this thing is
about a friend of mine; this is the time we were in engineering college, this
friend of mine was trying to 'pathavofy' a junior girl from Kerala. During an
early stage of crush or infatuation, all you want is find opportunities to talk
to her.
Having the above childhood memory, I suggested him to call her and
wish; after lots of trials and waiting to girls hostel number – finally we got
her on the call. He smiled and wished ‘Puthuvatsara Ashamsakal, happy new year’.
She was totally puzzled. She was from Malabar side and not really value Chingam
1st as they believe Vishu as the New Year. This is nor April neither
Jan, why is he wishing me New Year now. She failed to understand he just needs
to wish, don’t really care of the New Year.
But good, in some way or form it
helped him building that relationship. I think I need to reveal his name. Yes Friends
fame ‘Chackachamparambil Joy’.
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