Comments on: Thiruvonaashamsakal! http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/08/27/thiruvonaashams/ All that flavorful brownness in one savory packet Sat, 30 Nov 2013 11:11:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: fathima http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/08/27/thiruvonaashams/comment-page-4/#comment-163609 fathima Mon, 03 Sep 2007 04:09:54 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=4687#comment-163609 <p><a href="http://windyskies.blogspot.com/2007/08/stopping-by-hassans-on-onam.html">one blogger writes about a Keralite Muslim coconut seller celebrating Onam</a>.</p> one blogger writes about a Keralite Muslim coconut seller celebrating Onam.

]]> By: AR http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/08/27/thiruvonaashams/comment-page-4/#comment-163598 AR Sun, 02 Sep 2007 22:48:38 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=4687#comment-163598 <p>good discussion.</p> good discussion.

]]> By: Rajeev http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/08/27/thiruvonaashams/comment-page-4/#comment-163534 Rajeev Sat, 01 Sep 2007 17:41:25 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=4687#comment-163534 <p>It is probably late to add to this thread, but I want to point out that Christianity is as much Indian-or at least Keralan- as any other religion. Even if you don't accept the legend of St. Thomas (may be hard to verify historically) there is no question that by about the third century CE there were Nazarani communities well established in Kerala. Jains were most likely the majority then, and then Buddhists. The dominance of the Namboothiri Brahmins did not happen till about the ninth century, although there should have been Hindu communities before that as well. Islam arrived in the seventh century in the Malabar coast.</p> <p>The Nazaranis of Kerala lived in harmony with the other communities for over a thousand years, maintaining their originally Jewish traditions while assimilating many Indian customs. This got them into much trouble when the Portuguese arrived in 1492 who could be describe as `fundamentalists'. In Kerala it is quite normal for people to acknowledge each others religious festivals. Onam is the one everyone celebrates, the Hindu myth behind it being less important than the joy of the occasion.</p> <p>Onam is indeed a harvest festival: one of the two annual harvests takes place in the month of Chingam (Leo) only a week or two before Onam. Being near the Equator, there aren't proper seasons in Kerala, the climate being dominated by two monsoons. The torrential rains bring many water-borne deceases in addition to floods. All this ends at the beginning of Chingam. Thus, overall it is a happy time, when people focus on what unites them rather than divide them.</p> <p>Our local Malayalee association in the US, mostly composed of Christians, celebrates Onam every year. Having grown up in Kerala, I never saw anything odd in that. We also participate in their celebration of Christmas. Children, of course, like any festival that brings them presents. It would probably be harder to observe ekadasi or Lent in the interests of religious harmony.</p> <p>Religious celebrations comes from the heart. To overly analyze it and to demand logical consistency just kills the party.</p> It is probably late to add to this thread, but I want to point out that Christianity is as much Indian-or at least Keralan- as any other religion. Even if you don’t accept the legend of St. Thomas (may be hard to verify historically) there is no question that by about the third century CE there were Nazarani communities well established in Kerala. Jains were most likely the majority then, and then Buddhists. The dominance of the Namboothiri Brahmins did not happen till about the ninth century, although there should have been Hindu communities before that as well. Islam arrived in the seventh century in the Malabar coast.

The Nazaranis of Kerala lived in harmony with the other communities for over a thousand years, maintaining their originally Jewish traditions while assimilating many Indian customs. This got them into much trouble when the Portuguese arrived in 1492 who could be describe as `fundamentalists’. In Kerala it is quite normal for people to acknowledge each others religious festivals. Onam is the one everyone celebrates, the Hindu myth behind it being less important than the joy of the occasion.

Onam is indeed a harvest festival: one of the two annual harvests takes place in the month of Chingam (Leo) only a week or two before Onam. Being near the Equator, there aren’t proper seasons in Kerala, the climate being dominated by two monsoons. The torrential rains bring many water-borne deceases in addition to floods. All this ends at the beginning of Chingam. Thus, overall it is a happy time, when people focus on what unites them rather than divide them.

Our local Malayalee association in the US, mostly composed of Christians, celebrates Onam every year. Having grown up in Kerala, I never saw anything odd in that. We also participate in their celebration of Christmas. Children, of course, like any festival that brings them presents. It would probably be harder to observe ekadasi or Lent in the interests of religious harmony.

Religious celebrations comes from the heart. To overly analyze it and to demand logical consistency just kills the party.

]]> By: Sari virgin http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/08/27/thiruvonaashams/comment-page-4/#comment-163520 Sari virgin Sat, 01 Sep 2007 15:54:28 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=4687#comment-163520 <p>Not all Christians in the U.S. are fundamentalists either. As a Christian myself, growing up in the Deep South, I was told repeatedly by more fundamentalist sects that I was going to hell. But, as for me and mine, we didn't do that and don't think like that. My fiance and I are having both Hindu and Christian wedding ceremonies and neither officiant has any problem with that. And yes, the Christian ceremony will be in church.</p> <p>As for celebrating the holidays of other religions, are all the Hindus here in the U.S. going to tell me <em>none of you</em> puts up a Christmas tree or lights in December?</p> Not all Christians in the U.S. are fundamentalists either. As a Christian myself, growing up in the Deep South, I was told repeatedly by more fundamentalist sects that I was going to hell. But, as for me and mine, we didn’t do that and don’t think like that. My fiance and I are having both Hindu and Christian wedding ceremonies and neither officiant has any problem with that. And yes, the Christian ceremony will be in church.

As for celebrating the holidays of other religions, are all the Hindus here in the U.S. going to tell me none of you puts up a Christmas tree or lights in December?

]]> By: Hari N Iyer http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/08/27/thiruvonaashams/comment-page-4/#comment-163219 Hari N Iyer Fri, 31 Aug 2007 03:14:04 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=4687#comment-163219 <blockquote>Does the word that sounds like 'onam' in the refrain refer to what we're discussing in this thread? </blockquote> <p>Yes</p> <blockquote>Is the kid who appears at the end a subliminal allusion to Vamana?</blockquote> <p>NOOOOOO ... <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kollywood">Kollywood</a> uses a lot clichés in its songs .... the kid is just a part of it , just to show the marriage prospered and the couple is happy .. that's all</p> <blockquote> "in case you were wondering, the refrain of the song is that 'if you and i got together, it would be like onam (i.e. fab and festive(?))'"</blockquote> <p>ak is right in the translation</p> <blockquote>chachaji, this seems to me to be a song in malayalam (with a tinge of tamil thrown in). </blockquote> <p>The song linked in the comments section here is a tamizh song ( tamizh is right and not tamil ( well according to me : ) )</p> <blockquote> i'm not completely sure because there are certain phrases that could be completely tamil, but because of the similarities with malayalam, they could also be proper malayalam. if i remember correctly, that characater in the movie was a tambram from palakkad, so much overlap of the languages. </blockquote> <p>Yes you are right about character being a tambram from pallakkad... you will find a lot of palakkad iyer characters in tamizh movies</p> <p>Between this <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0140377/">movie </a>was a major hit of its time and in some places quite funny actually !! ( trust me in some parts only)</p> Does the word that sounds like ‘onam’ in the refrain refer to what we’re discussing in this thread?

Yes

Is the kid who appears at the end a subliminal allusion to Vamana?

NOOOOOO … Kollywood uses a lot clichés in its songs …. the kid is just a part of it , just to show the marriage prospered and the couple is happy .. that’s all

“in case you were wondering, the refrain of the song is that ‘if you and i got together, it would be like onam (i.e. fab and festive(?))’”

ak is right in the translation

chachaji, this seems to me to be a song in malayalam (with a tinge of tamil thrown in).

The song linked in the comments section here is a tamizh song ( tamizh is right and not tamil ( well according to me : ) )

i’m not completely sure because there are certain phrases that could be completely tamil, but because of the similarities with malayalam, they could also be proper malayalam. if i remember correctly, that characater in the movie was a tambram from palakkad, so much overlap of the languages.

Yes you are right about character being a tambram from pallakkad… you will find a lot of palakkad iyer characters in tamizh movies

Between this movie was a major hit of its time and in some places quite funny actually !! ( trust me in some parts only)

]]> By: ak http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/08/27/thiruvonaashams/comment-page-4/#comment-163172 ak Thu, 30 Aug 2007 22:22:22 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=4687#comment-163172 <blockquote>I do better with DBD Mallus of any religion, than ABDs. </blockquote> <p>one aunty is obsessed with my statement that i would be willing to marry a dbd - self-hate much, aunty? culturally, i definitely relate a lot better with most dbds than abds, but i've found there are plenty of abds who are as 'fobolicious' as i am...</p> I do better with DBD Mallus of any religion, than ABDs.

one aunty is obsessed with my statement that i would be willing to marry a dbd – self-hate much, aunty? culturally, i definitely relate a lot better with most dbds than abds, but i’ve found there are plenty of abds who are as ‘fobolicious’ as i am…

]]> By: Ardy http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/08/27/thiruvonaashams/comment-page-4/#comment-163171 Ardy Thu, 30 Aug 2007 22:16:28 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=4687#comment-163171 <blockquote>for some vague unexplainable reason, i tend to do much better with the dbd grls....</blockquote> <p>Bet it's those Nike sneakers!</p> for some vague unexplainable reason, i tend to do much better with the dbd grls….

Bet it’s those Nike sneakers!

]]> By: A N N A http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/08/27/thiruvonaashams/comment-page-4/#comment-163166 A N N A Thu, 30 Aug 2007 22:10:06 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=4687#comment-163166 <p>Besides, that way, I can run around like in that video Chachaji and I are so taken with..."Sundaran neeyum...etc etc"</p> <p>:D</p> Besides, that way, I can run around like in that video Chachaji and I are so taken with…”Sundaran neeyum…etc etc”

:D

]]> By: A N N A http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/08/27/thiruvonaashams/comment-page-4/#comment-163164 A N N A Thu, 30 Aug 2007 22:07:54 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=4687#comment-163164 <blockquote>for some vague unexplainable reason, i tend to do much better with the dbd grls....</blockquote> <p>I do better with DBD Mallus of any religion, than ABDs. I've decided that I will only marry someone fobulous. Yeah, I said it. But I'm going to marry one so I can totally do that. ;)</p> for some vague unexplainable reason, i tend to do much better with the dbd grls….

I do better with DBD Mallus of any religion, than ABDs. I’ve decided that I will only marry someone fobulous. Yeah, I said it. But I’m going to marry one so I can totally do that. ;)

]]> By: Puliogre in da USA http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2007/08/27/thiruvonaashams/comment-page-4/#comment-163126 Puliogre in da USA Thu, 30 Aug 2007 21:01:27 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=4687#comment-163126 <blockquote>"Babe,Me ABD, you DBD, lets create a really mixed-up Desi- how about it?" </blockquote> <p>for some vague unexplainable reason, i tend to do much better with the dbd grls....</p> “Babe,Me ABD, you DBD, lets create a really mixed-up Desi- how about it?”

for some vague unexplainable reason, i tend to do much better with the dbd grls….

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