KOCHI: The city welcomed the month of Chingam with much delight and fanfare. In the early hours, men and women of various age groups were seen trooping towards the temples. In bus stands and road crossings, many a woman could be seen spotting the lovely Kerala sari and strings of jasmine flowers. A general euphoria was palpable in the air as we asked the cultural activists and general public about their plans and memories on the occasion.Youngsters seemed more concerned about dressing up to the occasion. “It is about connecting with the tradition. Going to the temples and wearing special clothes on the new year are some of the customs followed for a long time. Earlier it used to be Kerala style set and mundu, but now many go for saris to mark the occasion”, said Reshmi Kurup, an employee at the Federal Bank. But unlike the urban youngsters, Chingam brings the memories of a distant agricultural past for many in the elder generation. “Chingam is the month of harvesting. The Karkidakam month which proceeds Chingam, is a month of scarcity. There are heavy rains and the fields will be flooded. There will be scarcity of food and diseases go on spreading. With Chingam there is brightness all around and it is time for harvesting which in turn means prosperity. The first of Chingam begins with pujas and other rituals. At a time when poverty was more rampant, Chingam brought with it the hope of more food and prosperity”, says S Vishwambaran, former Principal of Maharaja’s college.Many are also of the opinion that with the advent of commercialisation and the changes in lifestyle, the celebrations have now lost its spirit. “ After days of poverty and starvation this was a time to celebrate the fruits of one’s labour. But today, there is no appreciation of the beauty of this labour. We find people wearing saris all around. But are they really our traditional wear? What about the costume worn by our vast labour folk? This is a time when nature is at its best. But that spirit of appreciation has worn off. No one takes the pain to grow a plant and then wear the flower. The whole idea now is about buying and celebrating,” says C R Omanakuttan, author and former Malayalam Professor at Maharaja’s College, Kochi.
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