My Onam!

Its Onam today. Tomorrow being the “Thiruvonam”, I will have to be 8 year old to really know what it means or a 70 year old. They both are same.

Things were different when we were kids. New clothes, putting “atham” (the floral decoration) in the courtyard, helping cousins at swing. Having the feast together. It was awesome.
Things changed so drastically.

I woke up this afternoon (my morning) with Onam in mind. Thought I would go have a good meal somewhere and celebrate it that way. Roads took to me the same “okiedokie” restaurant. The food they served would be yumm only when you come back from jail with real fire in the belly. It was cold too.

I whelmed up looking at it. Mom’s face flashed in mind. She must be really sad that I and Papa are not there. Good that at least bro is with her. Papa got used to missing these festivals.
Onam does have an intriguing color to it. It makes everyone around feel happy about it. It stopped being that way these days.

My Onam now is a handful of memories. Not so fancy, but so subtle and grounded.
Onam for many is
One which will leave yummy taste in mouth.
One which will leave jubilance in the soul
One which will leave sweet memories tingled
One which will leave you wanting for more

It’s all gone now. I am sure there will more in the store. Good old days in a brand new way.
Just waiting for the day when the Onam flowers in my mind will again be colorful and fragrant.

Happy Onam folks. Those who are celebrating it to the glory of it, remember how lucky you are! Celebrate it for me too. For people like me who are stranded alone, Happy Onam folks. You aint alone anymore, me too.


Happy Onam!