Let there be copious tolerance, beginning with Onam

By O.J.George

Onam, that feisty festival of Malayalis worldwide, is in, with Thiruonam being celebrated on Wednesday.

Every Malayali knows that Onam denotes plenitude, an excess of everything, no shortage of anything.

If the legends are to be believed, we are setting right a wrong committed against the great demon king, Mahabali, for a day. Mahabali granted a boon, and he kept his word, went down to the nether world in keeping with his tradition of truth, fairness, justice and all.

Let us for a moment think about justice, fair play, and righteousness to rule all over us.

We are plentiful with earthly possessions, and ostentations are overtaking us. But are we tolerant of others’ views and dealings?

Let there be opulence of ideas, thinking, and let variety, which is the spice of life, be encouraged.

Protection of goons and criminals is going to be the single dirtiest trait in Keralascope. It is second only to the copious gulping of so-called foreign liquor. There is nothing foreign or alien about the inebriating liquor.

One should not call it not only intoxicating liquor, but liver-dissolving liquor. Water, spirit, colour and unhealthy substances constitute the so-called Indian-Made-Foreign Liquor.

There is a poromboke cluster of line houses near my residence. Not a single male adult can walk steady because of his habit of liquor gulping. Before he sets out for a coolie work, he has to drink the stuff. “ I need two large, Sir”, he said before starting his daily work. He would not take anything less than Rs 300 a day as wage earner. Much of it is spent on liquor and possibly drugs.

Men of his ilk will wither away within a few years.

Criminal hide-outs are plenty among such habitations, which are congenial for anti-social elements to flourish there.

Coming to Onam thoughts, should we make a decision not to harm another being for temporary gains? I know several people, particularly those who have been adorning seats of decision making, doing wrongs against others for no gain. I can understand, don’t condone, someone taking decisions for selfish gains, but there are a lot who make life miserable for others, osensibly for no benefit. The ilk of Timon of Athens are flourishing.

Then, should we emulate those occupying powerful positions just for some gains? No, one can go against unfair practices, fight against injustice.

There is no thrill in going with the majority, if they are rank worthless beings.

Onam musings should make us cultivate a lot of ideas, even clashes of ideas, thoughts, dissemination of pearls of wisdom. There is nothing much in physical ostentation, the mind should be noble.