Today is Atham. The 10 days of Onam celebrations begins today (Atham pathinu ponnonam - അത്തം പത്തിന് പൊന്നോണം). On Onam, the first thing that comes to mind is my High School Malayalam teacher Padmavathi teacher's lively narratives about it.
She made the boring afternoon sessions full of life. Let me take you to her class.
The chapter is about Onam and Mahabali. We see her explaining the meaning of the popular Malayalam saying 'kanam vittum onam unnanam' (കാണം വിറ്റും ഓണം ഉണ്ണണം) . One must not miss the Onam lunch even if it demands to sell everything one has.
Then she changes over to the song:
Maveli Naadu Vaneedum Kaalam,
Manusharellarum onnupole
മാവേലി നാട് വാണീടും കാലം
മാനുഷരെല്ലാരും ഒന്നുപോലെ.
Under the rule of the king Mahabali,
all were equal.
But wait! What is that shrewd smile on her face for? She has not finished the second line yet! Instead, while letting out the word "onnupole" we see her forming the numeral 1 in the air with her index finger. That simple gesture changes the very meaning of the song. Under the rule of king Mahabali, all people were like the numeral 1. While the original phrase denotes the "one-ness" of people, it is now about the shape of the people - a skeletal 1. That is, they were undernourished and poor. We all laugh out loud until our sides ache.
Ask any older generation Malayalees from Kerala, and I am sure, they would all agree that the great influence behind the incessant humour sense and the unsatiated quest for knowledge of Malayalees was our Malayalam teachers. Today's entry is a tribute to them. It would be great if you have something to say about your Malayalam teachers of yesteryear. Post it here. What a better way to begin this year's Onam celebrations!
atham was yesterday :-) 23rd August 2009
ReplyDeleteRefer calender at http://www.simplymalayalees.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=853&PID=2348
Strange! So this year we may say അത്തം പതിനൊന്നിനു പൊന്നോണം!
ReplyDeleteAccording to Stars, Thiruvonam comes on the tenth day. But actually there should be the star
ReplyDeletethiruvonam during the day time. And that day is considered as ONAM. So this year it is on the 2nd September which falls on the 11th day. According to zodiac position One star lasts for 60 Nazhika equivalent to 24 hours. This year thiruvonam star is starting from the evening of 1st September and lasting till the evening next day.
Gomathi madam was my malayalam teacher. She was born and brought up in kerala and she used to take us to the land of our origin through her stories and anecdotes. Even though she was a taskmaster, we looked forward to her lectures for the sheer pleasure of connecting with kerala.
ReplyDeleteOur Meenakshi teacher was very forgiving and loved us all. We liked her class very much. Mani Sir was very strict and taught us very well.
ReplyDeleteMy malayalam teacher was Mr.Aravindan Nair. Ofcourse, mostly around 4.30PM on Sundays when the AMA Malayalam class was being held in his house, I was sleeping ( being next door makes one lazy ) and I used to attend class for Geetha auntys tea ( that kept me awake thru the class ;-) ). Although, I picked up pretty well, still not good enough to read what is being posted in Malayalam in this blog. AMA should continue such classes so that the second generation kids dont lose touch with this language.
ReplyDelete