KOLU VECHA SUNDAL!

Fifteen years back from now, kolu was the time when we all got our quarterly exam holidays and the best part was to go to our grandma’s place at west Mambalam…Needless to say, it was a joint family synonymous to fun and togetherness. We used to be clad in pattu paavaadais (the pretty Indian costume which any girl kid would love wearing) and would hear the neighbouring kids saying,”Maami Maami golu vecha sundal!” and my mother, along with my aunties at home would call the kids in and give them vethalai paaku only after they sang a song for them! Then those kids would happily munch upon the sundal and go home. As kids my mom would give me kungumam in a small box and ask me to go to the neighbouring places and tell maami aathula kolu vechirkom vethalai paaku vaangika vaango! (Wow I used to practice that tamil accent eventually making me seem like a pucca iyer aathu ponnu!) Travelling furthermore, towards some ten years back, I found that invitations for kolu would be through the phone only. The same dialogues all the maamis would tell but through the phone!! Then I realized the application of technology even in tradition! I felt that the actual flavor of navaratri  decreased in taste. Anyway for that “courtesy call” I would go to receive vethalai paaku….The days passed by and now with the sms texts…the traditional trend has worsened! The invitations are only through text messages these days! What I feel basically is that however busy we might be, whatever commitments we have in this hustle bustle world we must try to uphold the tradition of inviting people during the festival of dolls- THE NAVARATRI!