293 dead, 8 lakh in camps... and a sombre Onam

Thiruvananthapuram: The 82-year-old Kumari just stared on as other inmates tried to lay a floral carpet on the courtyard of a flood relief camp in Alappuzha district. "I had never ever imagined that we would not celebrate another Onam at that house in the same way," says the homemaker, overcome with memories from last year's celebrations with her family. "Today is Thiru Onam, but we are in this relief camp. Unprecedented rains and floods have flattened our home." Onam commemorates the return of mythical demon king Mahabali to see his beloved subjects at the beginning of 'Chingam', the first month of the Malayalam Calendar.

Kumari is among the over 8 lakh people who were displaced by the deadly floods and are now living in thousands of relief camps across the state after losing the savings of their lifetime. The devastating deluge, which has so far claimed 293 lives, has taken the sheen out of the state's most awaited harvest festival, Thiru Onam, which fell on Saturday.

But the Onam feasts were prepared in the schools, colleges, convention halls, mosques and churches which are serving as relief camps in various districts. Floral carpets were also laid at the camps to soothe the worried minds of the flood-hit people. In Chengannur, a relief camp inmate said that the Onam festivities may be a low key affair this time "but we will overcome and definitely celebrate next year in our homes". Young Nandana, who returned to her home from a camp in Kochi, was busy drying her textbooks and notes as the sun came out in the morning. "There is no pookalam due to floods," she said.

Many in the camps, sang 'Onam pattu' (songs), laid out flower carpets and prepared 'sadya' (feast) in an effort to bring some joy into their lives mauled by the unprecedented rains and floods, the worst the state has faced in a century. The women were busy cutting vegetables and the men unhesitatingly pitched in to help, to prepare the feast in many camps.

At the Aluva UC College camp, children and Muslim women joined in making the 'pookalam.' In the famous Thrikakkara temple at Kochi, dedicated to Vamana, the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the usual Onam sadya was not held this year. Onam is celebrated with great pomp across the state, but this time around festivities are the last thing on people's minds as they come to grips with the devastation.

The usual celebrations like laying floral carpets and preparing feasts were comparatively subdued in urban areas also. The state government too has cancelled Onam celebrations.