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Did you Whats App today?

by with No Comment Lifestyle

STRANDOMS: the stray and random thoughts

April 29, 2018

Prof. S. Ramkumar

Education

Did you WhatsApp today?

Over civilizations of human existence communication has been a key element of progress. The nature of this from sounds and gestures have moved to language and then to pictures, symbols and letters. Now we are in a Whats App (WA) era, which is growing fast to even replace the word communication, with technologies and techies (the present day humans) facing it. This is a vast area of discussion. Some preliminary thoughts!

Communication is an amazing phenomenon that helps humans to share thoughts, ideas, feelings, facts, emotions…( and what not !)- all which can be scientifically termed “messages”. It’s a matter-energy exchange which involves head and heart, decided by the individuals involved, which itself depends on a myriad of factors. The ultimate aim is to converge on, and share with the messages so as to move ahead in life. Communication which doesn’t involve verbal exchanges (or non verbal communication) are more dominant, and are in fact considered to be more honest and voluntary expressions of messages!

The present day of communication can be classified into a pre and post-Whats App(WA) time line (leave alone the FB and Google). This communication through WA is bringing in a new language of message exchanges based on the 26 English Alphabets (of course other languages are in picture!) and the numbers of emojis..and other different pictures as given by WA. Compared to SMS it gives more life to the exchanges, adds more emotions and links the persons in a clearer fashion as deciphered, from the symbols/letters/pictures provided by WA reminding the Egyptian hieroglyphics. In fact it adds more non verbal elements to exchange, compared to SMS. This tends to make it more effective, connected and lively.

Reading a message and making a meaning of it, is a challenging one, sometimes for a third person, where as it’s not so in an SMS. The context of communication has a greater mileage in WA: like it makes people interact more personal, more intimate, adds on empathy, sharing is more emotional rather than academic, indicative of moods- all these making people to experience WA rather do WA. Care needs to be taken especially when messages are being send to many (which is common) at the same time. This becomes more so for the pre-WA generation, who approaches it with some apprehension and anxiety. Consider two post-WA generation youngsters messaging; they are psychologically tuned to the same wave length of understanding the emotions, accepting it and moving ahead. It need not be so if it’s between a post WA senior person and pre WA junior person. Lots are to be learned on the ethics of usage, especially the intention, content and personality of the communicators of WA, if it needs to be so. Alternatively WA can also help in identifying the personality of individuals too.

As like any technology the use of WA is tremendous, the scope depends on the people who involve, and the output based on the tuning of the sender and receiver (so to say difficult for a third person sometimes to pluck one sentence and interpret! especially the intent of the message). The use of WA is being discussed widely, interestingly sometimes as you find more WA “work stations in home” (father mother and son/daughter.. Whats apping!), getting connected to a wonderful world, but maybe missing a wonderful world of interaction between family members.

But then technology always comes with a cost – social, economic or cultural! WA is replacing communication in a larger sense with its scope of multi-connectedness, fastness, intimacy, creativity, concern and hidden empathy.

Connect with care. Care the connected

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Clarity in complexity

by with No Comment Education

STRANDOMS: the stray and random thoughts

March 29,2020

Prof. S. Ramkumar

Education

Clarity in complexity

The one message to be learnt and shared is: “the success in life depends on our ability to develop clarity in complexity”. Sequencing to ever-changing scenes of life in the best way possible! That’s when we improve our faculty to view the complexity (or a problem) with a clearer mind.

This is about the “information” that COVID 19 situation generates and spins around the humanity of our planet. In simple terms it’s about how cautious we need to be as “managers of Information” on what we hear, listen, talk and spread – whatever maybe the media we depend on.

 

What do you want to learn and teach (if at all) in life?

“Ability to achieve clarity in situations of complexity”. And life is a series of situations, complex in its own ways (some prefer to call this complexity as problems). Every situation is unique, and dynamic, steering and clearing to the next situation. And complexity (situation or problem as we want to see) may transpose as we advance in time, age and experience. The key is to enhance the ability to find that “transparent, bright and clear spot” amidst the “cloudy frame” .

Clarity is a product of “endurance, perseverance and balanced emotions” in a situation of complexity and/or chaos. The issues of complexity are different at different stages: for a child, teen, youth, middle aged, the more aged …

It is important to learn and teach on “complexities as part of life” and ‘exploring clarity as a solution to deal them” and “never as a process of worry to brood on”.

Learn ourselves and, and teach others (especially the youngsters) on the principles of facing life in adversities (or complexities).

  1. Fix the dithering. Learn to make decisions. We can’t avoid complexities; even if we want to, situations are inevitable and they will not avoid us. The best way is to have a mind to address them. Think clearly before taking a decision: if the mind is agitated, pause to get the normal senses and then try to see the problem.
  2. Life is as what you are to life; its what we make it. A concept which may not be so comprehensible for children and youth. The simple message should be understand your abilities and aspirations and work well through life. Life will discover you.

Some people say how life has been unfair to them with lots of situations of worries and challenges. Apparently it looks a genuine statement. However its also important to reflect on the abilities given to use by life to address these complexities. We need to learn or be taught, and teach this capacity to others. That helps us to steer through life in difficult or complex situations. Rationality needs to be redeemed in life.

  1. Clout of worry, anxiety and anger affects clarity. They can provide a perception of blind end. Do not believe in blind ends, they are the passing phases through the temporary dark tunnels, always opening to the daylight waiting. Avoid clouts; we can foresee the light at the end of the tunnel.
  2. Life is a bundle of joy, but joy cannot be experienced unless sorrow is known. But then the sorrow (if seen as a complexity) has to be viewed as a part of life, understood and addressed to come out and move forward.
  3. Try to see the complexity as an outsider, as a third person. Viewing from outside, gives better insights of comprehending certain universal truths applied to our situations. It helps to get separate strands of solutions from the otherwise coagulated complexity.

Losing the near and dear is a sorrow; parting with kith and kin is a moody situation; strained relationships are stressful – all these are examples of the compulsory packages of life.

What is to be understood by us, and explained to the next generation is that all these will happen in life. Losing, parting, straining…. Clarity is the ability to cope with these and that decides the success. We need to accept these, and move through these complexities with endurance of determination (in one way it’s the emotional intelligence). This ability helps us to sail smoothly from one shore of the sea to different in our life. This boat of sail is made of “values and beliefs” we strongly uphold, aimed at the good of the globe.

Building the ability to create clarity in situation (a self-driven quality) is often influenced by the people and examples around (family, friends, teachers, media…). To listen to those which will add clarity, and to weed out the ones that purports complexity, is a message of life that we need to heed from early years.

Ultimate aim of Education, formal in schools and colleges, non formal at home and in society should aim at helping in exploring and understanding life for a better dwell for self and society ; pins it down to “clarity in complexity”.

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Aladdin’s lamp for the 21st century: the same smartie phones

by with No Comment LifeLifestyle

STRANDOMS: the stray and random thoughts

October 20, 2018

Prof. S. Ramkumar

Lifestyle, life

Aladdin’s lamp for the 21st century: the smartie phones

From 18th century Aladdin’s lamp to 21st century smart phones, the travel is from tale to technology. Interestingly, issues that the mobile phones raise in a society is myriad : with many among the world possessing this magic lamp which needs only ‘a’ touch to deliver wishes.

The advent of technology is rapid, revolutionary and unstoppable. As television made the first phase of entry into homes and institutions in India in the 1980s, it slowly started rewriting the potential of information and entertainment to be delivered at home. But it started as a medium of magnet that made family members huddle together to watch programmes. This binding between members slowly dispersed when programmes and soap operas multiplied and the choices of channels increased, taking to present day of cable TV and dish antennae relaying programmes around the globe TVs. As the remote of the TVs were competed for, many homes had more TVs walking in.

The computers in common educational institutions in India became popular in the mid-1990s. The fast pace of its penetration is evident by its ubiquitous presence in institutions and homes, with various updated models (based on memory and speed) and the laptops entering into the social system. Along with them mobile phones and the present smart phones/androids started entering homes. Compared to the PCs and TVs, smart phones turns to be more a personal possession among the members.

The iphone emerged in 2007, with Steve Job declaring at that time that in one device “we will have the world’s best media player, world’s best telephone and world’s best way to get to the web – all three in one”. This might look simple now, but a decade before it was a daring revolutionary techno advancement of bringing the world onto a palm size device. As Friedman (Thank you for being late, 2016) puts it: a whole group of companies emerged in 2007. Together these new companies and innovations have reshaped how people and machines communicate, create, collaborate and think”.

Technology creates tectonic tides on any social fabric, as it can connect people, events, practices, ideas, feelings, emotions and what not, within a short time. The magic lamp of this century- the smart phone – opens with abracadabra (the pass word) and a touch on the phone. There is no need of a ring which Aladdin had to rub on the lamp for a wish. As it delivers the desires at a personal level, great onus is with the people who use this Technology on Palm (ToP) which connects them to their wishes within a flash of a wink. Eric Beinhocker distinguishes the evolution of technologies as “physical technologies”- stones, tools, bullock-drawn ploughs, microchips and the “social technologies”- the rule of law, regulations etc. Both these co evolve. Cutting the discussion short, he suggests that “our physical technologies can get way ahead of the ability of our social technologies to manage them”.

The smart phone thus a physical technology with all its advantages, often creates social stresses too. The sweeping scenario is making the individuals of society to compete the speed of innovations to position their “identity”. We aren’t born with our identity – far from it- but we are born with a range of abilities and tendencies.

(Verhaghe, 2014: What about me? The struggle for identity in a market-based society). Identity is always a construct that derives from an interaction between the identity holder and the wider environment. Its core is formed by a coherent set of norms and values , the larger narrative of a particular culture. When they change, we too evolve in the direction of the new narrative with the new norms and values :Verhaghe, 2014. The smartphone is one of the latest technology that is making roles to reinvent themselves – as father, mother, teacher, brother, friend, teacher, son, daughter, sister, grandparents, …- to fit in new norms and values. This is what I mentioned earlier as “Technology creates tectonic tides on any social fabric, as it can connect people, events, practices, ideas, feelings, emotions and what not, within a short time.” This is a societal re fabrication exercise that’s on. Adapt to the changes, rather than worry on what we have come through and what is now. None can stop the techno tide ; we need to ride it.

A smartphone brings the world, confidence, entertainment and information to the user at his/her will. Aladdin couldn’t have wished more, since he did not know more than what he knew to ask for in the 18nth century. Today the information highway is loaded with traffic for any user irrespective of the age or education of the user. The options they can ask for through a touch on the phone is innumerable.

The wish, the desire and the need has to be carefully looked into before its touched for in the ‘ToP!’ Indiscriminate and innumerable options exists, the ability to discriminate and limit the wishes can change you to the Aladdin with the phone.

To end with an example:

We used to sit at home on the floor, legs crossed few years back and had home cooked food,

then we sat on a stool and ate on a small table or desk- home cooked food,

then we ate on a dining table – home cooked food,

then we ate on dining table the hotel food brought by parents,

then we all ate hotel food delivered by the hotel to home,

now we eat food delivered by the swiggy from hotels to our home, and

now we sink into a couch, eat the Swiggy food, with eyes shared between the TV and the ‘smartie’ in our hand.

The ‘smartie’ leads us to an inward world of personal, amidst the crowd. All need to manage the wishes and connect with the nearby to arrive at their own “Identity”.

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Can we see the “same moon”?

by with No Comment Lifestyle

LIFESTYLE

JUNE 4, 2022

Prof. S. Ramkumar

Generation gap in the tectonic shift

Can we see a "same moon”?

The pre-Google and post-Google generation seeing the same moon on a same night; but being on different sides on the tectonic-shift, each see, feel and experience a different one, right in their own rights! The colour of a moon is yellow for the elder surrounded by the shady and white stars. The young children connected to a virtual world can see a white moon with white stars in a bright night. Co-learning can help reduce the Generation Gap in tectonic shift.

     We are witnessing an interesting phenomenon, with the new millennial generation born into a technology era of internet, smart phones and social media. They tend to have less of a real-world experience and are versed more with a virtual world (built largely on the virtual connect) compared to the people born pre-millennium (before the 2000), who have experienced more of a real-world and is less into a virtual world. They are on the two sides of the millennial tectonic shift. Co-learning is the key to reduce the Generation Divide.

 
Sociologists use nomenclature to refer to different generational segments. For example, members of Gen Z, born between 1996 and 2012, are called “digital natives” because they have lived with digital technology their entire lives. Older generational members are termed “digital immigrants” and tend to be less comfortable with the personal usage of technologies.
 
I usually call the generations “pre-Google and post-Google. Essentially they are the “digital immigrants” and “digital natives” respectively. The mechanisms of connection to the world are thus stratified with age groups, which are different and hence the same world mean different for the categories. Change shows fundamental and in-depth transformation, profound reordering with a strong and widespread impact in the last two decades. The gap in these worlds, between the groups, are widening since the readiness to learn, expertise to handle and mind-set to accept technologies (ie. the connect-mechanisms) of seeing, experiencing and feeling the world, is different in the different age groups.
 
They may not see the same things. Its fair enough. As already the truth exists as ‘we see things as we are, not as they are’. Added to this comes the technologies leading us yet to another Alice’s wonder world, “the virtual world” which makes things more complicated to feel and experience the similarities of objects, events or people! The millennial tectonic shift is unique in this manner.
 
“Generation gap (Ggap)” was ever-present since humans have started living in this planet. Ggap is a difference of opinions between one generation and another regarding beliefs, politics, or values. In today’s usage, generation gap often refers to a perceived gap between younger people and their parents or grandparents. However few Ggaps in the human history were wider for some periods, which depended on the adoption time of milestones of changes happening during the period (like the domestication period, agricultural revolution period, science evolving era, industrial revolution periods).
 
We now witness an unprecedented fast Ggap in this millennium, I call it as the tectonic shift – abrupt, profound and impactful. The tectonic shift of the present millennium sees a generation gap, probably, the human civilisation has not experienced before. The world today have people with a mix of pre- and post- Google Generation mix – all living in the same internet age – being faster and instantly connected with information, people, events and places. Those born before 1990 are part of a history witnessing, the tremendous shift in the way people approached life thirty years back, and in this millennium. The reason is the technologies-of-connect, which has made us more a techno sapien in the last two decades.
 
Those born after 1990, may not feel that drastic changes, being babies born and easily adapted to the already existing ever-changed technology age. Today we talk, see, feel, share, inspire, care, eat, sleep, bank, buy, treat, learn, teach…all with technology of connect: internet, applied through computers and smart phones. It has given rise to a “virtual world” with which we spend more time, and the real world time getting more disconnected!
 
This tectonic shift should be understood as an opportunity of co-learning by the pre-Google generation. There is a technology-created Generation gap. Considering the fastness of change of innovations and increased dependency on these (like Artificial Intelligence applied in every prospective sector, machine learning) the life styles, culture and values are also changing. Co-learning is the key to move forward.

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COVID-19: Managing Information, a key to control

by with No Comment COVID-19

STRANDOMS: the stray and random thoughts

March 29,2020

Prof. S. Ramkumar

Education

COVID 19 : Managing Information, a key to control

One of the important, if not the most is appropriate information delivery reaching every human being on the planet on advisories and guidelines to be followed to contain the spread of COVID 19. We are advised on “washing of hands with soap”, “social distancing” and “stay at home” to break the chain as the key modes of preventing the disease. However there is loads of information in every source that speaks on various aspects of this situation. How do we manage them in the best interest of the attempts of the Government in “containing the disease’? Information management by every citizen plays a key role.

This is about the “information” that COVID 19 situation generates and spins around the humanity of our planet. In simple terms it’s about how cautious we need to be as “managers of Information” on what we hear, listen, talk and spread – whatever maybe the media we depend on.

 

Ultimately, we need reliable, usable, understandable information to the extent it is needed. Anything less or more can unnecessarily add to the panic. This is being attempted to be explained by concept of (1) “positioned instinct” and (2) “satisficing”.

  1. I put forward a concept of “positioned instinct” Vs “displaced instinct” for the present time and era.

With innumerable number of information sources, the present day has no dearth of technology to transport information- spontaneously and instantly to any nook and corner of the globe. That is a great achievement that helps us to fight the unexpected disasters like the COVID 19 outbreak. As “techno sapiens” we have the nature of probing into an information. So far so good. With technology(ies) readily available, we have a tendency (which is good) to look into the situation and precautions to be taken. This is a human instinct, and responsibility. i.e. I look for specific information that should be equipped with in combating the spread of the disease. I am searching for information to satisfy “positioned instinct” which is a minimum need. But as techno sapiens our curiosity and anxiety make us move on the Information Highway, very fast than expected; from that specific information, to associated information, more, more and more…i.e the displaced instinct. Some lose their track, for some, information which was a curious object of satisfaction turns back on them, almost engulfing them. It’s like we start chasing the information and when it grows big, more than we can comprehend or handle in size and number, it starts chasing us and wrapping us around itself. Even if we run fast, it takes time for us to get relief from this massive, curious, overgrown object – “information”. This is “displaced instinct”, which is not so good at times of crisis.

Opinion formation through platforms (of TV, email, websites, fb, whatsapp twitter, instagram…) need to be analyzed quickly and sensibly. The “displaced instincts” or subjective interpretations of opinions thrown out irrationally can disrupt the very purpose of (social) media for humanity. It’s especially so in a situation of Disease control attempts like that of the present time.

As Government reiterates regularly only use reliable information sources to verify situation. Apply “positioned instinct” – specific to needs – reliable, timely and usable. Do not attempt to enter onto the Information highway- that can add to panic and anxiety. Even if we tend to enter, take exits appropriately, before information starts chasing you. We, as techno sapiens, need to evolve a behavior of “positioned instincts” within the media, especially in demanding crisis situations.

  1. “Satisficing” is a Scottish term that combines ‘satisfying” and ‘sufficing”. This has been interestingly analyzed by Edward O Wilson, the world renowned biologist and author, in his book CONSILIENCE; the unity of Knowledge (1998). I am quoting few lines from the book. In the Rational Choice Theory (RCT : first applied in Economics and later to other disciplines), the central concept is that above all else human beings are rational in their actions. They examine as best they can all the pertinent factors and weigh the likely outcome of following each potential choice in turn. They add in cost and benefit – investment, risk and emotional and material return – before deciding.

This is not an adequate picture of how people think. The human brain is not a very swift calculator, and most decisions have to be made quickly in complex settings and with incomplete information. So the question of importance in RCT is, how much information is enough? In other words, at what point do people stop reflecting and make up their minds? One simple strategy that provides a cut off point is ‘satisficing” -satisfying and sufficing. It means taking the first satisfactory choice encountered out of those perceived and reasonably available in the short term, as opposed to visualizing the optimum choice in advance and searching until it is found. Crisis situations demand quick and effective combating strategies, while the search for emerging truths of science has to be followed.

Let us be responsible in receiving, searching and disseminating information at this point of time. Information management by every citizen plays a key role!

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2

COVID-19: Through the Science of Chance

by with No Comment COVID-19

COVID-19

August 16, 2020

Prof. S. Ramkumar

COVID-19 : through the Science of Chance

(The COVID 19 pandemic is turning out to be a book mark of human history in this planet: the pre and post COVID 19 periods. Its rewriting the norms of life with only one concern : safety first. Lots of people dedicatedly devote in a moment-to-moment effort to contain and treat this disease. This writing is adding a different perspective to the present seen through the science of Chance)

The present COVID-19 situation raises challenges in every aspect of life- at different levels – primarily the concern of health (precautions and control of disease), which bears explicit and implicit effects on family, workplace, education, business, society and so on. Confinements of work-from-home, and moving out of home, only for essential purposes with social distancing are key in breaking the chain.

The New Scientist in 2015 published a book titled ‘Chance’ (the science and secrets of luck, randomness and probability) edited by Michael Brooks. The certain (and uncertain) paths that follow during the pandemic raises some interesting points discussed in ‘Chance’.

We tick through the present time – of unlearning and relearning; of innovating, experimenting, reflecting and sharing (at home, work and in society). We are getting transformed to become more enduring, perseverant and attempt to keep stability of emotions. Life moves on – not though in the same pattern in our planet prior to COVID-19 pandemic.

The thought that always runs in our mind are many like ‘Am I going to get infected; are any of my family, friends, colleagues or other fellow human beings going to be infected; how best can I prevent this’? The thoughts make us move through various feelings.

All these tend to lead us to think on different perspectives but primarily built on the word ’Chance’. What are the chances of all the above in the pandemic situation.

The section on “Biology’s Casino”–Chance in the Natural World, in the Book “Chance” provides a guidance of thought on this.

“Biological luck didn’t just get us where we are today. It also shapes where the natural world will be tomorrow. Survival of the fittest can be determined by an ability to generate randomness – may be to evade a predator, or to predict how a pathogen might evolve. Without the flexibility that random mutations provide, life might not survive Earth’s future challenges”.

(Chance: 2015, p163)

“Many biologists, most notably Richard Dawkins, therefore insist that although mutations may be random, evolution is not. This insistence might make sense when explaining evolution to people who have not grasped the basic concept. But there is an element of chance in evolution, even when natural selection is firmly in the driving seat.

Take the evolution of flu viruses. We can predict with confidence that, over the next few years, the structure of a viral surface protein called haemagglutinin will evolve so that the human immune system can no longer recognise and attack it. What’s more, we can be fairly sure that the mutations that allow new strains of flu to evade the immune system will happen at one of seven critical sites in the gene coding for haemagglutinin, according to Trevor Bedford, an evolutionary biologist at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. In this sense, the evolution of flu is non-random and predictable.

But it’s a matter of chance which of those seven sites mutate, and how. Predicting the course of flu’s evolution is almost impossible more than a year or two in advance, says Bedford. This is why flu vaccine makers do not always get right, and why flu vaccines are sometimes largely ineffective. “

(Chance: 2015, p163)

The science of Chance makes us try to understand the reality in a wider platform of life, so as to cope with probabilities of life. “Louis Pasteur’s contention that ‘Chance favours only the prepared mind’, is one to take seriously, as it turns out”. “…. Instead, it must fall into line with probability theory, which describes the behaviour of infinite randomness in finite world”.

Does the Science of ‘Chance’ bring us any solace in this pandemic situation? As mentioned earlier it introduces us to the perspective of viewing the pandemic within randomness and possibilities. The ‘Chance’ today for any person is dependent on appropriate wearing of mask, social distancing, Sanitizer/soap cleaning, early detection and treatment, and possibly the most awaited early arrival of an effective vaccine.

Scoping of chance to reduce the spread is key in writing the history for the future.

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3

ONAM: A myriad phenomena of myth, mystery and message for life

by with No Comment Festival

Festival

August 31, 2020

Prof. S. Ramkumar

ONAM: a myriad phenomena of myth, mystery and message for life.

(This is a writing I posted during Onam in 2019.It is relevant, or more relevant, in the present times of COVID-19 to revisit. The reader can attribute to her/his perceptions to the present modes of celebrations, but it rejuvenates people to get reminded of a culture of “equality”, and “cohesive humanness”).

I was talking to my father in 2019, who gave a picture in his mind of Onam 80 years back in a rural village; I myself as a relatively urban-brought up child can remember vividly Onam 50 years back and my daughter should be knowing Onam as she experienced in the last 25 years. Though Onam is same, the meaning and symbols they bring to different generations are varied. There is a lot of changes in the way in which Onam was celebrated from the togetherness of families and neighborhoods in villages (extending 3 to 4 weeks) 80 years ago to the “technology dominant”, “TV focused” and “Exchange Mela” nature of its celebrations today. There is no right and wrong in this.

Technologies and ideologies change and evolve, and the society moves on them too. But what has not changed is the message of onam for the last 90 years as an “unique feeling” and “experience” that has still the freshness that makes people – the young and the old- excited to explore and aspire for, in whatever the way in which we are involved. That’s the amazing period called Onam.

Onam is a phenomenal festival (or rather a state of feeling) which encompasses principles of many things you aspire to achieve in life.

The story of the fifth avatar of Lord Vishnu as the dwarf boy, Vamanan, speaks a lot about the great times of King Mahabali who was considered as a great ruler, keen on peoples’ welfare. Vamanan asks for three paces of land, and as a generous ruler having no hesitations to give anything to his Praja (this is mentioned as one reason for the Avatar – to subdue the growing ego of Mahabali), Mahabali immediately permits him to measure and take them. For the Lord the two steps covers the entire universe and there was nothing left to be measured for the third step. Asking for the third step, the devoted King shows his head. Vamanan places his foot on the head and sends him to Paataala with a condition as requested by the Mahabali.

The condition was that he will be permitted to visit his land “Gods own Country”, once an year to see and experience his first love: the welfare of the people.

The story deciphers few interesting points:

  1. The songs depicting the rule of Mahabali explicitly talks about a “perfect society” in vogue.
  2. In all Avatars of Lord Vishnu, the evils have been killed; whereas in this form, He blessed Mahabali to complete his fulfillment of attaining the Conscience of perfect Dharma.
  3. It depicts a socialist period with the concept of ‘welfare nation”.
  4. The equality in all respects of life among humans, the honesty among people, the shared wealth and ‘affluence with the available resources ” would be rated as the perfect one for “Happiness Index”.
  5. Mahabali was a just ruler, with sincere thoughts on the welfare of his people.
  6. He was powerful king, and humble enough to show his head to be measured as the last step, with all humility.

The story thus carries the messages of welfare, socialism, prosperity through sharing, non-violence and many more. Onam is thus a philosophy of understanding life through sharing and giving. The principle of administration of the land is one of the examples many political parties achieve to do now.

Onam has symbols on all fronts. We try to re-live all these symbols in a way in which its possible, during the present COVID time. But essentially the message is of togetherness, helping others and staying safe. The digital platforms help us in these virtually to ensure the spirit and joy, amidst the great efforts by many to save the country from the spread of the pandemic.

  1. The festival of Onam reminds us of pre dominantly “Agri-culture”, and the harvest season, with many of the activities associated with that which offered a good time to people: food, fun, festival.
  2. Meeting parents. Over generations, Onam started to be the most expected period of the loved ones to join their homes, (where parents lived), from different parts of the world. With globalization, and accelerated transport facilities connecting the world (and inside India), and differential commitments of children and relatives across the Globe, people used to occasionally visit the parents as and when they get time. The committed Onam visits are slowly getting diluted.
  3. the Swing(commonly tied on trees/branches) which informs the arrival of the festival,
  4. the Pookalam (the flower pattern display created on the floor) for 10 days starting from the star day of “Atham” to “Thiruvonam”: the children searching and collecting flowers locally available. A pookalam depicts the efforts of learning participation, searching, knowing local flowers and plants, spirit of togetherness, participation in designing and creating the pookalam.
  5. Poovili-and the traditional songs. We have some excellent songs by great singers too in the last few decades on “onam”.
  6. “Onakkodi”- getting new clothes for Onam. The value of Onakkodi years back when people use to get new clothes usually only during Onam or some festivals/occasions has changed a lot now. With clothes of different ranges available abundantly in the present days, and people buying them occasionally Onakkodi still stands a symbol of inherited culture.
  7. The season was rich with many special sports activities in the villages. The boat races are more prominent now with other sports becoming popular (cricket, volleyball, football..) in places. Women were involved in different dances unique for the time.
  8. Ona Sadya (the full special food) the traditional food served in banana leaf continues to be the hall mark of the phenomenon of ONAM.

You name it: Onam has everything in it. It’s a philosophy, culture, governance and ideology beyond the celebrations. And now for the COVID 19 time, it’s also celebrations with safety, joy with sacrifice and service with humanity.

The yearly arrival of Mahabali rejuvenates people to get reminded of a culture of “equality”, and “cohesive humanness”. It creates the feeling of oneness and prosperity among all, and leaves us to have hope and happiness for addressing the present day needs with dedication, till the next visit of the King.

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