Of New year- Puthandu, Baisakhi, Jalianwala Bagh and the fight against Corona Virus....

Of New year- Puthandu, Baisakhi, Jalianwala Bagh and the fight against Corona Virus....

Half the country celebrated new year yesterday albeit in their homes. Celebrating in the haven of their homes this new year was certainly different. People often talk about the differences between north and south. Indeed their culture and lifestyles are so different yet their new year falls on the same say. In fact there is a whole stretch across India including Tamilnadu, Odisha, Assam, Bengal, Manipur, apart from Punjab and even countries like SriLanka, Cambodia, Burma, Laos, Nepal, Thailand, Bangladesh which celebrated New Year yesterday. They may be known by different names like Puttandu, Baisakhi, Bihu, Poila Baisakh etc but they carry the common thread of celebrating the harvest.
For Tamilians, Puthandu signifies reading of the Panchangam, that is the Calendar which is an important part of the celebrations. Everyone looks forward to what the future holds and how the year will unfold.
As with festivals certain special dishes are also an integral part of Tamil New Year,. They include medu vada, payasam ( kheer) but the Vepam Poo Saathumudu- Neem flower Rasam and the Maangai Pachadi stand out. I vividly remember my mother making ," maangaai pachadi" a sweet sour delicacy made with raw mango, jagerry, garnished with mustard seeds, asafoetidia and red chillies. Our home used to be filled with an aroma of asafoetidia and the spluttering sound of mustard seeds. These two delicacies indicate the need of balance in our lives to accept the sweet and sour along with the occasional bitterness.
Presently all of us facing the Corona crisis do feel bitter about being restrained in our homes. Many regret their inability to meet family and friends, move out freely and enjoy life. The restraint on travel, the closure of trains, local trains, buses, metros, flights has cut us off from our near and dear ones and even our work. A sense of listlessness has creeped in. While some people are able to work from home , a majority of them who worked in factories, hotels, malls, industries , constructiom and other establishments are left without work. Additionally some are stranded far away from their homes in various camps. Bitterness and a sense of helplessness is bound to creep in. At such times remaining positive seems impossible. Yet one has to overcome this sense of sadness and helplessness. There is no way out except faith, belief and patience.
History is replete with stories of great distress caused by natural or manmade disasters.
When we look back 101 years ago, it was on Baisakhi day that General Dyer had shot continuos rounds of bullets on the harmless people who had gathered to celebrate the festival at Jalianwala Bagh. Though the official records say that 379 persons died , eye witnesses says that more than 1000 people certainly lost their lives. These included small innocent children who had come to play in the garden.
It is impossible for anyone to imagine the melee where the huge gathering was caught unawares not knowing how to escape from the sole entrance which was blocked by the army and the shooters. The people could either run towards the wall or jump into the well.
One can never overcome the eerie feeling on seeing the 'Martyrs Well' at the site in Amritsar which is now surrounded by a large structure. It is a silent witness to the hundreds of lives lost in it's dark cold walls. The bullet holes in the walls which have been preserved reflect the sense of helplessness among the people who were literally facing walls of no escape from death.
The massacre can neither be forgotten nor forgiven. Our opponents then were the British and their tyrannical rule. People rebelled in different ways. Rabindranath Tagore gave up his knighthood. Freedom struggle took a different turn and we ultimately achieved independence.
Presently we are facing a unique war and a struggle against a virus. We can win this war only by staying home. So stay home, stay safe and be happy and grateful to be in the comfort of your own homes because nothing will last forever , not even the corona virus.....