ONAM-RSS 2 LAST

The RSS’s views on Onam have kicked up a debate on the The RSS’s views on Onam have kicked up a debate on thecenturies-old beliefs, which have been taught since schooldays as poems and stories. Kerala minister Shylaja charged that the RSS’s argumentshould be seen as an attempt to trace out the demon king Bali,under whose rule people enjoyed equality and no exploitation. "Perhaps, lower caste or Dalit people were portrayed asdemons in our mythical stories. Mahabali is considered to be ademon king. So, he represented the downtrodden. "The present RSS move is to eliminate the achievements ofa Dalit ruler and picturise that the upper class is thesupreme," she told PTI. Eminent historian and former chairman of HistoricalResearch Council M G S Narayanan, however, said there wererecords that Onam was celebrated as ‘Vamana Jayanthi'(birthday of Vamana) centuries ago in the state. "Mahabali is a mythical character and his story hasnothing to do with the history. But, there are historicalreferences that Onam was celebrated as Vamana Jayanthi in thestate during early periods, especially during 9-11 centuryAD," he said. To mark the occasion, mass feast for Brahmin communitymembers were organised in many temples during the time, hesaid. Unfazed by the controversy, people in the state are allset to celebrate Onam with shopping malls and marketswitnessing heavy rush in cities, towns and villages. In a bid to check price of essential commodities, theCPI-M led LDF government has opened 176 special markets acrossthe state. According to official figures, the sale of essentialproducts through the special festival markets has touchedRs 10 crore so far. Serpentine queues before state-run civil supplies andhorticorp shops to get provision and vegetables on subsidisedrates, have become usual scenes in every nook and cranny ofthe state. Majority of shops, ranging from malls to small retailers,have announced reduction sales and special offers for variousproducts. The government has also so far distributed around 15 lakhspecial ‘Onam kits’, comprising essential commodities toBelow Poverty Line families. The distribution of special kits to tribal families andfree rice among school children, announced by the governmentas ‘Onam gifts’ is progressing, official sources said. Around five lakh government employees in the state havehit a special ‘bonanza’ during this festival season as theywould get a week’s holiday as Onam, Bakrid and Sree NarayanaGuru Jayanthi fall in the same week. The government-sponsored week long Onam festivities wouldkick start in the state tomorrow. A colourful pageantry will be held here on September 18,marking the culmination of the Onam festivities. Around 70 floats, displaying the cultural legacy of thestate, would be paraded through the heart of the capital cityduring the occasion, the sources added. PTI LGK JRK VSSRY