Onam, Sadya & Beer

Added: (Wed Sep 30 2009)

Pressbox (Press Release) - The other day I was watching a programme about Onam on Asianet. It was called "Onam with Actor Vikram" (hope I got the name correct).

Vikram, of course, is one of the icons of south-Indian films. I admire him more than any other star because he has achieved so much in a short span of time. I've often told my friends about his success when they lose their self-confidence. He worked hard for almost 15 years to become what he is today.

Asianet, on other hand, is one of the oldest TV channels for Malayalam speakers. It too has achieved a great deal from the day it began broadcasting. We all know the common joke about the Nair who sold tea to Neil Armstrong when he landed on the moon. This joke could be modified today by saying that when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon, not only did he buy tea from the Nair, but he also watched Asianet! The reason for this is that I have never heard a Malayalee say: "I don't know what Asianet is".

On this basis, a programme about Vikram on Asianet should be really good, so I made myself comfortable and started to watch it. When the programme finished I was shocked to see the great depths our culture has sunk to.

The Asianet programme started well, and continued to keep me entertained until they showed a live telecast from Kollam. People were dancing, they were in high spirits, of course having drunk alcohol. One young man took a bottle of beer and drank the whole thing in one gulp, he was holding the bottle in his mouth, hands free, as in one of the scenes of Vikram's movie (SAMY). I'm not worried about people drinking and dancing and following what vikram does. In fact even I drink and dance - but when and where is the issue.

Vikram and the programme host were worsening the situation by encouraging these people to talk more (they, no doubt, were interested in the success of their programme rather than their culture).

My main concern was the audience; As the programme is watched by millions of young children across the globe. As such, the message which was conveyed was that drinking is a part of the Onam culture. Onam is a festival of Kerala and is celebrated each year by all Malayalees across the globe, no matter which religion they belong to (including the Nair from the moon). It is a three day festival in which children are taught the values of oneness, and to be nice to each and every human being.

Stories of Mahabali are retold and children are told not to be egoistic or else they will end up like Mahabali, the self-centred king. In today's modern world it is very rare that our children go out and play in the park as we did in our childhood.

As we don't live as joint families these days, our children are dependent on modern technologies like TVs, video games, the internet, etc… and we as parents push them to learn our culture through comic books and TV serials (from Ramayana to Tippu Sultan).

With our children so dependent on television, I think there should be some kind of law which governs the nature of programmes before they are aired. To the best of my knowledge there is no law at present which censors TV programmes in India, but there is a law which does not allow alcohol and cigarette advert to go on TV.

As a brand, I think it is the responsibility of Asianet to be partially accountable for the future of Malayalee people to whom they broadcast. They should at least have put a scroll on the screen declaring that drinking is bad for health. It is unacceptable to show people drinking so early in the morning, and that too in the name of Onam!

Culture should be preserved for the future generations, if we encourage programmes like these, please be assured our next generation will end up having Onam sadya in a bar with a beer.

I will stand as a rock in order to protect my children against all odds which will poison them; I hope you too will do the same thing in order to protect your children and their future.

Link : http://www.veerakeralam.info