It is that time of the year -

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yes Halloween and how can I not write about it? I still am trying to understand the festival and the scary movies and some of the gross costumes do gross me out! But that does not mean that there is no story and history - there is and a good one too which is slowly undergoing modifications like any other tradition Halloween - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia And I go with the flow and take my kids around the neighborhood with a basket going trick or treat. It is fun in it's own way even though it gets to be biting cold during this time of the year - you want to dress kids up to keep warm but the costumes are more important to them. Many adults also get into the spirit of the festival and some houses do look haunted and scary and as an adult I refrain from going there. However, Halloween also gives us an opportunity to say hello to neighbours and catch up before we go into hibernation for winter and that aspect is what I just love the most!

Interestingly this time, a friend in Bangalore commented that she was mad that there were some kids knocking on her door in India for trick or treat - she certainly didnot expect this and ended up being the mean lady of the block. One, she was not prepared with candy and two she did not expect in India! Don't get her wrong, she has lived in the US for 20yrs, relocated to India and is enjoying the Indian festivals with her young children like never before and she is a friend who has hated Halloween even here! So it is natural for her to be peeved about this.

The world is getting smaller. More people are travelling and adopting various aspects of other cultures. It is a good thing. But what I wonder about is our own traditions - I am not being judgemental and I am just reflecting and trying to understand as an adult what I did not understand as a child. I should also not complain about us following other traditions when I just had a party for Deepavli which included almost all my American neighbours, some kids even choosing to wear Indian clothes.

Anyways coming back to the point, Halloween always almost reminds me of days when we were very young and my brother during shravana saturdays was made to go from house to house saying "om namoh venkateshaya" with a vessel for alms and collect some rice. I don't remember him complaining about it even though he did not like it and now as an adult I can say, for crying out loud we are Shaivites! But I am sure my mom had her reasons and now I can assure you that my brother does not remember unless reminded and no it has not scarred him in anyway! And, no I am that old to have seen this tradition and yes, probably if candy were given out, this tradition might have gained in popularity and continued!

The other two festivals I am reminded of are - Ganesha Chathruthi and Dusshera. During Ganesha, it was so much fun going from house to house knocking on the door, asking "aunty Ganesha koodsiddira" (have you kept Ganesha?) and if there is a yes, just go in do some 'baskis' and come out - like we had a right to see the God and seek the blessings. Infact who would do more baskis was always a game and a challenge and was much fun. And then, during Dusshera, we were sent to all the neighborhood houses to tell them that we have kept gombe (golu/dolls) and to please come for kumkuma whenever they can! We had no choice and we enjoyed. I do not know if these traditions are still followed in India. But these are the memories I have and I try to tell these stories to my kids and make it as festive as possible for them.

Coming back to Halloween, no I have no problem that it is gaining popuarity - could be more in B'lore with so many expats going back there and settling down and other cities might be untouched. But what grossed my friend was the fact that a 10yr old was dressed as Kareena Kapoor in Chammak Challo - I do not know how kareena looks like in that song, but we in the end agreed that she must have looked scary enough for a child to dress up like that or the adults were afraid that the child might do the number and might have parted with candies! Well it is only fair if my friend wonders if we will celebrate 'Turkey day' and 'Columbus day' as well!

Well, what I was and am reflecting on is the fact that there are so many similarities in all these customs/traditions. Think about our Golu, rangolis, diyas and compare them with all the pumpkin decorations and carvings, lights for christmas and people do get creative with things in other ways - the costumes, the decor, the Jack-o-lanterns, the candles etc. What these Indian festivals did to our scoiety is what Halloween does to this society - bringing all the neighbours together - involving families, helping them getto know one another, to mend fences if there were differences!

While my American neighbors will partcipate in our festivals, they will not give up on their holidays and their traditions. I am sure we will not too - our culture and traditions are the roots that give us the stability and what we learn from the other cultures are the wings we need. After all we need the roots to grow and the wings to fly. We just need to make sure that we have both and that the roots are deep enough to keep us stable and grounded.

Happy festival season and Happy Halloween!

PS: As I said, this is just a reflection. I know the western traditions have/are undergone/ing a lot of changes and so are ours....but still could not refrain from pitching in my two cents.
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Thank you Viji aunty for that feedback and more so for that nomination - you did make my morning this month was, I mean October was crazy with so many Indian festivals and the festivals and holidays that they celebrate here! You are right, it is all the spirit of the festival and the joy and goodness they bring! How can we not enjoy that?

 

Get on with than information gatehring about halloween mikku. I am sure it is just not your kid but the others who you come in contact with that will appreciate it! It was very interseting for me to note that a couple of friends who could not make it had taken pains to read up about Deepavali and write back to me with apologies for not ebing able to be a part of such an important festival and all that it signifies! Can you believe it? Aping is ok but it is important to know the story behind the festivals so that there is meaning/understanding. I wonder if dressing up like Kareena shows the spirit of the festival more or the parents view of what a child should be like more - these things are what we should look out for and do things appropriately.

I very well could imagine how you felt in that Halloween party - I still go through so many emotions as I walk around the neighborhood looking at all the costumes and the decorations! Thank you for your views and the feedback!