Coronavirus Lockdown: Onam lacks festivity in Kerala this time

Kerala is celebrating the Onam festival without much festivities owing to Covid-19 this year.

Even as the government had eased the lockdown restrictions and extended working hours of shops, the rush at major commercial streets across the state on Sunday, the eve of the main Onam day of 'Thiruvonam', was very low during this season compared to previous ones.

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Apart from calling off the usual week-long Onam celebrations of the government, the government had also imposed strict restrictions on Onam celebrations by groups. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan appealed to the people to limit the celebration to their houses during this Onam, which according to legends, marks the visit of King Mahabali.

The state health sector is having serious concerns of a steep increase in fresh Covid-19 cases in the coming days as the considerable rush was witnessed in many commercial centres like markets and textile shops during the last few days. Though shops were directed to ensure proper social distancing norms, there was a lack of effective enforcement of this.

Mohammed Siddique, leader of the 'Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopani Samathi', a leading traders' outfit, said that over the last few days the markets had slightly revived after the months of lockdown. But compared to the previous Onam season, the sales was hardly 25 percent only. It was mainly small scale traders who were facing the hardships as they were struggling to meet the shops rents and minimum wages of employees, said Siddique who is a trader at the Chalai market, the major commercial centre of Thiruvananthapuram.

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While floral carpets could be spotted at every nook and corner of the state during Onam, this year the government also raised caution against the use of flowers from other states for making floral carpets. Major chunk of flowers of Onam season reaches the state from neighbouring Tamilnadu.

Hotels were trying to do business by offering Onam feast, popularly known as 'Onasadhya' in parcels. Many popular hotels had received hundreds of advance booking for Onam feast. More options of online grocery shopping have also become a relief to the people during the time of Onam.

Cancellation of Onam celebrations across the state has also badly hit the lively hood of many traditional art performers as they used to get chance for performance mainly during Onam season only.