A celebration of Onam & Olympics

Seventy students from ten schools in the district participated in the ‘Karshika Olympics’ held on Museum compound in the city on Thursday.

A joint venture of Agrifriends Krishi Samskarika Vedi, Government Employees Welfare Society (GEWS), Farm Information Bureau (FIB) and the Department of Museums and Zoos, the day’s events were organised to celebrate the state’s most important festival season, Onam, and the most happening event in the world today - the Olympics.

After the inauguration, the day began with a ‘digging race’, where the students had to use ‘manvettis’ (traditional spades) to dig in a straight line. Fourteen competitions were charted by the organisers to not only revive the Onam spirit of yesteryear but also create awareness among the young generation about farming practices.


The competitions included planting races, one where they had to sow paddy in a straight line and another where plantains had to be planted. Competitions were also held for splitting coconut husks and grating them.

 The youth of today have no idea what Onam means, according to organic farmer Kollam Panicker of GEWS. 

 “Onam is a dream for us now,” he said, delivering the keynote address. “Today’s young generation cannot fathom what Onam was and how people used to welcome the clear days of ‘Chingam’ month after the rains of ‘Karkidakkom.’ We know who the makers of our watches and shoes are, but not the farmer, who puts the rice in our hands.”

The day was meant to not only celebrate Onam, according to programme coordinator of Agrifriends S Jayakumar, but also to honour farmers on the occasion of Farmer’s Day, which falls on August 17, the first day of the Malayalam month of Chingam. 

 Lunchtime saw Agriculture Minister K P Mohanan sitting down with the students to enjoy a traditional ‘sadya.’