Muslim women and students in Kerala participate in Onam celebrations in schools, colleges and public programmes. They view it as a cultural event rather than a religious ritual. This active participation happens despite occasional cautions, opposition and even fatwas from fundamentalist Islamic clerics.
Onam is widely accepted in Kerala as a statewide harvest festival. In addition to Hindus, Muslim students, both boys and girls quite often join campus festivities wearing traditional attire, the Onam costumes. They join other students in making floral carpets (Pookkalam) and participating in cultural programmes such as Thiruvathira dance.
Videos of hijab-wearing girls dancing at school Onam functions go viral on social media.
These entertainments may contribute towards religious harmony. However, there are arguments for and against such participation on social media. The Islamic fundamentalists have historically discouraged this. They view Onam celebrations as contrary to Islamic theology. Despite this, Muslims, particularly the younger generation, actively participate in Onam celebrations.
However, the students of Al Farooq Residential Senior Higher Secondary School in Feroke, Kozhikode, wearing sarees and mundu (Kerala dhothi women wear during traditional functions), were denied entry to celebrate Onam on August 21.
The Principal had issued an order at around 1.30 am banning traditional dress for the Onam celebrations.
There had been no such restriction in previous years. It was a setback for the Plus Two students, who had been preparing for the celebrations together for several days. They had made all arrangements for the traditional attire.
Students reportedly said that no ‘ban’ had been communicated to the parents during the recently held Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meeting. When the students and parents protested, the students were permitted to enter the premises after one and a half hours.
The Kozhikode story shows that the mood among the young generation is a welcome change. However, Islamic fundamentalists still think in a different way.
