Prosperity visible everywhere. We were stuck in a traffic jam. People standing in queue for buying fire crackers.All the shops were packed with people.every body in a hurry.
Money is not a problem for celebration. Sales of anything attracts people on festival days. Even peacock feathers are sold in bulk (who cares if peacocks are killed). Any new idea is welcomed. Feeling proud of India prospering.
Thoughts roll back at least thirty years.. Vishu a new year celebrated in a simple way.
Though a Hindu festival every kids loved to get money (kaineetam) from elders,
and buy fire crackers.Everything was easy going.
People brought fire crackers but business was never so huge. Peacock feathers or the konna poov (flower) were never part of shopping. Vegetarians had veg- sadya and others had non-veg. Any expenditure was given a second thought. The Vishu kaineettam was always a small amount compared to these days. Every elder could dare to give a kaineettam. One rupee to those ten rupees valued a lot. I heard somebody mentioning today of getting two thousand as kaineetam.
Yes value has changed. Discounts and offers rule the day. Even bars give discounts for their special customers.
