Onam is a harvest festival celebrated annually in the southern state of Kerala, India. It is an official state festival representing unity and gratitude and is observed by all citizens. Traditionally, it begins with the arrival of Kerala’s legendary King Mahabali, who, according to legend, visits his subjects during Onam each year (usually, someone dresses up in a Mahabali costume, complete with a fake mustache and umbrella). The celebrations include plenty of food, traditional performances like the Chenda Mela (a drum performance accompanying Mahabali), dancing, singing, and the Pookalam (floral arrangements). The highlight is always the Onam Sadhya—a grand feast of traditional Kerala food served on a large banana leaf for all attendees.
UT also observes Onam every year, and students in the Malayalam program are required to attend. This year, UT’s Malayalam program held its celebration in October, just before Halloween and Diwali. As an Indian American whose native language is Malayalam, I recognize how rare it is to formally study Malayalam in the U.S. I can speak, read, and write Malayalam, but without formal schooling, my knowledge was mostly self-taught growing up. Taking Malayalam classes has been an unusual experience, as I wasn’t sure what to expect and have realized that much of my learning continues to be self-directed. Finding resources and time to improve my Malayalam is challenging, especially when I encounter unfamiliar jargon and don’t always have people around who can answer my questions. Although I can read the Devanagari script, I don’t speak Hindi or Tamil (despite Malayalam’s vocabulary and grammar being influenced by both Sanskrit and Tamil). And while I know the Malayalam script well, not having grown up in Kerala means there are still expressions I don’t recognize. For instance, in Kerala, one might travel on a kettuvallam (houseboat), but in the U.S., unless you’re on the coast, you’re likely living inland. Learning Malayalam often feels like a never-ending, sometimes frustrating process, but that’s true for any language—including English.
I don’t know if anything could replace attending Malayalam classes or celebrating Onam in Kerala itself, but it’s nice to know that people interested in Kerala and Malayalam can learn more no matter where they are, as long as they put in the work. It’s great that UT’s South Asian language program spreads awareness of events like these on campus, offering a chance for anyone to experience different perspectives and fostering cultural exchange.
To anyone struggling to learn a language, if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that I can’t rush it. The journey is as important as the destination, even if there are times when I feel like running away from the challenges. I used to think mastering a language could be quick if you really wanted to, but looking back, I see I underestimated the complexities and nuances involved. If I could go back, there are things I’d approach more thoughtfully. Some people can read and write but not speak; some can speak but not read or write; others can do all three, though not perfectly. Some languages don’t require speech but only understanding. Wherever you are, it’s important to find your place and set a realistic goal. The journey might be lifelong, but it’s worth embracing it, because growth comes from the experience. And if anything terrifies me, it isn’t spiders—it’s stagnation.