Kodial Theru 'Okkul josh' goes high the traditional way

Mangaluru: “How is the Bhaang? High Sir!!” read a T-shirt that an ‘amchegele cherko’ sported at avabritha aka ‘Kodial Theru Okkul’ rituals of Sri Veera Venkatesh, the presiding deity of Sri Venkataramana Temple (SVT) on Wednesday. However, with SVT management effectively pulling the plug on having a DJ and water tanker for the event, and avoiding any situation that could lead to women being exposed to indecency, the ‘high’ of the ‘bhaang’ was restricted to such catchy slogans on T-shirts and not at the ‘okkul’.
Strict guidelines were implemented by the SVT management on the occasion. Mellifluous bhajans played on the temple PA system which wafted across Car Street, and remixed numbers were not allowed to be blasted through high voltage music systems. Absence of water curtains and water tankers at the Car Street square in front of the temple meant the entire okkul rituals was down to people smearing each other with colours and children shooting each other with water squirt guns.

This change in okkul eco-system meant to restore traditional aspect of this ritual that marks the end of the five-day car festival of the temple, meant that homemakers such as Rashmi Prabhu from Mannagudda could enjoy the ‘local holi’ without any apprehensions. For Arya and Aryan, UKG and LKG students from Amrutha Vidyalaya, the event was an initiation into a time-tested tradition where ‘gulal’ is smeared on the face to celebrate ‘okkul’.

The sight of 2-year-old Drithi trying to squirt Narasimha,4, with her water gun, and the ‘older’ Narasimha deftly dodging her ‘attacks’ brought smiles not just on faces of their mothers, but to all those who watched their antics with amusement. Rashmi said a change in school and location meant that her children Aryan and Arnav could participate in the okkul after a long time. Aryan had a ball daubing reluctant Arnav’s face with colours.

At the other end of the age-spectrum, the okkul was without its usual high for the likes of Samrudh, an engineering student. A regular to okkul since his childhood, Samrudh said, “Okkul is a big bore without having a DJ and water tankers!” Incidentally, the T-shirt he sported read – ‘Okul Kelu Yehachi, Bhang Lekari Kayachi’ (Come to Play Okkul, Consume Bhang within limits), reflecting the entertainment value than spiritual value the event has for the next generation.

Senior cardiologist K Mohan Pai enjoyed the event with his grandchildren, even as a group of enthusiastic youth danced in front of the ‘big theru’ to the synchronised beating of ‘Kerala Chende’. Amidst the low key ‘okkul’, youth took pleasure in ‘ambushing’ their unsuspecting friends with colours and thwarting their attempts to avoid the coloured water balloons coming their way. In the interim, various daily rituals went on as usual inside the temple.