21st July 2015

Photo: Dheepanraj

- The Times of India

Sivakasi and Aadi 1: Mystery of a holiday

VIRUDHUNAGAR: As many as 1.5 lakh workers employed at more than 700 fireworks manufacturing units in Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu got an extended weekend thanks to an age old custom, as the Tamil month of Aadi began on Friday.

Fearing bad luck and inauspicious days ahead, fireworks industry in Sivakasi has been observing Aadi 1 as a holiday for several decades.

Sticking to the custom, nearly 728 big and small fireworks units declared a holiday for their workers on Aadi 1. And as Aadi 1 fell on Friday this year, the workers are enjoying three days of holiday this year.

According to industrial sources, the custom has been there for many decades, starting from the initial years of fireworks industry in the town. The ancestors of manufacturers used to tell them that Aadi 1 is an inauspicious day and they should be careful in the month.

"Even when we were children, Aadi 1 was a holiday for units and our elders used to say that some major untoward incident happened on that day. But till date no one knows what exactly happened on this day in the past," said A Mariappan, a fireworks manufacturer and former functionary of Tamil Nadu Fireworks & Amorces Manufacturers Association (TANFAMA). Fireworks manufacturing began in the town in the 1940s. Over the years the fear psychosis kept Aadi 1 as holiday, according to him.

The manufacturers think that Aadi is a dangerous month. It is considered the most windy month and so there is a greater chance of fire accidents.

Industrial sources said most of the major fire accidents happened in Aadi. "Wind velocity is high in this month and chances of accidents are high. Apart from declaring Aadi 1 as holiday, fireworks manufacturers keep a watchful eye on their units in the entire month", said T Kannan, secretary of the Indian Fireworks Manufacturers Association.