Onam sweeter for techies as Monday is holiday in US too

Thiruvananthapuram: This year ‘thiruvonam’ day brings a happy surprise for many of the employees working at IT companies in Technopark here.
Reason is that US Labour Day, which falls on first Monday of September every year, will coincide with thiruvonam this time. Techies, who were used to working on thiruvonam day, can enjoy holiday this time.
It is a double bonanza as the holiday follows the weekend.Friday saw techies rushing to catch buses and trains to go to their hometowns.
IT companies in the country are often blamed for not giving employees off on days including Independence Day and other national and festival holidays. Employees, especially those who work in odd shifts, find it difficult even to take leave on the festival days.
Techies had been in Onam mood for the past one week. Companies are spending huge amounts of money for techies to enjoy the flavour of Onam at Technopark.
Traditional art forms including theyam, panchari melam and kathakali were staged at the IT park, which were enjoyed by both Keralites as well as others.
Pratidhwani, a socio-cultural organization of Technopark employees, decided to celebrate Onam in a different way this time. In an initiative titled ‘Rice Bucket Challenge’, Pratidhwani collected rice from techies and distributed it to non-IT staff in Technopark. With many techies contributing 5kg rice packets, Pratidhwani was able to collect 1,200 packets weighing 6 tonnes. Tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran distributed the rice packets as Onam gift at Technopark on Friday.
Pratidhwani volunteers will also distribute rice to orphanages, old-age homes and organizations which provide accommodation for patients, who come for treatment at the Medical College Hospital.