Onam Festival: A Joyful Celebration of Kerala

Around August-September, which is the month of Chingam in the Malayalam calendar, the state of Kerala gets ready to celebrate its biggest and most important festival of the year – Onam!

Onam is the harvest festival of Kerala, and is similar to festivals like Pongal and Baisakhi in other states. But what makes this harvest festival unique is the myth that underlies it.
There are 2 main characters in this myth.

One is Mahabali, an Asura (demon) king who was the grandson of Prahlad. Those who are familiar with Hindu mythology know that Prahlad was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu, who assumed the incarnation of Narasimha (half man, half lion) to save his evil father, the demon Hiranyakashipu.

The second character, which is equally important, is Vamana, a dwarf Brahmin. But he was no ordinary Brahmin; He was the 5th incarnation of Vishnu.

The Story Behind Onam Festival

King Bali, or Mahabali, was a fair and just ruler who brought peace and prosperity to his subjects. As his power increased, he defeated the gods and conquered heaven. Indra and other deities asked Lord Vishnu to destroy Bali. Some versions say that Vishnu wanted to test Bali’s generosity, as he was famous for it.

Vishnu took the incarnation of Vamana, a dwarf brahmin, and approached Mahabali while he was performing a mighty yajna. When he asked for three steps of land, Mahabali agreed. But, the very next moment, Vamana assumed a gigantic form. In one step he covered the whole earth, in another he covered the heavens. Now they had no more land to set foot on. Mahabali wanted to honor the promise given to Vamana. So without hesitation he bowed down and asked Vamana to keep his foot on his head. Vamana did the same and pushed him into the underworld.

The Bhagavata Purana states that Vishnu was pleased with Bali’s dedication and integrity, and therefore made him the ruler of Sutala, a region that was richer than even heaven. He also gave him a boon by which Bali could come to earth once a year to see his subjects.
Thus, on the one hand, Onam is a festival that is celebrated to welcome the beloved King Mahabali. On the other hand, it also celebrates the arrival of Vishnu in the form of Vamana.

Colorful Rituals of Onam

pookalam
There are many interesting rituals in Onam. One of the most colorful Onam rituals is the making of flower rangoli or pookalam. Mostly flowers and flower petals are used, but sometimes leaves and colored seeds are also used. Almost every house has a beautiful pookkalam in the front courtyard. Some are simple, and some are very complex in design. Pookalam competitions are also organized in schools, colleges, offices etc.

athachamayam
It is a grand ceremonial parade which includes brash elephants, floats depicting scenes from history and mythology, performances of Kathakali and Mohiniyattam, rhythm bands like pandamelam and panchavayam etc. The event takes place in Tripunithura and flags off the 10-day Onam festival.

ona sadya
It is a feast of about 26 vegetarian dishes like Parippu (Lentils), Upri, Mango Pickle, Naranga Curry, Aviyal, Thoran, Pachadi, Kuttu Curry, Olan, Kalan, Rasam, Sambhar, Erisheri, Pulisari, Injikyuri, Papadam, Sharkaravatti, And 3-4 types of Payasam. People make it at home on the day of Thiruvonam, and every member of the family contributes in the preparation.

onakkodic
People wear new clothes or onakkodi on the day of Thiruvonam and go to temples for worship.

dance
Groups of women dance in set mundu (a traditional dress) like Thiruvathirakali, Kaikotikkali, and Thumbi Thullal. They also giggle at the swings hanging on the trees in their homes.

Play
People collectively play several games called onakkalikkal. On the last day, they play vadam wali or tug of war.

onam celebrations

As the government promotes Onam as a tourist attraction, several cultural programs are organized to showcase the art forms and cultural heritage of the state. The most awaited event is, of course, Vallamkali or the Snake Boat Race. This event is held in the backwaters. Aranmula Boat Race and Nehru Trophy Boat Race are very famous and even attract tourists from abroad. Boats are more like canoes, and boats are used by sailors. Aranmula Snake Boat Race is actually an annual festival at Sri Parthasarathy Temple. It has over 25 palliodams or snake boats, with 100 rowers, 15 helmsmen and 25 singers. The boats are decorated with colorful umbrellas, pendants and flags. Apart from this, the artists perform folk arts like Pulikkali, Kummattikkali etc. Martial art forms like Onathallu are also performed during Onam.

In fact, Onam festival can be understood as a joyous and joyous celebration of Kerala and its wonderful culture and traditions.

Onam 2022 begins on 30 August (Atham day) and ends on 8 September (Thiruvonam day).



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