Onam is a secular harvest festival, celebrated all over the state of Kerala. This festival is celebrated in memory of the golden days under a mythical King Mahaabali, who ruled Kerala. Keralites celebrate Onam in the beginning of ‘Chingam’ (the first month of Malayalam calendar). People of Kerala welcome Mahaabali with ‘pookalams’, songs , dance and games.Celebration of Onam lasts for ten days in Kerala. In some regions, festivities are limited to 4-6 days only. Each day has special rituals and people follow them dutifully.
Onam starts from Atham and ends on the tenth day Thiruvonam. These days are of great celebration. Some people celebrate ‘Uthradam’ also as extremely important.
The Legend of Onam
King Mahaabali is the most famous and the attractive hero behind the festival Onam. Onam celebrates the annual visit of King Mahaabali to the state of Kerala.
Mahaabali is also known by other names like ‘Maveli’ and ‘Onathappan’. According to myth, he was an Asura king who ruled Kerala. He was an able and just ruler and the people lived happily.
Precise story of king Mahaabali
Mahaabali was the son of Veerochana and grandson of Prahlad the devout son of demon king Hiranyakashipu. Mahaabali had a son called Bana , who become a legendary king in his own right and become popular as Banaraj in central Assam. Mahaabali belonged to the Asura dynasty but was an ardent worshiper of Lord Vishnu. His strength of character earned him the title of “Mahaabali chakravarthy” or Mahaabali the king of kings.
Gods became jealous of his popularity and fame. They started thinking about ways to destroy their enemy So Goddess Aditi approached Vishnu whom Mahaabali worships.
Mahaabali was a generous person. He always grand help to the poor who came to him. Lord Vishnu himself incarnated as a poor Brahimin called ‘Vamana’, approached king Mahaabali and asked him for a pieceof land. The generous Mahaabali let him take as much as he wanted. The Brahmin said that he wanted ‘three steps of land’. King Mahaabali was surprised to hear this. He granted the request. Royal adviser Sukraachaarya warned him that Vamana was not an ordinary person. Mahaabali however said that it would be a sin for a king not to keep his promise. The Brahmin was allowed take the land. Mahaabali could not understand that the Brahmin was Lord Vishnu. Vamana grew to gigantic proportions. With his first step he covered the whole earth and with the second step he covered all heavens. There was no space for the third step. Mahaabali, with folded hands, bowed before Vamana and asked him to take the next step on his head and Vamana did so. Mahaabali was pushed to ‘Paataalam’. Then Lord Vishnu revealed his identity and the king was surprised. He requested permission to visit his people once in a year and Lord Vishnu allowed him.
Onam is the day when Mahaabali comes visiting his subjects
Onam Specialties
Onasadya, Pookalam , Vallamkali, Boat Race
Onasadya
Onasadhya is the most delicious item of the grand festival Onam. Both rich and poor people prepare onasadhya in a grand manner. 25 essential dishes are prepared for onasadhya .
Onasadhya is served on a tender banana leaf laid on a mat laid on the floor. Tradition has fixed an order to the serving of the dishes and there is a clear idea as to what will be served in which part of the banana leaf. After making food, people offer food to Good
Pookalam
Pookalam is a very complex and colorful arrangement of flowers laid on the floor. Pookalam is a combination of a two words, ‘poov’ means flower and ‘kalam’ means color sketcheson the ground.Old people used to make efforts to collect flowers for designing a pookalam . In the morning children get up early and gather flowers in their small ‘pookooda’ (basket) from the village gardens. Nowadays, the trend has changed and people have the option of buying flowers from the market in the shape and color of their choice.
Vallamkali
Vallamkali is the most attractive aspect of the onam festival. The Kerala state promotes this as a major tourist attraction.
In addition to these there are somany sports and games played in relation to Onam thy are Talappanthukali, Kayyankali, Attakalam ,Ambeyyel , Kutkutu .
Important item among them are Kummattikali, Pulikali/ Kaduvakali, Thumbi Thullal and Kaikottikali.
Without losing the old delicacy Malayalees welcomes Onam.
Author: Smitha Atholi
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