The festival of Onam is celebrated as a Hindu festival in association with the mythological story of lord Vishnu and Asura king Mahabali. According to the regional texts the king of ancient India, Mahabali defeated the gods to rule three worlds. Kerala flourished under the rule of Mahabali which made the gods quite insecure because of the popularity of Mahabali.
Gods reached out to Lord Vishnu for help, and Vishnu turned into a short Brahman asking the ruler for three steps. Mahabali accepted the request even when his guru warned him about the god's plan, and soon the Vaman avatar of Vishnu turned almost as big as the three worlds.
He covered the earth in one step, heaven in another and as there was no space left for his third step Mahabali offered his head to Vishnu portraying his true devotion. Vishnu granted Mahabali a boon in that he could visit his land once a year. That is why Onam is celebrated yearly to celebrate the homecoming of their generous and hearty king Mahabali.
Onam is the most renowned rice harvest festival of Kerala; it is celebrated in the Malayalam month of Chingam. Onam reminds us of the value of agriculture and food in our lives. It is a ten-day prolonged traditional festival in which as every year proceeds, more and more complexity gets added.
Regardless of it being a Hindu Festival, several other religions come out of their way to participate in this beautiful festivity. The Christians celebrate Onam on their way through a series of activities. Catholic Malayalees celebrate onam in churches with an elaborate feast of sadhyas, colorful pookkalam, thiruvathira kali, and Pulikali.
King Mahabali has been held in high regard by the people of Kerala since ancient times. According to legend, the region witnessed its golden period under the rule of the legendary king. The people enjoyed great freedom and prosperity and lived in harmony.
Onam is celebrated in the form of a prolonged festivity for ten days in a row, on the first day of the festival the Keralites start their celebration with a fresh morning bath to follow up with the religious prayer and begin their creation of Pookkalam. On Atham they make pookkalam which is a rangoli with fresh flowers to welcome the mighty King. As the days go by the pookkalam is made bigger by adding more layers of flowers in it.
On the second day of Onam, the houses are cleaned thoroughly and more layers of flowers are added to the pookkalam. Other than these earthen mounds are kept out of the houses to show respect to their king Mahabali.
On chodhi more layers are added to the Rangoli, Keralites then shop for new clothes and jewelry. The markets are filled with people shopping for traditional outfits like Kasavu sarees, Mundu, and Pattu Pavadai.
Vishakam is the day when the real festivities of Onam begin with a traditional feast known as Sadhya. Sadhya comprises approximately 13 vegetarian dishes that are collectively served on a banana leaf. In some families, even more dishes are cooked for the special occasion.
On the day of Anizham, a traditional boat ride called Vallamkali is organized at the Pampa River, accompanied by a grand Parade. Locals as well as tourists visit to witness the race and cheer for the teams.
On the sixth day, more flowers are added to the pookkalam followed up by exchanging gifts and presents among loved ones. Family members who live far away visit their ancestral homes during these times to feel close to their culture and families.
On moolam, Hindu temples prepare a community meal Onasadya which is a vegan Kerala food. On this day people visit each other to unite during the festival time along with that they perform a traditional dance known as the Puli Kali.
On the eighth day of the Poodaram, localities buy small miniatures of Mahabali and Vamana to worship in their homes as a symbol of respect. These sculptures are placed in the middle of the pookkalam.
The primary Onam tradition is the day when King Mahabali arrives in Kerala. Cleaning of the house and preparation of the sadhya begins. People buy all the essentials for the big event like fresh vegetables for the sadhya.
Thiruvonam is the main and the last day of the Onam festival. Rice flour batter is added to the rangoli as a welcome sign for the king. On the last day, the pookkalam becomes complex, and bright lights and fireworks along with folk dance are practiced by the people to celebrate the day. Married women wear Kasavu sarees while men wear Mundu.
Onam as an auspicious festival brings people and communities together, evoking the feeling of togetherness and love for each other. Kerala being a state of pure joy is blessed with prosperity and happiness by King Mahabali. The colorful pookkalam, sandhya feast, boat races, and folk dance are the spirits of this festival of harvest. Let us cherish our bonds with love and generosity as we dive deep into the devotion of King Mahabali and Lord Vamana. May this Onam bring loads of joy, laughter, and good health to you and your loved ones. Happy Onam!
FAQs
Onam is the 10-day-long harvest festival celebrated in Kerala which also marks the homecoming of the region’s beloved demon king Mahabali.
During the festival, people decorate their homes with various Onam decoration items and take part in various cultural events and performances. A grand feast is also prepared as a part of the celebrations which is served and eaten traditionally on banana leaves while sitting on the ground.
According to legend, Onam is celebrated to welcome King Mahabali during his annual visit to his kingdom as per the boon granted to him by Lord Vishnu.
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