Onam

Onam is an exclusive festival of Kerala and it relates to Lord Vishnu’s association with King Mahabali, who was famous enough to equal the status of Indra. The festival is celebrated for 10 days in the month Chingam, a month relating to Kerala region, which period normally comes in August-September of the English Calendar.

This is a joyful season as it implicates the home coming of King Bali, who was earlier contained by Lord Vishnu in his Vamana Avatar, as a dwarf Brahmin who puts Maha Bali down as a favour done to Devtas, sending him to Sutala, the nether world.

The Onam festival is significant with Kerala people involving in various festivities, which include phenomenal  flower arrangements in front of the houses, elaborate lunch sessions,  amazing snake boat races,  and a variety of entertainments such as Onappottan, Kaazhchakkula in Guruvayoor, Athachamayam in Tripunithura, Puli Kali, Kummaattikkali, Onathaar, Kaikottikkali, Onachamayam, Thrikkaakarayappan, Thumbithullal, Onathallu, Onavillu etc.

The entire Kerala region will have a festive look during the Onam season, particularly on those days Onam festival is celebrated.

History

Onam is a festival celebrated in Kerala from time immemorial, in the month of Chingam, when the land is plenty with harvest produce and lot of flowers blooming. It has been a festival observed in honor of the popular King Mahabali, with the significance of his annual visit from Sutala.

Legends convey that it was during King Mahabali’s period Kerala enjoyed all prosperity. Also, Brahma Vaivarta Puranam mentions that Lord Vishnu deliberately positioned Mahabali to be of such status only to contain Indra, who was very proud of his powers. Bhagavata Purana also tells that the control of Kingdom of Kerala was taken away from Lord Indra, referred as Purandara, and given to King Mahabali to rule, in pre historical days.

As per Hindu mythology, Mahabali was earlier sent to the Sutala, as Devas complained that he should not be made equal to Indra, Lord Vishnu taking the Avatar of Vamana , obtaining a promise of three steps of land from Mahabali, in which Mahabali had to surrender himself by bowing before him and leaving Kerala to settle down at Sutala. Later, when Mahabali had to visit Kerala from Sutala, the Trinity of God themselves chose to guard his Fort at Sutala in his absence. During the period of Onam, which falls in the period from July to November, which is referred a ChaturMasya period, Lord Vishnu himself guards the Sutala fort.

People of Kerala so respectful and affectionate to King Mahabali thus celebrate Onam on his every annual visit in a grand manner till this day.

The Festival

The richness in its cultural heritage of Kerala is expressed in so many ways during the ten-day Onam festival, which include

A ceremonial feast called Onasadya is prepared on the day of Thiruvonam, which is a nine course meal, with 11 to 13 items of dishes, served in large banana leaves and the members of family and the guests sit on a grass mat laid on the floor to join the feast.

An important boat race called Vallamkali is organized in the Pamba river, in which decorative boats with hundreds of boatmen in them, rowing the boats all together, also singing traditional songs, while those standing on the banks of the river, cheering them up, is a beautiful event that Onam festival is always known for,

Onampookkalam is a regular feature, in which flower arrangements in front of homes are done in such a beautiful manner, with different designs and colors, that the expected visitor called Onappottan is very pleased with the members of the house visited and gives them his blessings.

Each day of the ten day Onam festival bears a particular significance, such as

• The first day is called Atham, in which day King Mahabali starts his travel from Sutala, which is observed in the form of a procession from the temple at Thiruppunithura near Kochi. Lying of the Pookkalam flower carpet also begins today, when only one variety of flowers referred as Athappoo is placed.
• The second day marks Chithira, when the second stage decoration of Pookkalam is done with two different colors. Normally it would be yellow on the first day and orange is placed on this day.
• The third day is called Chodi, when Pookkalam further grows with 4 or 5 flower varieties. It is on this day people of Kerala do their shopping of gift items for Onam festival giving’s.
• The fourth day Vishakam is considered very important; because it is on this day a spirit of competition is encouraged particularly in respect of Pookkalam arrangements.
• On the fifth day, which is Anusham, the Snake Boats for Vallamkali at AranmulaUthrattathi get prepared.
• it is on the sixth day which is called Thriketa the real festival mood sets in, schools declared holidays and Pookkalam getting larger and bigger in size
• The seventh day is Moolam and it is this day the OnaSadya lunches begin in most of the places.
• The eighth day being Pooradam when small icons of Mahabali and Vamana kept in homes will be given a wash and placed in the midst of Pookkalam. Children will be invited to smear the Pookkalam with rice powder paste and they will be designated PooradaUnnikal. It this way the Onathappan gets installed.
• Uthradam, the nineth day, marks the penultimate day for Onam celebrations and it is considered an auspicious day for procuring new items for the family.
• Tenth day is the grand day of ThiruOnam, when grand celebrations are organized, which include playing of traditional  games, referred as  Onakalikal collectively, men indulging in rigorous sports like Talappanthukali, which is a ball game, Ambeyyal, that is archery, and few other sports  called Kayyankali and Attakalam. Women at the same time participate in a number of cultural activities, besides attending to Pookalam, joining dances such as Kaikotti kali, ThumbiThullal and Kummatti Kali are two dances performed by women on Onam. Folk performances like Kummatti kali.

Onam festival is celebrated throughout Kerala in all villages and towns, apart from Keralites getting together and performing the festival in various parts of the world, wherever they reside.

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