ONAM - TRADITIONS & RITUALS

zWhen I think about Onam, YUMMY TRADITIONAL FOOD and FIERCE BOAT RACE come to my mind. 

Onam, the harvest festival of Kerala, is celebrated with gaiety and fervor by all Keralites all over the world. This festival is celebrated to honour the beloved King Mahabali, who is believed to visit the house of each Keralite during this festival. 

According to the Vaishnava mythology, King Mahabali defeated all the Gods and began ruling over all three worlds. King Mahabali was a demon king who belonged to the Asura tribe. The kind hearted king was much loved by the people. The Gods got insecure of King Mahabali's popularity and Lord Vishnu to step in and help contain Mahabali. Lord Vishnu took over his fifth avatar, in the form of the Brahmin dwarf Vamana, and paid a visit to King Mahabali. The King asked Vamana what he wished for, to which Vamana responded "three pieces of land". When Vamana was granted his wish, he grew in size and in his first and second respectively, he covered the sky and the netherworld. When Lord Vishnu was about to take his third piece, the King offered his own head to the God. This act impressed Lord Vishnu so much that he granted the King the right to visit his kingdom and people every year during ONAM festivities.

During the ten day festivities, devotees bathe, offer prayers, wear traditional clothes, draw flower rangolis called pookkalm in front of their houses and cook traditional feast called ONASADHYA. 

CELEBRATIONS, RITUALS & PRACTICES

Onam, falls in the month of CHINGAM, which is the first month according to Malayalam Calendar. The celebrations mark the Malayalam New Year, are spread over ten days and concludes with Thiruvonam. 

The Onam celebrations across the state starts off with a grand procession at Tripunithura near Kochi called Athachamayam. This is believed to the declaration of the start of the Onam festivities by the Kochi King as per the history of Kerala. 

The floral rangoli or pookkalam or Athapookkalam is made with several varieties of flowers. The traditionals ritual of pookkalam starts on ATHAM day, and the size of the pookkalam is relatively smaller on this day. The size progresses with each day of Onam festival.

Though Onam is ten day festival, the core celebration starts from UTHRADAM or first Onam. All the folk will be rushing with their purchases are preparations for Onam and this rush is called UTHRADAPACHIL. On this day evening people welcome the King by keeping Onathappan in front of their house. 

 On the second day of Onam or the THIRUVONAM, they offer all what is prepared at home to their favourite King. People prepare ONASADHYA perform traditional dance forms like Kaikottikali, Thumbithullal, Kummattiakli and Pulikali are performed in different parts of state to please and entertain their King.

The largest chunk of  Onam celebration ends by Thiruvonam. However two days post Onam are also celebrated as Third and Fourth Onam. The third Onam called Avittom marks bidding farewell to the King Mahabali and preparing to welcome him back for the next year's celebrations. The folk art,  Pulikali, the tiger dance is performed in the cultural district of Kerala - Thrissur, and thousands pour into the city to be a part of this art. This is a symbol of farewell party to the King Mahabali.