Why Do We Celebrate Onam

• Posted by mogan thasan September 5, 2022 Filed in Business #  #Onam festival  #Onam Rituals  107 views
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  Keralites celebrate the Onam festival in the month of Chingam (August-September), the first month of the Malayalam calendar. It is the official festival of Kerala, which goes all out to promote it as a tourist attraction as well. Onam is an excellent opportunity to experience the richness and variety of Kerala’s culture and heritage. 

  It was in 1960 that the state government declared it an official event. Onam 2022 starts on August 30 and ends on September 8.

   

  Significance of Onam  

  Onam is a harvest festival. But it is also a festival to honor a bygone king called Mahabali, who was a great ruler of the kingdom. Though he was a demon, he was generous and kind, and his subjects prospered under his efficient rule. Mahabali was the grandson of Prahlad, a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. During Onam, Mahabali is said to visit his subjects and see how they are doing. By celebrating Onam, the people of Kerala celebrate the return of their beloved king.

  

   

  Story behind Onam

  Every festival in India has a story behind it, and Onam is no different. Legend says that the gods became jealous and envious of Mahabali’s rise to power. So, they asked Lord Vishnu to overthrow him. Vishnu assumed the form of a dwarf Brahmin, Vamana, and asked Mahabali for 3 feet of land. The generous king agreed. But Vamana assumed a giant size and ended up covering the entire earth and sky in two steps. Mahabali then bowed his head so that Vamana could place his foot on it for his third step. Vishnu then pushed him down into the underworld or Patala. But he allowed him to return to his kingdom once a year to see his subjects. This occasion is celebrated as Onam.  

   

  How is Onam celebrated?

  Onam is a 10-day festival, and the 10 days are called Atham, Chithira, Chothi, Vishakam, Anizham, Thriketta, Moolam, Pooradam, Uthradam, and Thiruvonam. The last day is Thiruvonam, and it is also the day of Mahabali’s arrival. So, it is the most important day of the festival.  

   Onam rituals are very unique and colorful. On the first day, people make Pookkalams or floral rangolis. As the days go by, the designs become more complex and colorful. Pookkalam contests are held in many places, too.

   Tripunithura Athachamayam takes place on the first day of Onam. It features a procession that showcases Kerala’s folk arts, music, dances, etc. Floats and gaily caparisoned elephants are also part of the procession.

   Women perform dances like Thiruvathirakkali and Thumbi Thullal during Onam, dressed in the trademark ‘mundu neriyathu’ or traditional Kerala sari, which is off-white with gold borders.

   In certain regions like Thrissur, Palakkad, and Malabar, folk art forms like Pulikkali and Kummattikkali are performed by male artistes. In Pulikkali, they paint their bodies to look like tigers or leopards and mimic a tiger hunt. In Kummattikkali, they wear wooden masks and wear grass skirts. The dancers enact the roles of Shiva, Kali, Krishna, Sage Narada, Kiratha, Darika, hunters, etc.

   Martial art forms like Onathallu and many games are also played as part of the Onam celebrations.

   One of the most exciting events is Vallamkali, or snake boat races. The Aranmula Vallamkali and Nehru Trophy Boat Race draw huge numbers of domestic and foreign tourists.

   Onasadya is another highlight of the festival. This is a banquet of around 15-26 vegetarian dishes and is served on a banana leaf. It is a feast fit for royals. It is a mandatory ritual in most Kerala homes, irrespective of caste, class, and creed.  

   On Onam day, people rise early, wear the Onakkodi (new clothes) and go to temples. Then they return home to prepare the Onasadya. All the family members help with the cooking. Friends and relatives get together and exchange gifts. In the capital city of Thiruvananthapuram, people go out in the evening to see the beautifully illuminated buildings and trees and also witness the spectacular fireworks. Many clubs also organize cultural events.

   Why Celebrate Onam?

  There are many reasons to celebrate Onam. In these days of corrupt and self-serving leaders, we need to remind ourselves that there were kings like Mahabali who genuinely cared about his people and who wished to return to earth every year to inquire about their welfare.

   

  Also, during Mahabali’s rule, all were treated equally. Today, communal polarisation, caste and class inequities, etc., are dividing people alarmingly. So, it is good to hark back to a time when everyone lived happily and harmoniously under a capable ruler. Interestingly, even Christians and Muslims celebrate Onam, as do Tamils, Gujaratis, etc., who live in Kerala.  

   

  Last, but not least, Onam is a wonderful opportunity to experience the enchanting culture and heritage of this beautiful state.