Onam, the colourful and picturesque festival represents the true spirit of Kerala transcending the Malayalees the world over to an idyllic state of leisure, games, dance, music and sumptuous feasts. It transports each Malayali to his/her home in Kerala. Onam is the biggest harvest festival and is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm irrespective of castes and communities.
The word Onam or Thiruvonam is derived from Sanskrit word Shravanam. Thiruonam is one among the 27 nakshatras or constellations. The word ‘Thiru’ is used to address places and activities associated with Lord Vishnu. Thiruvonam is also believed to be the nakshtra of Vishnu. Onam is normally celebrated at the beginning of Chingam, the first month of Kollavarsham of the Malayalam calendar. This corresponds with August-September according to the Gregorian calendar. It is also believed that Onam celebrations started during the Sangam era. This year, Thiruonam falls on September 9.
During the harvest season, fields look brilliant and glow with golden paddy grains. It is also the boom time for fruits and flowers. After Karkidakam, the month of deprivation, farmers are happy with a bountiful harvest and celebrate the festival to the hilt.
Onam festival continues for ten days, starting from the day of Atham and culminating on Thiruonam. Atham is decided by the position of stars and is regarded as auspicious. There is a smile on almost every person’s face. To the older generation, it is perhaps the only time when the entire family comes together under the same roof. To the kids, it is time for gifts and outings.
Every shopkeeper has a huge grin on his face and goes way out of his normal self to come up with ‘Onam special discounts.’ The general feel-good aura makes you happy too and ends up in spending more on the ‘typical’ Kerala handicrafts than you thought you would. And for me, it is time to meet up with cousins who come home just for this season. Festivals in Kerala are colourful and vibrant. Onam season gives every traveller memories to take home. Suddenly, around the bend, you can hear the beats of the drums and folk dances like the tiger dances and Kummati on the streets.
The story, every malayalees know !!
The festival marks the homecoming of legendary King Mahabali. He is also popularly called Maveli and Onathappan. Mahabali is the son of Virochana and grandson of Prahlad, the devout son of demon King Hiranyakashipu.
Mahabali also belonged to the Asura (demon) dynasty but was an ardent worshipper of Lord Vishnu. He was greatly respected and was considered to be wise, judicious and extremely generous. Everybody was happy and the rich and poor were equally treated. There was neither crime, nor corruption prevalent in his kingdom. It is said that people did not even lock their doors, as there were no thieves. There was no poverty, sorrow or disease in his kingdom. It is believed that on the Thiruonam day, Lord Vishnu took his fifth avatar as Vamana and sent him to the nether world. Onam celebrations are marked in Trikkakara near Aluva said to be the capital of King Mahabali. A temple with a deity of Trikkakara Appan or Vamanamurthy who is Lord Vishnu himself in disguise is also located at this place.
Another feature of Onam is Vallamkali or the snake boat race. The state-sponsored festivals and tourism promotion events showcase the best art forms and festivities. There is a rush of adrenalin with sports like snake boat races and tug-of-wars. A large number of big and decorated boats called Chundan Vallams participate with hundreds of oarsmen for the race. The long boats embellished with festoons and silk umbrellas present a charming spectacle in the backwaters of Punnamada near Alappuzha. The rhythmic rise and fall of the oars as oarsmen row in unison and provided by the songs and music of the drum is an eye-catching spectacle. The annual boat race on the day of Uthrittathi at Aranmula in Pathanamthitta district and the Vallasadhya or the feast for the participants is a significant event..
The ‘Athachamayam’ festivities make this sleepy little town a hub of culture. The procession on the last day of the festival is spectacular .Athachamayam is a grand procession that marks the beginning of Onam and is celebrated at Tripunithura. The event recalls a royal tradition when Maharajas of erstwhile Kochi state travelled to the Tripunithura Fort with their entire entourage as part of a custom. A procession of decorated elephants is carried out in Trissur, the cultural capital of Kerala. It is a magnificent sight to watch the bejeweled elephants in their full majesty and grandeur.
Pulikkali or Kaduvakali is another entertaining performance wherein the performers take the guise of tigers. They paint their bodies yellow with patterns of black and red. Scenes of tiger hunting goats and tigers being hunted by humans are beautifully depicted through this folk art. Kummattikali is another recreational folk dance performed during Onam. Clad in plaited grass and a colourful wooden mask, performers entertain the people by enacting mythological and folk themes.
Kaikottikali is an elegant clap dance performed on the occasion of Onam. In this, women sing songs praising the legendary King Mahabali and dance around the Pookalam. Thumbi Thullal is now rarely performed and is a disappearing art form of Kerala…performed by a group of women who sit in the formation of circle. The lead performer sits inside the circle who initiates the song which is taken by other singers.
There is beauty in symmetry with floral carpets adorning most houses, offices and street corners. Flower carpets are a common sight across the state. In the good old days, when flowers were aplenty, each household used to have a healthy compete with their neighbor’s and come up with new designs, in a battle for uniqueness.
No festival is complete without a spread of mouth-watering delicacies. Onam is not different – there is the traditional Onam sadya on offer. It brings out the best of the native cuisine from the Malayali kitchen. You have to taste it once and reminisce would linger and haunt you a lifetime..
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