Onam Greetings Onam Wallpapers Onam Wishes Onam SMS Onam Messages
Onam, ഓണം, is a festival celebrated by the people of Kerala, India. The
festival commemorates the Vamana avatar of Vishnu and the subsequent
homecoming of the legendary Emperor Mahabali. It is the state festival
of Kerala and falls during the month of Chingam, August – September, and
lasts for ten days. The festival is marked by various festivities,
including intricate flower carpets, elaborate banquet lunches, snake
boat races, Onappottan, Kaazhchakkula in Guruvayoor, Puli Kali,
Kaikottikkali etc.
Onam Legend
Mahabali was the grandson of Prahlada, son of Hiranyakashyapa who was
slain by Vishnu in his Narasimha Avatara. Prahlad, despite being an
Asura, had great faith in Vishnu. Mahabali learned the act of love and
devotion to Lord Vishnu as a child, from Prahlada.
By traditional beliefs; Parasurama, an incarnation of Vishnu is credited
to have founded Kerala. An alternate legend defines Onam as the day on
which Parasurama recovered Kerala from the sea-bed by throwing his
battle-axe. The axe traveled from Gokarnam in the North to Kanyakumari
in the South. This legend is mentioned by Hermann Gundert in his
Malayalam Dictionary.
Onam Legacy
Onam comes in the month of "Chingam" which is the first month according
to the Malayalam Calendar. People put flower mats in front of their
houses, to welcome King Mahabali. There will be competition for the
laying of flower mats; Keralites all over the world will be celebrating
this ten days with pomp and gaiety. They wear new dresses, visit as many
temples as they can, perform dances like Thiruvadhira kali Thumbi
Tullal etc. to name a few.
Onam Programmes
The most important things about Onam are the onakkodi, the new clothes
worn on this day and onam sadya, a feast which is quite elaborate. This
is usually a feast served on banana leaves and serves rice along with at
least an array of 4 dishes. Traditional pickles and papadam are also
served. Dessert is usually 'payasam', a sweet dish made of milk, sugar
and other traditional Indian savories.
Onam is an ancient festival which still survives in modern times.
Kerala's rice harvest festival and the Festival of Rain Flowers, which
fall on the Malayalam month of Chingam, celebrates the Asura King
Mahabali's annual visit from Patala, the underworld. Onam is unique
since Mahabali has been revered by the people of Kerala since prehistory
and is celebrated by people irrespective of religion.
According to the legend, Kerala witnessed its golden era during the
reign of King Mahabali. The Brahma-Vaivarta Puranam explains that Lord
Vishnu wanted to curb the pride of Indra; and therefore positioned
Mahabali in great power.
The Bhagavata Purana reads "Vishnu will take the kingdom away from Purandara, Lord Indra, and give it to Bali Maharaja."
The subjects under Mahabli's reign was happy and prosperous and the king
was highly regarded, so much so that even the gods under Indra became
jealous of Mahabali as was intened by Vishnu, and they approached Vishnu
claiming that Mahabali is now equivalent to an Indra. Once Vishnu was
assured that Indra's pride has been contained and that a world with two
Indras represents imbalance, Vishnu assumed the form of a dwarf: Vamana.
Vamana requested three steps of land for him to live in. Given a
promise of three steps of land by King Mahabali against the warning
given by his Guru Sukracharya, Vamana, enlarged himself to such
dimensions as to stride over the three worlds. He had grown so huge that
he could step from heaven to earth, and earth to the lower worlds in
two simple steps. King Mahabali unable to fulfill the promise of three
paces of land to the Supreme God, offers his head for the third step.
Thus, Vamana places his foot on King Mahabali's head and sends him down
to the netherworld. Being worshipped however, by Mahabali, and his
ancestor Prahláda, he conceded to them the sovereignty of Pátála,
netherworld.
However, as Mahabali was equivalent to Indra, he had to wait until the
next Yuga where he would be the Indra. In the meantime, with the grace
of Vishnu, Mahabali visited his people on an annual basis. Vishnu served
Mahabali as a gatekeeper in Patala as the Lord himself serves his
greatest devotees.
It is this visit of Mahabali that is celebrated as Onam every year.
People celebrate the festival in a grand way and impress upon their dear
King that they are happy and wish him well.
The rich cultural heritage of Kerala comes out in its best form and
spirit during the ten-day festival. The central feature of Onam is the
grand feast called Onasadya, prepared on Thiruonam. It is a nine-course
meal consisting of 11 to 13 essential dishes. Onasadya is served on
banana leaves and people sit on a mat laid on the floor to have the
meal.
Another popular feature of Onam is Vallamkali, the Snake Boat Race, held
on the Pamba River, in which decorative boats oared by hundreds of
boatmen race amidst chanting of songs and cheering by spectators and
viewers.
There is also a tradition to play games, collectively called Onakalikal,
on Onam. Men go in for rigorous sports like Talappanthukali, played
with a ball, Ambeyyal (Archery), Kutukutu and combats called Kayyankali
and Attakalam. Women indulge in cultural activities. They make
intricately designed flower mats called, Pookalam in the front courtyard
of the house to welcome King Mahabali. Kaikotti kali and Thumbi Thullal
are two dances performed by women on Onam. Folk performances like
Kummatti kali and Pulikali add to the zest of celebrations.
Mahabali's rule is considered the golden era of Kerala.
The following song is often sung over Onam:
“ Maveli nadu vaneedum kalam,
manusharellarum onnupole
amodhathode vasikkum kalam
apathangarkkumottillathanum
kallavum illa chathiyumilla
ellolamilla polivachanam
kallapparayum cherunazhiyum
kallatharangal mattonnumilla
adhikal vyadhikalonnumilla
balamaranangal kelppanilla"
(Translation)
“When Maveli ruled the land,
All the people were equal.
And people were joyful and merry;
They were all free from harm.
There was neither anxiety nor sickness,
Deaths of children were unheard of,
There were no lies,
There was neither theft nor deceit,
And no one was false in speech either.
Measures and weights were right;
No one cheated or wronged his neighbor.
When Maveli ruled the land,
All the people formed one casteless races”
