Added: 10/08/2007 |
The Celebration Of Onam In KeralaOnam is an annual festival celebrated in the southern Indian state of Kerala in September or October. The celebration of Onam includes a number of joyful activities like decorating places, singing and dancing, and traditional sporting events. Onam is not only celebrated by Hindu members of the community but it stands as an interfaith event in which people of various religions and subcultures participate with enthusiasm.
The celebration of Onam in Kerala is observed in the tradition of King Mahabali, a generous demon king, who was a worshipper of Lord Vishnu and was sent to the underworld by gods who frowned upon his increasing popularity among the people. As Lord Vishnu was pleased with King Mahabali’s worship and generosity, he granted Mahabali the permission to visit his people (in Kerala) every year. Onam is, therefore, observed as a joyous occasion of King Mahabali’s homecoming.
While there are many exciting activities held and enjoyed during Onam, the celebration of Onam is special for two main customs. One is dressing up in new clothes on the first Onam day, a custom traditionally called onakkodi. The second custom is that of relishing the special Onam feast called onam sadhya. With rice as the entree, the feast includes serving several dishes at a time, by way of tradition, on banana leaves. Special dessert called payasam is served after the meal.
The celebration of Onam presents a beautiful scene. People lovingly decorate the open space, outside their houses, with Pookkalam-a floral decorative consisting of various attractive colors. Most of the gathering and arrangement of flowers is done by children, especially young girls. A traditional oil-lamp placed in the floral decorative, usually at the center, completes the ornate design of Pookkalam. By holding a competition of creating the best floral design, people escalate the joy of the occasion.
Sporting events are an important and exciting part of the celebration of Onam. Most famous and enjoyable is the grand boat race called Vallamkali. Also popularly known as the ‘snake boat race’, this entertaining event is meant to commemorate the old legend of Namboodari, the head of the Katoor Mana family, who saw the deity as a boy at the Aranmulla Temple. The race is run by large, snake-shaped, traditional boats, each about 100 feet long. Each boat represents a separate village and the racing distance is stretched over 40 km. The race is held on the fifth day of Onam and is accompanied by traditional songs called Vanchipattu.
Other merrymaking activities are also part of the celebration of Onam. People enjoy the festival by lighting fireworks, watching and participating in parades of caparisoned elephants, and performing the traditionally famous Kathakali dance. All this festivity attracts a large number of tourists, both from within India and from outside. People of other ideologies and creeds (like Muslims and Christians) and varying social classes and subcultures enthusiastically participate in Onam. This makes it a truly multi-cultural and interfaith festival of the year.
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