ONAM

More about ONAM

                                          Onam is one of the greatest festivals in Kerala.It is the festival, which the keralites celebrate unitedly without the difference of caste and religion. Onam is a time for sports and festivities and in Kerala where one third of the area is low lying, covered with canals, lakes and backwaters; the people take to their boats and country crafts to celebrate. Colourful aquatic festivals are organized along the sacred rive Pamba.          

        After three months of heavy rains, the sky becomes a clear blue and the forests a deep green. The brooks and streams come alive, spitting forth-gentle white foam, the lakes and rivers overflow and lotuses and lilies are in full bloom. It is time to reap the harvest, to celebrate and to rejoice. The harvest festival of Onam corresponds with the Malayalam New Year, Chingam.

           Onam is the most important harvest festival of Kerala and is an attraction for thousands of people within and outside the state. Ranging from four days to ten days, all the activities during this season are cantered around worshipping, music, dances, sports, boat races and good food. It is celebrated in the Malayalam month Chingam (ending of August and beginning of September).In this year it falls on 29th August 2012.Onam is a harvest festival, and celebrates the bounty of nature after a year of hard labour. Elaborate procession of Trichur and spectacular snake boat races on River Pampa mark the merry-making nature of the festival. Women dress up in new saris and heavy jewellery and make elaborate and intricate designs of 'rangolis' (with coloured rice paste) and 'pookkalam' (with flowers) in front of their homes.

                       

                           Onam is a celebration of Ten days. People put flower mats in front of their houses, to welcome the King. There will be competition for the laying of flower mats; Keralites all over the world will be celebrating these ten days will pomp and gaiety. They will wear new dresses, will be visiting almost all temples which they can, they will be performing lot of dances like Thiruvathira kali Thumbi Tullal etc. to name a few and the most important thing is the grant lunch they will be having on the Thiuruvonam day. Which is also called the Fourth Onam. Whatever may happen they will not miss the Grant lunch. There is a saying in Malayalam that "Kanam Vittu Onam Unnanam" which means, "We should have the Thiruonam lunch even if we have to sell all our properties". They give that much importance to the lunch on the Thiruonam day.

Onam Legend

Onam is connected to a myth or story of old king Mahabali who is said to be ruled Kerala 1000′s of years before. As Hindus Considers Lord Krishna has born around 5000 years back and this story supposed to be happened 1000s of years before the birth of lord Krishna as Vishnu took Vamana form before lord Krishna form. The origin of Kerala Onam Festival is a story connected with a mythical king known as Mahabali and the people in Kerala accept as true that, thousands of years before a king called Mahabali ruled Kerala. As per the story, when Mahabali was ruling Kerala there was no poverty, famine and people never use to lie. Since the king Mahabali’s rule was so good, his name spread all over the earth and the heaven. Due to this, the king of heaven Lord Indra got upset. He thought that if Mahabali’s name spreads like this, soon he will lose the heaven to Mahabali and King Mahabali would become the king of the heaven. So he prayed to Lord Vishnu for help, to protect the heaven from Mahabali (who is a Damon king). Accordingly Lord Vishnu visited King Mahabali in the form of a small Brahmin boy and pushed down him in to a place called Pathalam with his leg. (Pathalam is the world under earth as per Hinduism). However, before pushing down Mahabali in to the Pathalam, Lord Vishnu blessed Mahabali, and permitted him to visit Kerala once in a year as long as the world exists. Kerala people celebrate this day as onam.

Kerala Onam Festival Songs

Onam Festival Songs is normally released with the festival of onam which is celebrated in Kerala state of India. The above king (Mahabali) said to have received a blessing from Lord Vishnu which enabled him to visit his people once in a year even after his time, as long as the world exists. So the Kerala people started celebrating that day with lot of food, games and cultural activities to welcome their beloved king.

This is one of the popular songs is regularly sung over Kerala Onam Festival:

“maveli nadu vaneedum kalam,
manusharellarum onnupole
amodhathode vasikkum kalam
apathangarkkumottillathanum
kallavum illa chathiyumilla
ellolamilla polivachanam
kallapparayum cherunazhiyum
kallatharangal mattonnumilla
adhikal vyadhikalonnumilla
balamaranangal kelppanilla”

Kerala Onam Pookalam

Onam Pookalam is the art works done by flowers in front of Kerala house for Onam. It will start from atham star and ends on Onam. The Onam Pookalam has to be removed every day morning, clean the floor and put fresh one in next day with fresh flowers. In olden days the Kerala was totally an agricultural country and the month of chingam is just after the monsoon. So there was plenty of Flowers available to do Onam Pookalam in a grand color. The flowers which were unique in Kerala like thumpapoo, kakkapoo which were available at large at olden days. But these flowers are not even able to seen nowadays. So the creation of Onam Pookalam is greatly depends on imported flowers from neighboring states like Tamilnadu. It is normal that price of flowers going up on Onam Festival season. Lot of Onam Pookalam competition will be conducted by associations in Kerala and outside -in other states and in abroad.

For more onappokalam, click on the given link.....

Kerala Onam Sadya

Onam sadhya is an unavoidable part of any onam celebration. The saying “kanam vitum onam unnanam” in Malayalam which means that “You have to eat onam sadhya even if you have to sell your property for that” underline the importance of onam sadhya in Malayalees mind. Onam Sadya is a vegetarian Rice Lunch provided on a washed and cleaned plantain leaf with curries and side dishes like Sambar, Avial, Rasam etc. All the dishes should be made with Kerala variation of the recipes. Onam sadhya is a great experience to all. Onam also means new clothes for the whole family, sumptuous home-cooked delicacies on plantain leaf and the lingering aroma of the sweet Onam Payasam.

Kerala Onam Celebrations

Normally in Kerala the Onam Festival is celebrated in houses but in outside Kerala Onam celebrations and functions will be conducted with Malayalees associations. Lot of Malayalees associations are already declared their onam festival celebration for 2011. All this function will host lot cultural programs like bharatnatyam, mohiniyattam, and thiruvathira kali. Onam festival celebrations in Middle East countries like UAE, Kuwait, Oman and other countries like, Singapore, USA, and Australia will be done in bigger manner. Normally either film stars or famous writers will be attended this functions.

Kerala Onam Festivals

Onam Dance

Thiruvathirakali, also known as Kaikottikkali, is a very popular group dance of Kerala. Thiruvathirakali is performed by the women of Hindu community, often during festive seasons like Onam and the Thiruvathira day in the Malayalam month of Dhanu (December- January). Performed by maids in order to attain everlasting marital bliss, Thiruvathirakali is a simple and gentle dance with the lasya element or the amorous charm predominating. The dance is performed around a nilavilakku (a ceremonial lamp) or a floral decoration especially during Onam. The dancers move in a circular pattern, accompanied by rhythmic clapping of the hands, to the tune of the Thiruvathira pattu. One of the performers sings the first line of the Thiruvathira pattu (song) while the rest repeat it in chorus. The songs are often narrations from the folk epics. . Today, Thiruvathirakali has become a popular dance form for all seasons and also a popular stage item.

Onathallu

Onathallu is a martial art form of central Kerala, especially in the banks of the river Nila. It started as an entertainment art (kayyamkali) for the upper cast people, especially the rulers. It is also being known as ‘kayyamkali’, it means a martial exercise using hands. It’s being performed during the festive occasions to show the strength of a group or villages. Initially it started as martial exercise for the soldiers who were part of the military troupe of local landlord or king. Earlier during the initial days, it was practiced in the courtyards of old ‘tharavad’ (Big house where the masters used to live). Then, slowly it started treating it as a local festival, involving local people to make it as a joint celebration.

Pulikkali / kaduvakali

Pulikali is a colorful recreational folk art from the state of Kerala. It is performed by trained artists to entertain people on the occasion of Onam Festival. Pulikali, also known as Kaduvaakali, is a 200 year old art, carefully preserved by the artists of the state. Puli means leopard so the Pulikali means leopard play. As the name means a group of youths dressed as leopards, dance in front of another man dressed as hunter with a gun. The Pulikali will be moving from streets to streets. It is one of the good entertaining programs for the participators as well as for onlookers.

Vallam kali

It is mainly conducted during the season of the harvest festival Onam in Autumn. Vallam Kali include races of many kinds of traditional boats (paddled longboat) of Kerala. The race of Chundan Vallam(snake boat) is the major event. Hence Vallam Kali is also known in English as Snake Boat Race and now in recent years has become a major tourist attraction. Other types of boats which do participate in various events in the race are Churulan Vallam, Iruttukuthy Vallam, Odi Vallam, Veppu Vallam (Vaipu Vallam), Vadakkanody Vallam, Kochu Vallam. 

Ambeyyal

Archery or Ambeyyal as it is popularly called in Kerala, is one of the many games played on the occasion of Onam. The game tests the skill and patience of a player and is played by men. 

Shooting the Arrows

Players shoot indiscriminately at the mark or cheppu. One who manages to hit it carries all the arrows lying on the ground for his team. Players of each team make efforts to secure all the arrows and deprive the other team of its stock.

Tension and excitement is palpable on the ground as players keep shouting and gesticulating during the game. There are some funny moments too that provokes laughter amongst players and onlookers.

Talappanthukali

The ball game

Talappanthukali is one of the major out-door games played on the occasion of Onam. The game is essentially a ball game and extremely popular one.

Prepairing the ball

There is a unique way in which the ball is prepared for Pantukali. Layers and layers of dried up plantain are wrapped in the shape of a ball. Some pebbles are also kept inside to give weight. Prepared mass is then covered with plantain fiber or coconut fiber and made into the size of a tennis ball.

The game

To play this unique kind of foot-ball, players divide themselves into two groups. Talappanthukali is played in an open area. Natta (a stick) is planted at one end of ground and a line or boundary is drawn at the other end to mark the space beyond which the ball should not be thrown.

A player from the team playing from the side of natta serves the ball to the opposite team. Players of the opposite team try to catch the ball. If the opposite team is able to catch the ball, the player who served is considered 'out'. And, if the catch is missed the player who served, manages to get another chance. A player wins if he throws the ball at the stick and hits it. 

Onam is harvest festival of Kerala

As Kerala onam festival falls after the harvest of Kerala harvest season which starts from June (Monsoon Rain), some are considering it as harvest festival of Kerala. Onam festival is celebrated over ten days. After the monsoons Kerala is lush green with streams full of water, nature is at its best during the periods of Onam. India is essentially an agricultural country and the Malayalees celebrate Onam to mark the end of the summer monsoons.

Atham

Kerala Onam Festival is celebrated by making arts by flowers (Onam Pookalam) in front of house. It starts from atham (10 days behind Thiruvonam). Every day morning the old Onam Pookalam will be removed and fresh one will be made. The size and quality of the Onam Pookalam (Flower art) will increase day by day and on tenth day which is Thiruvonam it will be very grand. On Thiruvonam Malayalees will do Onam Pookalam inside their house, drawing rooms etc. This Onam Pookalam will be removed only on third day.

Thrikkakarappan

A clay pyramid structure with four faces and a flat top used during Onam celebrations symbolizes Thrikkakara Appan or Thrikakkarappan. This unique structure represents Vamana, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. For some people the pyramid represents both King Maveli and Vishnu. It is also referred as Onathappan. Thrikkakarappan is the presiding deity in the famous Thrikakkara temple in Ernakulam District of Kerala and is closely associated with the Onam myth. 

         According to Onam mythology and popular belief, Lord Vishnu in his Vamana Avatar unjustly pushed King Mahabali into the netherworld or pathalam. But Lord Vishnu granted King Bali the boon to visit his subjects once in a year. It is also believed that King Bali got ‘Vishnu sayujyam’ or reached the Vaikunta. Due to this both King Mahabali and Lord Vishnu in the Vamana avatar are welcomed during Onam. This makes Onam a unique festival in which the victor and the vanquished are both are worshipped.

The structure is made using clay or mud and generally it has four faces with a flat top. In some places the structure is in the shape of a cone. Nowadays readymade Thrikakkarappan structures are available for sale during Onam festival.