Onam .......The Festival Of Flowers and Harvest and Colurs

Onam ........the word itself brings Nostalgic memories .......Of Poo kalams (Flower carpets in traditional round shapes .with multicoloured hues ...), of little girls in silk full skirts and ladies in the traditional cream neeriyasari (the traditional malayali sari with the gold border ) and sweet white jasmines in their hair ........men in mundu or dhotis and new shirts .............wow so fresh so happy so colurful .............................

Long long long ago there lived a demon king Mahabali ....... king of a very prosperous , rich , happy kerala ....very generous , just , powerful , brave , intelligent and virtuous .........he did not have one bad quality that anyone could point out , Young and old alike loved him and there was not a soul in the land who was unhappy ........so fine a king was he ...

So good was he that the Gods felt threatened that a demon would be more loved than Gods by humans .......so they decided to send him away but even they did not have a reason to punish him ..........................The Gods then decided to approach Lord Vishnu to help them out ......and he did this ;

He dressed up as Vamanan a small brahmin boy .......and went to Mahabali the next day morning . Mahabali had a great virtue of giving others whatever they asked him .nobody ever returned empty handed from his court .

When Mahabali saw Vamanan he welcomed him with utmost happiness and respect and asked him what he could do for him ........Then Vamanan told him i need 3 steps of land for myself .The poor unsuspecting mahabali told him is that all revered one u could ask for more ....But Vamanan said no that is all i want ..So Mahabali agreed and called his people to measure out land for him . But Vamanan said No i want the land according to my 3 feet ..............this too mahabali agreed ......and then he saw the most astonishing sight .

Vamanan increased in size and became towering and almost touched the sky ........with one feet he covered all the land and with the other the heavens and skies ..............he then said now i have no place for the third feet .......u have promised me 3 feet of land now how will u keep your promise .............And Mahabali just smiled ...............He said When Mahabali makes a promise he keeps it too here you can keep the third feet on my head and take me too .......He bend low down and Vamanan kept the third feet on Mahabalis head and stamped him down to the underworld thus taking over the skies the earth and the underworld ...............

The Gods felt they had tricked him but actually Mahabali had knowingly given up everything .........since he believed in Giving and sharing ...............

Thus ended the saga of the Greatest kings who ever ruled Kerala .....It recalls the sacrifice of the great king, his true devotion to God, his human pride and his ultimate redemption. This king once ruled over the Keralites during the Golden Age before caste existed, "when all men were equal, when no one was poor, when there was neither theft nor dread of thieves" (Maveli natu vanitum kalam... Manusharellam onnu pole ... ). But after he went his people lost their smiles , their goodness and all was sad and black .............and the Gods regretted their action ..........

Then Lord Vishnu called on Mahabali again and told him about his ........he asked if he could visit his people once every year for 10 days .......... to just make sure that they well and prosperous .........and ..........that is what Onam is all about ..................All the year the Keralites work hard and then comes the 10 days of celebrations and Welcoming of Mahabali .............

It is believed that he visits every home in these 10 days and checks out all the people rich and poor alike ...........So people lay out the flower carpet called "Athappookkalam" in front of houses, from the first day of 'Atham' to the tenth day of 'Thiruvonam' is part of the festivities, which is a symbolic gesture to welcome King Mahabali.

Onam is a great time to be in Kerala, as this beautifully lush green region combines a celebration of its warring and seafaring traditions with festivities honouring the ancient asura king Mahabali,

Kaikottikkali is a folk dance form performed by the women all over the State during Onam with clapping of hands by the performers. Pulikkali (meaning tiger dance) is performed by men on the streets and visiting houses wearing masks resembling tigers, lions and other animals in return for which they are showered with gifts. Vallomkali is another cultural activity during the Onam time which is very popular in the plains with access to the backwaters. In this, snake boats(called chundan volloms) manned by terms of around a hundred oarsssmen from neighbouring local villages, rowing to the rhythms of cymbals and drums, race in thrilling contests at Aranmula, Champakulam and Kottayam in Kerala.

The earthen mounds representing Mahabali and Vishnu are placed in the dung-plastered courtyards in between the pookalams . Traditional rituals are performed followed by a lavish feast called 'Sadhya'. Onam also means new clothes for the whole family, sumptuous home-cooked delicacies on plantain leaf and the lingering aroma of the sweet Payasam.

But now Onam is being commercialised as is not as it was .............People are scaterred all over the world and dont get leaves or holidays to go and celebrate the grand festival . In the past people young and old and men and women alike would get up at 4 in the morning and bathe and go to the temple and then all together get into the kitchen to prepare the Ona Sadya or the Onam feast .....nowadays it is ordered from caterers who deliver the feast items to ur doorstep ...........

The new generation would not know even who was Mahabali or what is the significance of this 10 days grand festival ........Let the older generations take up the responsibility of spreading the goodness and knowledge and traditions and keep the lamp burning .....................

I have written a very small blog on Onam but there is so much more to write ........u could read it on several sites related to Onam ....just search for Onam or Kerala ......

Wishing all Readers a Happy Onam may the year be filled with Prosperity , Colour , health , happiness and abundance of goodness ................