Onam - Festival of Kerala

Onam is the state festival of Kerala. It is a very ancient festival that has transcended the times. It is a harvest festival celebrated annually and lasts ten days. Onam festival is celebrated in the month of Chingam (meaning Leo /Lion ), which is the first month of the Malayalam Calendar. Onam is celebrated on the day of the ThiruOnam Nakshatra (Sravana), in the month of Chingam (August - September ). It is celebrated to commemorate the golden rule of King Mahabali, who is supposed to visit his former subjects from the nether world. So lots of pomp and splendor and cultural elements are added to the festivities to please the former King who always cared very much for the well being of his subjects. Onam could be an allegory of the ideal kingdom. The festival has a secular fabric, which is a great solace, in these times of great divides. 

Mahabali or Bali was the grandson of Prahlada, son of Asura King HiranyaKashipu who was killed by Lord Vishnu's Narasimha avatar. Like grandfather Prahlada, Bali was also a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu. Bali, when he came to power, conquered all the realms with the help of his Guru Shukracharya. The Devas became envious and scared of Bali and wanted to get rid of him. They approached Lord Vishnu and he agreed to help them. He incarnated as Vamana (Dwarf ). Vamana was born to Aditi, the mother of Devas and wife of Kashyap. Kashyap had two wives, Diti and Aditi. Diti was the mother of Asuras.

At this time Bali, now Mahabali, was reigning high. With the aid of Shukracharya, he planned to perform Ashwameda Yagam, which would enable him to bring all the three worlds under him. The generous Mahabali declared that anyone was free to ask anything from him. At this juncture, Vamana visited Mahabali with a small demand. Vamana asked for land equivalent to three paces of his own feet. Hearing this Shukracharya became suspicious and warned Mahabali, but Mahabali was not the one to go back on his words. He agreed and then Vamana started growing in size, to such a size that with one step he covered the entire earth, with the second he covered the Heavens. There was no space to put down the third foot. Mahabali (means great sacrifice), as his name suggests, readily bowed before Vamana and asked him to put the third foot on his head. Vamana obliged, and thus Mahabali was pushed down to the nether world Sutala, the heaven like underworld. The place where Vamana set his foot is the present Thrikkakara (place of holy foot) near Kochi. Vamana was extremely pleased with Mahabali that he made him the ruler of the underworld, Sutala and on Mahabali's request allowed him to visit his former subjects once a year. And his former subjects started celebrating the visit as a month long festival, reliving the prosperity of the olden days. Nowadays Onam is celebrated for ten days. 

Now the festivities of onam start ten days before the supposed visit of Mahabali on the day of thiruonam nakshatra (Sravana ), which is also the birth star of Lord Vishnu. Onam celebration starts on the day of Atham nakshathra (Hastha ). So it is called Athachamayam. Pookalam or Floral designs akin to Rangoli, are made in front of the houses. Small obelisk shaped mounts made of clay, representing Lord Vamana and King Mahabali, called onathappan are also kept in the pookalam. On the day after thiruonam, on the day of avittom nakshathra (Dhanishta ) Mahabali returns to the underworld. On that day onathappan is immersed in water. 

Very elaborate and sumptuous meals, onasadya, are prepared and consumed on these days. 

Onam is a time of gaiety, music and dance. Thiruvathira dance, kummattikali, puli kali, thumbi thullal etc are some of the ancient and traditional dances showcased during the festival. A ritual worship dance known as theyyam is also showcased. In it the character of Mahabali is played by onathar. Oneswaran and onapottan are other characters. 

Onavillu is a bow-shaped musical instrument that accompanies kummattikali. Another kind of onavillu has dashavatharam painted on it and embellished with tassles and displayed. So that Mahabali can see Lord Vishnu and his avatars whenever he visits earth. 

Kazhchakkula samarpanam to the Guruvayoor Temple is a ritual associated with onam. The banana bunch of the changali kodan variety is given as offering.

Onam is a time of team games. The most famous are the Snake boat races, vallam kali, conducted during this time. 

People purchase new clothes, onakkodi, during onam. This is symbolic of shedding the old and embracing the new. 

Another legend about Onam is that it is the comemmoration of the formation of the land of Kerala. It is said that Parasurama, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, threw his axe into the sea and reclaimed the land from Gokarna in the north to Kanyakumari in the south. 

Malayalees celebrate this festival with great joy and fervor.