Onam

Onam is the festival to welcome the home coming of King Mahabali in Kerala. Onam marks the biggest festival of the southern state in Kerala. It is celebrated in the months of August &September. Festivities are spread over ten days and begin with Atham and end with Tiruonam. On the first day, people have bath early in the morning and offer prayers.

To welcome King Mahabali Poookalam, floral designs are prepared in the courtyard by women in the house. A grand procession is organized to symbolize the king’s tour in the city and back to his fort.

Pookalam making continues on all ten days – it is the flower mat making activity engaged by the women folk in their front yard. The second and third day are Chithira and Chodi. People organize get together's and exchange gifts on Chodi. It is an occasion to call upon a shopping spree for the entire family as the tradition of exchanging gifts has been there since a long time. Children get it in the form of blessings and silver coins. After the harvest is done, the farm produce is distributed by the elders among family members and even the domestic helpers get their due. With change in time the gifts have also changed to modern day goodies.

On the fourth day, Visakam a special meal called Onasadya is prepared. A legend behind the delicacies prepared on Visakam is that King Mahabali requested God to allow him to visit his kingdom every year and the same was granted. This nine course meal with not less than 64 dishes is prepared for his very homecoming. The platter of delicacies is served in a traditional manner on a banana leaf. Though the entire meal is special, rice is the most important recipe on the menu.

The other items on the menu are pappad, salt, banana wafers, sarkarapuratti, ginger lime and mango pickles, 'vellarika', 'pavakka', beetroot and 'ullikitchadi'. 'Kitchadi' made of pineapple and banana splits or of grapes and apple too are served.
The cuisines made this day actually are to invite the king. The fifth day is Anizham, the day of boat race event called Vallimkali. This event is one of the major attractions for national and international tourists. The snake boats race on the rhythm of the boats songs called the vanchipattu. An ancient story that runs around the boat race says that the snakes like boats were built to save food from pirates. This food is prepared for Gods in Arunmulla temple.

The sixth day is the Thriketa or the day of carnival. Lots of traditional programmes including the songs and dances are held to mark this day. The celebrations continue through the days of Moolam, Pooradam, Uthradam and Thiruvonam.

Onam is also the harvest festival, on Uthradam the harvest is brought home by the farmers. Another feature of Onam is the grand elephant procession. Elephants on the occasion are decorated with golden ornaments and flowers and paraded through streets.
Author: Ms Coutinho.

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