As Kerala starts preparing for celebrating the national festival of Onam, I wanted to dedicate this blog entirely to that celebration that is so integral to the life's of the Keralate.
To the uninitiated, Onam or Thiruvonnam as it is rightly phrased is the celebration to commemorate the return of Mahabali. Mahabali is an ancient mythical king who was believed to have ruled Kerala in ancient times. In his kingdom, it is said that there was no hunger, no poverty and no sadness. People lived as equals and there was prosperity all around. He was so immensely popular that Lord Indira, the king of gods got jealous of him and coerced Lord Vishnu to do some thing. Under the persistent prayers of Indira, Vishnu adorned the guise of Vamana ( one of his avatars) and reached Mahabali's castle. Mahabali at that time was conducting a yaga for world domination. At that time, he was obliged to give whatever ones asks him to give. Vamana approached Mahabali and asked him for three feet of land. Mahabali without understanding the consequences readily agreed to the same. Then Vamana started growing and before the very eyes of the onlookers became so big that he filled all the 14 world. With one step, he measured he heaven and with the second he covered earth and other 12 worlds. Now for the third step, Mahabali offered his head in salutation, now fully realising that the kid standing before him is no ordinary man. Lord Vishnu was so pleased with ostantise offered by Mahabali that even though he banised Mahabali to Pathala, Mahabali was allowed to return and visit his kingdom and his citizens every year for Thirovonam. Hence every year Onam is celebrated to recieve this great ruler.
Onam is also the time when in olden times the harvest will be over and all families will have aplenty. Hence Onam is a harvest festival and it also shows the close affiliation that Malayalis had for agriculture and how important agriculture played a part in the life of the common man.
From my childhood, I was brought up in the atmosphere of an industry as my father was working as the Deputy Chief Engineer in one of the PSU's of Kerala. Hence there was no regular vacation. We used to take vacation only three times every year, that is for Vishu, then Onam and Christmas. For Vishu as it coupled with the summer vacation, hence for me it was a really happy period as I am not burdened by the studies as the annual exams are over and also looking forward to starting the next year being promoted to a new class. But I think in our calendar, Onam was the prime festival as it was also the time when my grand mother's birthday was also celebrated which incidently fell on the day of Uthradam, that is the day before Onam. For Onam, we used to travel to Trichur where my father had his home. It was also the time when many of my cousins would come. At that time as the vacation fell after the quarterly exams got finished, it was time for play and relaxation all the way for us kids. It was also the time when my cousin brother Anup would come and we had such a nice time playing all day. At that time that was not a big thing. But as one grows older and increasingly gets involved with ones profession, such pleasent memories to times long gone by lingers in ones mind. I still distinctly remember the Pookalam prepared by my sisters, the intricate and attractive designs that was woven from the carpet of flowers. I still have many more memories of Trichur which is the cultural capital of Kerala. Trichur perhaps has more temples than any other town in Kerala. I still remember distingtly our visits to all the temples in and around Trichur which included Vadakkunathan, Parmekavu, Thiruvambadi, Shankaran Kulanganra and Kottapuram temples. Then there was the visists to Guruvayur. I always liked Guruyayur, the abode of my lord Guruvayurappan.
Then there was Pulikali and Kumatti which is unique to Trichur. In those times, all the artists would visit the houses and perform. But the highlight has to be the sadhya or the grand feast which was there for the all four days. It was a family function with us enjoying with all the cousins, uncles, aunts, grand parents and others. The feast was grand by any scale with the Payasam or the Pudding being the icing in the cake. We used to have such a lovely time. Now as I have grown older and I have started getting more committed to my work, things and priorities have changed. Now in the last two years since I have become independent, I think I have spent my Onam working. It is at such times that one nostalgically remembers times long gone by.
WISHING ALL A HAPPY AND A PROSPEROUS ONAM
To the uninitiated, Onam or Thiruvonnam as it is rightly phrased is the celebration to commemorate the return of Mahabali. Mahabali is an ancient mythical king who was believed to have ruled Kerala in ancient times. In his kingdom, it is said that there was no hunger, no poverty and no sadness. People lived as equals and there was prosperity all around. He was so immensely popular that Lord Indira, the king of gods got jealous of him and coerced Lord Vishnu to do some thing. Under the persistent prayers of Indira, Vishnu adorned the guise of Vamana ( one of his avatars) and reached Mahabali's castle. Mahabali at that time was conducting a yaga for world domination. At that time, he was obliged to give whatever ones asks him to give. Vamana approached Mahabali and asked him for three feet of land. Mahabali without understanding the consequences readily agreed to the same. Then Vamana started growing and before the very eyes of the onlookers became so big that he filled all the 14 world. With one step, he measured he heaven and with the second he covered earth and other 12 worlds. Now for the third step, Mahabali offered his head in salutation, now fully realising that the kid standing before him is no ordinary man. Lord Vishnu was so pleased with ostantise offered by Mahabali that even though he banised Mahabali to Pathala, Mahabali was allowed to return and visit his kingdom and his citizens every year for Thirovonam. Hence every year Onam is celebrated to recieve this great ruler.
Onam is also the time when in olden times the harvest will be over and all families will have aplenty. Hence Onam is a harvest festival and it also shows the close affiliation that Malayalis had for agriculture and how important agriculture played a part in the life of the common man.
From my childhood, I was brought up in the atmosphere of an industry as my father was working as the Deputy Chief Engineer in one of the PSU's of Kerala. Hence there was no regular vacation. We used to take vacation only three times every year, that is for Vishu, then Onam and Christmas. For Vishu as it coupled with the summer vacation, hence for me it was a really happy period as I am not burdened by the studies as the annual exams are over and also looking forward to starting the next year being promoted to a new class. But I think in our calendar, Onam was the prime festival as it was also the time when my grand mother's birthday was also celebrated which incidently fell on the day of Uthradam, that is the day before Onam. For Onam, we used to travel to Trichur where my father had his home. It was also the time when many of my cousins would come. At that time as the vacation fell after the quarterly exams got finished, it was time for play and relaxation all the way for us kids. It was also the time when my cousin brother Anup would come and we had such a nice time playing all day. At that time that was not a big thing. But as one grows older and increasingly gets involved with ones profession, such pleasent memories to times long gone by lingers in ones mind. I still distinctly remember the Pookalam prepared by my sisters, the intricate and attractive designs that was woven from the carpet of flowers. I still have many more memories of Trichur which is the cultural capital of Kerala. Trichur perhaps has more temples than any other town in Kerala. I still remember distingtly our visits to all the temples in and around Trichur which included Vadakkunathan, Parmekavu, Thiruvambadi, Shankaran Kulanganra and Kottapuram temples. Then there was the visists to Guruvayur. I always liked Guruyayur, the abode of my lord Guruvayurappan.
Then there was Pulikali and Kumatti which is unique to Trichur. In those times, all the artists would visit the houses and perform. But the highlight has to be the sadhya or the grand feast which was there for the all four days. It was a family function with us enjoying with all the cousins, uncles, aunts, grand parents and others. The feast was grand by any scale with the Payasam or the Pudding being the icing in the cake. We used to have such a lovely time. Now as I have grown older and I have started getting more committed to my work, things and priorities have changed. Now in the last two years since I have become independent, I think I have spent my Onam working. It is at such times that one nostalgically remembers times long gone by.
These days, Onam for malayalis have also considerably changed. No longer will you find children going around seeking flowers to decorate the Pookalam nor is there any other festivities including Kaikotti Kali by the women which for many is part and parcel of Onam. Now with the changing life style, Onam has also become capsulised with everybody preferring to spend time before the TV, watching all the programs dished out by some 10 something malayalam channels. Our life and priorities are changing. Let us try to rekindle at least some of the spirit that made Onam the national festival celebrated by everybody, transecting religion, case and creed.
WISHING ALL A HAPPY AND A PROSPEROUS ONAM
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