Onam is a harvesting festival that is celebrated majorly in the state of Kerala. It is one of the most awaited and biggest festivals of Kerala that symbolizes the annual home coming of demon king Mahabali. The Onam festival is celebrated by all Malayalis or Keralites for ten days with great fervor and enthusiasm. During Onam, various festivities, boat races and cultural activities are held at various places in Kerala with great splendour and grandeur.
When is Onam Celebrated?
Onam is celebrated in the beginning of Chingam, the first month of Kollavarsham, Malayalam Calendar. It is the time of the year when the good harvest is gathered by the natives of Kerala. On Gregorian Calendar or English Calendar, Onam falls in the month of August and September.
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As per old traditions, the ten day celebration of Onam festival begins with the Atham Nakshatra (Hasta asterism) and concludes on the Thiruvonam Nakshatra (Shravan asterism) in the Malayalam month of Chingam. The main Onam celebration occurs on Thiruvonam or the second Onam.
When is Onam 2021?
Onam 2021 is on August 21, Saturday.
Significance of Onam Festival
According to mythology, King Mahabali or Maveli was a great, generous and virtuous ruler of Kerala. In his reign, the kingdom grew prosperous and peaceful. All his subjects were happy and everyone used to love their King. Jealous of the prosperity of the kingdom of a demon king (enemy clan), the Devtas (gods of heaven) sent Lord Vishnu to end the rule of Mahabali on the earth. Lord Vishnu emerged as Vamana Avatar (a dwarf) and asked for three feet of land from Mahabali. At the time of measuring three feet, Lord Vishnu measured all the words in two steps and asked Mahabali for a place to put his third step. As a reply, Mahabali requested Vamana to place his foot on his head. This pleased Lord Vishnu and before sending him to the nether world, Lord Vishnu blessed Mahabali with a boon that he could visit his subjects and kingdom once in a year. Thus, every year people of his kingdom (Kerala) celebrate Onam festival as the day of homecoming of their loving king Mahabali.
Moreover, Onam is celebrated as a harvest festival as this is the time of the year when the people of Kerala gather their rice harvest and give thanks to Lord for the food and prosperity.
Onam Celebration and Rituals
Onam is celebrated for all the ten days with great grandeur and vigour. Here are the rituals that and festivities performed during these days.
- On Attam, family members wake up early in the morning and wear new clothes called “Onakkodi’. They install Thrikkakara appan or Vaman Vishnu idols and worship.
- Malayali women draw different “Pookkalam”, floral designs on the east side ground of their homes. They light lamps and sing traditional Onam songs (Onappattukal) to welcome King Mahabali or Maveli.
- On Thiru Onam, a swinging ceremony is performed in which a swing is slung on the high branch of a tree. Women decorate this swing with flowers and ride it by turns singing melodious songs.
- On the third day of Onam, people invite their relatives and friends to a grand feast called “Onam Sadya”. They cook at least 13 dishes including Rice, vegetable curry, curd and Payasam (sweet stew) and serve it on banana leaves. Payasam is considered as the must having dish on Onam. It is prepared by milk, ric, sugar and coconut.
- The famous “Vallamkali” or Snake Boat Race is observed at various places. In Alappuzha, Kerala hundreds of large and decorated boats with at least seven drums participate in the race. People from abroad and different parts of the country visit to witness this grand event of Onam.
- On the ninth day of Onam, dependents and tenants of the family give vegetables, coconut oil as gifts (Onakazhcha) to the eldest member of the family called “Karanavar”. This tradition is mainly followed in the Nair sects of Kerala.
- During Onam festival and especially on the tenth day, various cultural activities and festivities are held in temples and religious places. Elephants are decorated with ornaments and grand processions are held.
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