SARADHI TRAVELS
"ONAM" is the most significant harvest Festival of Kerala. Onam Festival falls during the Malayalam month of Chingam (Aug - Sept). All the activities during this season are centered on worshipping, music, dance, sports, boat races and good food. Onam is celebrated in the memory of King Mahabali, it was said that King Mahabali ruled Kerala a long time ago and looked after the welfare of the people. Thus Onam shows the blissful rule of the King and the freedom, which the people enjoyed under his rule. The people also believe that during Onam the King returns to Kerala to pay a visit to his people. Carnival of Onam lasts for ten days and brings out the best of Kerala Culture and tradition. Intricately decorated Pookalam, ambrosial Onasadhya, breathtaking Snake Boat Race and exotic Kaikottikali dance are some of the most remarkable features of Onam - the harvest festival in God's own Country.
The people in Kerala arrange for this festival by cleaning up their houses and decorating them. On the occasion of Onam, everybody in the family wears new clothes. Delicious sweets and dishes are prepared and served on the banana leaves. "Pookalam" a flower mat is visible outside every house.
"Poo" means flower, "Kalam" means special shape. Pookalams (flower mats) are usually circular in shape. Onapookalam is made of various kind of flowers. Commonly used flowers include Thumba (Lucas Aspera), Kakka Poo, Thechipoo, Mukkuti (little tree plant), Chemparathy (shoe flower), Aripoo or Konginipoo (lantana), Hanuman Kireedom (Red pagoda plant) and Chethi (Ixora). Of all these flowers, Thumba flowers are given more importance in Pookalam as they are small in size and glitter in the soft rays of the Sun. Thumba Poo is also considered to be the favourite flower of Lord Shiva and King Mahabali was a devout worshipper of Shiva.
Various societies and business groups all over the state organize Pookalam decoration competitions (creating abstract patterns with petals, the floral carpet competition) on the day of Onam. Big prizes are also offered in this contests as they have turned up to be extremely competitive events.
Onam is celebrated not only by Hindus but also by Christians and Muslims. It is one such Festival that unites all the people regardless of race and religion.
ATHAM is the first day of festivities in the ten days long Onam carnival. The day of Atham comes ten days before the asterism Onam or Thiru Onam, hence Atham is regarded holy and auspicious by the traditional people of Kerala. Major highlight of Atham is that people start making Pookalam from this day. In subsequent days more flowers and new designs are added to this pookalam. Selection of flower is also an important matter as a particular flower is selected for each day for a specific diety. Great deal of thought and creativity is employed in the making of Pookalam as girls vie with each other for best design.
From the day of Atham an atmosphere of joy and jubilations envelops the very air of Kerala as people get engaged in one activity or the other. Everybody wishes to celebrate Onam in best possible manner.
CHITHIRA is the second day of celebrations, there are not any marked rituals for the day but people offer their prayers to evoke divine blessings.
For girls the importance of the day lies in the fact they will add new flowers to Pookalam which they started on the day of Atham. So they have to unleash their creativity and think of the most innovative and creative design. Boys of the house will get the job of arranging flowers for the girls. After all everybody wishes to invite Lord Maveli in their own house by making the best Pookalam in the neighbourhood.
A long shopping list is prepared and children get the opportunity of putting in their long pending demands in the elaborate list. A time for wish fulfillment for everyone!
CHODHI third day of the ten day long carnival of Onam is called Chodhi or Chothi. The day is marked by buzz and lot of activities. Frenzied shopping can be witnessed in the market place all over the state as everybody buys new clothes and accompanying accessories for the grand festival of Onam. Gifts are also procured for everyone in the house including the servants. These days shopkeepers too come up with innovative incentives to lure the customers and also offer attractive discounts to cash in on the bullish mood of the festivities.
Well, there are not set rituals for Chodhi. Specific flowers are added to Pookalam on this day too. It may be noted that different types of flowers are added to Pookalam and this increases in diameter on this day and gets a refreshing new design.
VISHAKAM is the fourth day of the Onam festivities. As the number of days left for the big days are very few now, excitement becomes palpable amongst the people of Kerala. Brisk activities in the market and households can be witnessed on the day of Vishakam. Women who have to prepare the elaborate meal of Onasadya on Thiruvonam gets engaged in the prior preparations on Vishakam. Making of various types of pickles and pappadams (papad) besides various other things begins now.
Girls engage themselves in making new designs for Pookalam with flowers of different colours and shapes. It is an endearing sight to watch women dressed in their traditional attire working on the Pookalam. They sing and make merry as and at the same time give shape to their creativity.
ANIZHAM is the fifth day of Onam celebrations. High point of the day is the grand Snake Boat Race event called Vallamkali, which takes place on the fifth day of the Onam. The hugely popular competition happens on the banks of the river Pamba at Aranmula. A multitude of domestic and international tourists come to witness the colourful spectacle of the race. Boats are oared on the rhythm of vanchipattu or boat songs.
On the home front, more flowers are added to the Pookalam laid in the front courtyard of the house. Womens become extremely busy making preparations for Thiru Onam and general atmosphere of excitement prevail at this time in entire Kerala.
THRIKETA is the sixth day of the carnival of Onam. A feeling of joy and jubilation can be felt amongst the people of Kerala at this time. Cultural programmes and social gatherings are organised by various cultural societies all over the state. People of all religions caste and creed participate in these events as the festival of Onam has come to be seen as a secular festival. There are no set rituals marked for the day of Thriketa. It marks the time for home coming for people staying away from their families for various reasons, Onam is the time for family get together and nobody likes to be away from family and dear ones. Joys of festivities doubles in the company of family members and close friends. On this happy note, Pookalam gets a more beautiful design and fresh flowers.
MULAM is the seventh day of the festival of Onam which continues for ten days. With just two days left for the festival now, enthusiasm grips the state of Kerala. Bright colours of the festivities can be seen in commercial areas of the state where the shops are loaded with goods and people are jostling for a space. There is hustle and bustle everywhere as excited people do their last bit of shopping. What is even more apparent on the faces of millions of people of Kerala is the spirit of joy and happiness. People get the feel that the time to meet their Onathappan has just come, a year long wait is going to be over and there will be celebrations all around.
Pookalam is made in a new design on this day with the most beautiful flowers, for maveli is coming and there is a mirth all over.
PURAADAM is the eight day of the ten day long carnival of Onam. The day holds significance in Onam festivities.
On Puradam, size of the Athapoo gets further increased due to an addition of design with a different types flowers. Hectic last minute shopping takes place at this time as people strives to give shape to their creative plans. Massive house cleaning operation starts as people ensure that everything looks neat and tidy when the Onathappan arrives. People also visit friends and relatives and exchange warm greeting of the festive occasion.
Kaikotti kali and Thumbi Thullal are two graceful dances performed by women on Onam. Folk performances like Kummatti kali and Pulikali add to the zest of Onam celebrations.
UTHRADAM is the ninth and the penultimate day of the festival of Onam. There is jubilation all around as people prepare to welcome the spirit of King Mahabali. In some regions of Kerala festivities of Onam starts in a full fledged way from Uthradam itself. It is a public holiday on that day. Some people also call Uthradam as the first Onam and the next day Thiru Onam as the second Onam.
Houses are cleaned up on this day and people get charged up to participate in the events to take place on the following day. Pookalam is given a nice design with new and special flowers on this day. Number of sports and games events are also organised on the day, these are collectively called Onakalikal. There also a tradition of swinging on Onam. A decorated swing is swung on a high branch and young men and women take the pleasure on it while singing traditional songs.
THIRUVONAM ! The enchanting state of Kerala reverberates with the chants of Onaashamsakal... as people exchange warm greetings of the occasion on the tenth and the most important day of the carnival of Onam. People believe that it is on Thiru Onam that the spirit of legendary King Mahabali visits the state of Kerala.
Activities begin early in the morning. People clean their house, take early bath, wear new clothes and participate in special prayers organised in individual homes and then in local temples. Later a very special and the biggest of all days Pookalam is prepared to welcome Maveli. In the noon the grand feast of Onam called Onasadhya is prepared, the sadhya consists of 11 - 13 mandatory dishes and is served on a banana leaf. Various cultural events are organised all over the state to mark the day. Dances, Games, Shows and get together are the other highlights of the day.
