Onam

Date: 4th September, 2017
Month : September
Place : Kerala, India
Famous For : Cultural Festival
Attractions : Boat Racing, Pulikali (dressing up like tigers or leopards on two feet), Ball Games, Playing Dramas..

Onam is a festival celebrated in the Kerala (a state of India). Government of Kerala considers it as Kerala's state festival an. Onam is celebrated on the "Thiruvonam" day of Malayalam month "Chingam", to mark the visit of Mahabali (also called Maveli) to his land. All people irrespective of religious beliefs or color difference celebrate this festival. The national festival of Kerala coincides with the harvesting season of Kerala. The atmosphere also seems to join the celebration, with the blooming of a variety of flowers and sighting of a lot of butterflies, and songs of birds..

Major Attractions

Onam is also the carnival season of Kerala, people actively engaging in a variety of activities like boat racing, pulikali (dressing up like tigers or leopards on two feet), ball games, playing marbles, playing dramas and the list of activities is endless. Women also engage in dancing, singing etc. There will be also dance performances of Mohiniyattom, kathakali, etc. and martial arts performance of Kalaripayattu.Government of India has taken due notice of this vibrant and colorful festival. It promotes Onam internationally in a big way and celebrates 'Tourist Week' for Kerala during Onam celebrations. Thousands of domestic and foreign tourists visit Kerala to be a part of Onam.

The Legend

The origin of Onam is a story connected with the mythical King Mahabali. Kerala people believe that, thousands of years before King Mahabali ruled over Kerala. As per the story, when he was ruling, there was no poverty, famine and people never use to lie. Since the King Mahabali's rule was so good, his name spread all over the earth and the heaven. Due to this, the king of the heaven Lord Indra got upset. He thought that if Mahabali's name spreads like this, soon he would lose the heaven to Mahabali. So he prayed to Lord Vishnu for help, to protect the heaven from Mahabali (who is a Damon king). Accordingly, Lord Vishnu visited King Mahabali in the form of a small Brahmin boy and pushed down him in to a place called Pathalam with his leg. (Pathalam is the world under earth as per Hinduism). However, before pushing him down in to the Pathalam, Lord Vishnu blessed mahabali, and permitted him to visit Kerala once in a year as long as the world exists. Kerala people celebrate this day as Onam.

Onam Celebrations

The main attraction of "thiruvonam" day is a special onam feast, locally called onam sadya or onasadya, which is serving of rice with atleast 15 side dishes on banana leaves. Onasadya will be there in each and every home in Kerala. There is also some dress code to eat the onasadya. Men wear white dhotis with shirt and women white or ivory colored saree and blouse with borders embroidered with golden threads, called kasavu. Children will get a yellow piece of cloth called onakkohdi or manjakkohdi.

One of the main attractions of Onam, is the 'Vallamkali' or boat races of Karuvatta, Payippad, Aranmula and Kottayam. Hundreds of oarsmen row traditional boats to the rhythm of drums and cymbals. These long graceful Snake Boats called 'Chundans' are named after their exceedingly long hulls and high sterns that resemble the raised hood of a cobra. Then there are 'Odis', the small and swift raiding crafts adorned with gold tasseled silk umbrellas, the 'Churulans' with their elaborately curled prows and sterns, and the 'Veppus', a kind of cook-boat. This traditional village rivalry on watercrafts reminds one of ancient naval warfare. Thousands throng the banks to cheer and watch the breathtaking show of muscle power, rowing skills and rapid rhythm. These boats - all pitted against their own kind - rip through the backwaters of Kerala in a tussle of speed.

Official Website :http://www.onamfestival.org/