Festivals of Kerala

ONAM

ONAM, the harvest festival, is celebrated annually throughout Kerala during August-September. In short, Onam means flowers, 'onakkodi' (New clothes), sumptuous feats on plantain leaves with 'avial'', 'pappadum' 'pazham' (Plantation fruit), 'payasams' onappoo-ada and swinging under the mango tree, days spent collecting those elusive flowers for pookalam (floral arrangement) and evenings dancing with neighbourhood children wearing tiger masks, called pulikkali. Onam as the most colourful and the principal festival of the most colourful and the principal festival of the region which cuts across all religious and communal barriers.

Onam heralds the harvest festival and is also according to folklore the time of the year when the king Mahabali, the legendary ruler of an ancient golden era in Kerala, returns from the depths of the nether world to visit his beloved subjects. It is an unusual festival, in the sense that it reverses the memory of the local 'asura' (demon) king, Mahabali (who is also affectionately called Maveli or Onathappan), whom Lord Vishnu coming down to earth as Vamanan, a Brahmin boy, cleverly exploited the very benevolence of this great king to oust him from his kingdom.

So attached was the king to his country and subjects, that he asked for and was granted permission to visit his subjects once every year. Onam is considered to be that day on which King Mahabali comes top visit the beloved subjects of his kingdom. Houses are cleaned, everyone wears the new Onam clothes (Onakkodi) they have received and floral decorations are put to give a fitting welcome to the beloved ruler during whose rule the kingdom was said to have been at its glorious.

Legend has it that the gods became jealous of the king because he was so well adored and loved by his subjects that Indran, the king of the devas felt that his position was under threat due to the immense popularity enjoyed by Mahabali among his subjects. So he requested Lord Vishnu's help whereby the lord devised a scheme to get rid of Mahabali and sent him into exile in the nether world. Lord vishnu came down to earth in the guise of Vamanan, a poor Brahmin boy and requested the ever benevolent king for three foot measures of land to meditate upon. The king asked Vamana to measure and take the same from anywhere he wanted. On getting the king's permission. Lord Vishnu transforms into his cosmic form and covers the earth and all the other worlds in his first two root measures and asks the king where he should get his third foot measure of space from.

The king being a man of great honour could not even think of going back on his word and offered his own very head whereby lord Vishnu' put his foot over the king's head and pushed him down to 'patalam'. Before being sent down, the king requested Lord Vishnu permission to visit his country and people and was given permission to return to his people one each year. It is this occasion of Mahabali's annual visit that is celebrated as Onam.

A grandiose welcome is prepared everywhere for this annual visit. Dances and songs proclaim the glorious reign of the Mahabali, when perfect harmony and joy prevailed all over the kingdom. Elaborate carpets of flowers called 'pookkalam' is laid out on floors and streets all over state. The whole region takes an a carnival atmosphere with games, compitetions, processions and what not being organised everywhere. The traders and shops vie with each other to attract the Onam shop-pers.

The festival brings miraculously to life quite a few rare and some near extinct forms of folklore in different regions of the State. Some of these are 'kaikottikkaali' 'thiruvathirakkali' 'vallomkali' 'pulikkali' 'onathullu' Kummattikkali. and many other localised folklore forms. there are also several traditional rituals and functions of a religious nature associated with the festival. In fact the traditional celebration and gaiety for which this festival is known may be attributed to these myriad and rustic forms of art that continue to enjoy an intimate relationship with life functions and nurtures social amity.

Onam is a great time to be in Kerala, as this beautifully lush green region combines a celebration of its warring and seafaring traditions with festivities honouring the ancient asura king Mahabali, Kaikottikkali is a folk dance form performed by the women all over the State during Onam with clapping of hands by the performers. Pulikkali (meaning tiger dance) is performed by men on the streets and visiting houses wearing masks resembling tigers, lions and other animals in return for which they are showered with gifts. Vallomkali is another cultural activity during the Onam time which is very popular in the plains with access to the backwaters. In this, snake boats(called chundan volloms) manned by terms of around a hundred oarsssmen from neighbouring local villages, rowing to the rhythms of cymbals and drums, race in thrilling contests at Aranmula, Champakulam and Kottayam in Kerala.

As these beautifully decorated snake boats race through Kerala's stately backwaters, its shorelines come alive with several days of feasting and harvest celebrations.

In some areas of the state, vibrant processions with resplendently caparisoned elephants are taken out. In Trichur, even as Onam is still almost a month away, preparations begin for staging the non-ritualistic masked dance of Kummattikkali Pulikali or leopard dance is another of Onam'es special shows. Bodies painted with dots and fitted with appendages to resemble leopards, male dancers jump, roar and somersault to mimic the agility of the big feline. It is essentially a road show.

Accompanied by drummers they drift through towns performing at busy junctions to please bemused crowds. Kalayottom - bullock racing - was another crowd pulling Onam celebration. Pairs of bullocks were raced in the farmland at a hair-raising pace. Once again the recurring highlight of these outdoor amusements was the unmistakable presence of the agricultural farm and animals as the principal characters involved alongside man.

Going back to the golden era of Onam, little girls and young women would enjoy the brisk sway on the swings hung out from every tree that was sturdy and had a suitable branch. Swaying up in the healthy spring air the maiden's hearts would grow light, and romantic. Naturally, Onappattu - Onam-songs from the background score for this dream-like pastime. Older women would engage themselves in the flock dance themselves in the flock dance form Kaikottikkali. Interestingly, during those times women's entertainment was before an all-female audience.

Vishu

Among the various Hindu festivals in Kerala, Vishu occupies a unique position in more than one respect.This day is celebrated in almost all places in India by the Hindus albeit by different names. In Bihar this day is called Bihu, in Punjab Baisakhi and in Tamil Nadu Puthandu.

Though this is not the New Year's Day in the Malayalam Calendar, people of Kerala consider Vishu the beginning of a new year. This occasion signifies the Sun's transit to the zodiac Mesha Mesha Raasi as per Indian astrological calculations.

The Malayalis believe that the fortunes for the year depend upon the nature of the object one sees first in the morning of Vishu Day. In order to fulfil the desire to look at the auspicious articles, they prepare a 'Kani' (anomen) on the previous day for seeing in the next morning. In circular bell-metal vessel known as 'Urule' some raw rice is put and over it a folded newly washed cloth is spread.

In it a cucumber, betel leaves and nuts, metal mirror, yellow flowers of Konna tree (cassia fistula), a Grandha (book of palm leaves) and a few gold coins are then placed in a decorative fashion. Two coconut halves containing oil and lighted wicks are also placed in the vessel which illuminate the articles inside it. A bell-metal lamp filled with coconut oil is kept burning by the side of the vessel.

Early morning the eldest female member gets up and lights the lamp and looks at' Kani' . She wakes up the other members, and the Kani is shown to everyone of them, taking particular care not to allow anyone to look at other things even by chance.

The vessel is taken to the bedside to the members or if it is too big to be carried, it is placed at one spot and the members are led there blind-folded. Even the cattle are not deprived of this privilege, as the Kani is taken to the cattle-shed and placed before them to have a look.

The families then celebrate the day with joyous abandon by bursting fire crackers after the vishukani. While the men and the children engage in bursting crackers, the women start cooking a variety of delicacies for the day's lunch. The feast or the 'sadya' is prepared by the women of the household and the whole family sits down to enjoy the vishu lunch together.

Vishu is also a day of feasting, wherein the edibles consist of roughly equal proportions of salty, sweet, sour and bitter items. Feast items include 'Veppampoorasam' (a bitter preparation of neem) and 'Mampazhapachadi' (a sour mango soup).The dishes prepared from the vegetables and fruits that are abundant in the season like jackfruits, mangoes, pumpkins, a variety of gourds, and coconuts.

The famous temples like Guruvayur, Sabarimala and Padmanaba Kshetram are filled with devotees. Special pujas are held in these temples where the people go to worship and pray for a prosperous New Year. They also view the Vishukanis that are prepared in each of these temples.

Credit : kerala.com