Verdant fields, emerald lagoons, coconut palms kissing the blue sky, sounds of mridangams reverberating in temples, kathakali dance-dramas enacting the legend of Mahabali, high-voltage boat races! Welcome to the festival of what is often referred to as 'God's Own Country'. Welcome to Kerala.

One of the best times to visit Kerala is towards the end of the monsoon when every one in Kerala is caught up in the excited preparations for celebrating Onam.

The Legend of Mahabali and the Feast of Onam
According to legends the region, which is now called Kerala was ruled by the great asura (demon) King Mahabali. This benevolent ruler was held in high regard and loved by all his subjects. But, thanks to his growing popularity, the suras (gods) began to feel their popularity and position being threatened. So they decided to approach Vishnu (the preserver in the Hindu trinity of Gods in which Brahma is the creator, and Shiva is the destroyer) to seek his help in curbing the power of Mahabali.

Lord Vishnu was persuaded by the Gods to intervene on their behalf and, taking the form of the Vamana the dwarf, a Brahmin (priest), he wend to meet King Mahabali. Vamana asked Mahabali for a boon of land which he could cover in three paces. Mahabali, thinking that this dwarf was asking for so little, immediately granted him the boon and asked him to measure off the land he wanted in three paces. With the grant of this boon, Lord Vishnu, in the guise of the dwarf Vamana, then began increasing his height till he became as huge as the universe itself. In the first pace he covered the entire earth. With his second step he covered both the heaven and the netherworld. As Vamana was left with no place to put his third step, King Mahabali, a man of his word, offered his head on which Vishnu could place his third step.

Vamana, after placing his foot on Mahabali's head, then reverted to his original form of Vishnu. Highly pleased with the King's humility and offering, He accepted it. But, before sending Mahabali to the netherworld, Vishnu suggested that the King could ask for a boon which he would be happy to grant. King Mahabali requested that he might be allowed to return to his kingdom and his subjects, to whom he was very attached, once every year.

Lord Vishnu happily granted Mahabali this boon and, to this day, the festival of Onam is celebrated in honour of the great King Mahabali. It is believed that Mahabali visits earth during the season of Onam (also called Thiruonam), a festival that extends for five to ten days.

The Celebrations of Onam

Festivities begin many days in advance to prepare for the Onam celebrations. Just about every household vies with one another to outdo the other with Pookkalam (floral decorations).

Elephants are adorned with silk and satin fabrics and ornate gold jewellery in thetown of Thrissur and they are then paraded majestically in a spectacular procession. A colourful and glittering display of fireworks marks the end of this grand procession.

Across the state, several people throng to watch special Kathakali (a classical dance form of the state) performances where men dressed in colourful masks and resplendent clothing enact stories from the Indian epics.

Also seen during this time is Pulikali or Kaduvakali, where young boys painted in bright yellows and reds with black tiger-like stripes dance to the drum beats while enacting popular folk tales.

Boat races, where almost a hundred men in each boat are pushing the oars in unison, race their individual snake-shaped boats, are the most well known spectacular event of the Onam festivities. Called Vallamkali, the best boat races are the ones that take place in Allapazha. Young and old boatmen from all over the state vie to compete and win the coveted honours.

Although boat races are held across the state, in its various rivers, tributaries and backwaters, one of the other famous venues for boat races is Kottayam near the capital city of Kochi (Cochin), a place made popular by the Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy, who used Kottayam as the setting for her novel The God of Small Things.

And where there are festivities, food can't be far behind. On the day of Onam, a special 3-4course meal is made in each household. Onam Sadhya (Onam meal) consists of 10-12 vegetarian preparations, which are served with rice, rasam and sambhar (pulse preparations) on plantain leaves. The traditional dessert for this feast is payasam a delicious sweet made with rice and milk.

The Month of Onam
The festival of Onam is celebrated in either late August or early September, depending upon the configuration and position of the stars and the moon. It comes almost a fortnight after Chingam - the New Year of Kerala.

Its celebration signifies the beginning of the harvest season for it is now, after 3 months of the monsoon, that the skies clear and there is a general atmosphere of change and expectation amongst the farmers. Of course, it signifies more than just the beginning of the harvesting season as the various functions associated with it - be they boat races or floral decorations - paint a picture of a joyous and colourful Kerala. This is also the reason that wherever in the world Malayalees(natives of the land are known as, after Malayalam which is their mothertongue) may settle - be it in the Gulf countries or the United States of America - this festival is for them a time to meet, a time of change, a time when employees get their bonus and the kids get a break from school to celebrate the culture of their homeland. This is also the occasion when people settled abroad usually take their vacations to visit ;Kerala and rejoice with their relatives and friends.

The Significance of Onam
Although Onam is a harvest festival, the spirit of Onam is far more important, seeped in the folkore of the land and its values of tolerance, brotherhood and unity. This singular festival symbolises the Indian spirit of Vasudaiva Kutumbukam(the world is my family or universal brotherhood), where people belonging to various communities and religions come together as one and partake of the festivities, reaffirming time-honoured beliefs and values and portraying a secular aspect of India to the world.

- Vandana Mohal

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