Onam is the most important festival of people from Kerala, in India. It is reminiscent of Kerala's agrarian past, as it is considered to be a harvest festival. Most Malayalis try to go back to their village in Kerala to celebrate the festival. But those who cannot organise an Onam celebration in their respective cities and countries.

Kerala Hindus of Arizona (KHA) also celebrated Onam on Sunday, August 31, 2014. It was a festive day for the Malayalee community in Arizona, who celebrated Onam at the Indo American Cultural Center with traditional fervor and gaiety.

KHA celebrates Onam

Kerala Hindus living in Arizona gathered at the Indo American Cultural Center to celebrate their traditional festival with much fanfare and gaiety. The event started at 11 am with Onam Sadaya (grand feast) that comprised a lavish lunch with more than 25 South Indian delicacies. The lunch spread included Kerala recipies like Kuthari (Kerala Matta rice), pachadi, pickles, banana chips, pappadom, parrippu, saambhar, avial, kichdi, pulissery, elissery, kaalam, olan and payassam.

The lunch spread was an all vegetarian fare, which was prepared by volunteers.

The celebration venue was adorned with colourful 'Pookolam', a 'rangoli' made with flower petals. The women looked resplendent in their traditional 'sett-sari' saris (off white saris with gold borders) and the men looked impressive in their customary 'mundu' and shirts.

Shri T. N. Nair, President of Kerala Hindus of North America inaugurated the cultural and traditional mela at 2 pm by lighting a lamp (traditional bell metal lamp). This was followed by prayers.

Mahabali Procession (welcoming Mahabali) was the main attraction of the celebration. One person was chosen from the organization to be royally costumed like Mahabali, with a grand look of an imaginary emperor. He was welcomed  by association members like royality with Muttukuda, Chenda (drum) melam, Vanchipattu (special songs sung during boat races). Traditionally dressed women with flowered thalam moved in two rows slowly into the hall and the symbolic Mahabali walked at the end of the line.

The occasion was marked by several traditional entertaining presentations. Women performed Thiruvathira, a folk dance where the performers are dressed in typical Kerala style with mundu and neriyathuand the hair bun adorned with jasmine garlands, to the accompaniment of Thiruvathira paattu (folk song) in honor of the emperor.

Check video of KHA onam celebration here

Significance of Onam

Onam is celebrated in the month of Chingam to honour King Mahabali, who according to legend had once ruled Kerala. Mahabali's rule is considered to be the golden era of Kerala. Under his rule people were equal, prosperous and happy. Onam is unique since Mahabali has been revered by the people of Kerala since prehistory. Legend says that the King is so attached to his kingdom that he comes to Kerala annually from the nether world to see his people living happily. The day of King Mahabali's visit is celebrated as Onam by the people of Kerala.

People believe that it was on this particular day of “Thiruvonam” in the Malayalam calendar month of Chingam when Lord Mahavishnu took his fifth avatar as Vaamana, appeared in the kingdom of King Mahabali and sent him to nether world. However, Lord Vishnu blessed Mahabali, and permitted him to visit Kerala once in a year as long as the world exists. People from Kerala celebrate the day as Onam.

Onam rituals and activities in Kerala

Onam celebrations in Kerala begin within a fortnight of the Malayalam New Year and continues for ten days. All over the state festive rituals, traditional cuisine, dance and music mark this harvest festival. The ten days of Onam are celebrated with great fanfare, by Malayalees. Of all these days, the most important ones are the first day, Atham, and the tenth and final day, Thiru-Onam (Thiruvonam). Kerala's rich cultural heritage comes out in its best form and spirit during this festival.

Pookalam

The floral carpet, known as ‘Onapookkalam’, is made from petals comprising of several varieties of flowers. Pookalam is considered a work of art accomplished with a delicate touch and a highly artistic sense of tone and blending. It can be compared to "Rangoli" made by North Indians using powders of various colors. When Pookalam is completed, a miniature pandal, hung with little festoons is erected over it. In Kerala people start putting atha-pookalams from Atham till  Thiruvonam.

Onam Sadya

The Onam sadya (feast) is an indispensable part of Thiruvonam, and almost every Keralite attempts to either make or attend one. The feast is served on plantain leaves and consists around 26 dishes. These include Chips (especially Banana chips), Papadum, various vegetable curries like - Thoran, Mezhukkupuratti, Kaalan, Olan, Avial, Sambhar, Dal served with ghee, Erisheri, Rasam, Pickles (both sweet and sour), two varieties of buttermilk, a chutney powder made from coconut and a number of dessert called Payasam made with milk, sugar, jaggery and other Indian savories.

Music and Dance

During Onam traditional dance forms like Thiruvathira, Kummattikali, Pulikali and Thumbi Thullal are performed as part of the celebrations all over Kerala. Thiruvathirakali is a women's dance performed in a circle around a lamp. Kummattikali is a famous and colorful-mask dance. The masked dancers go from house to house performing the colorful Kummattikali. Pulikali dance showcases performers painted like tigers in bright yellow, red and black. These performers dance to the beats of instruments like Chenda and thakil.

Boat race

Onam celebration in Kerala is incomplete without Vallamkali (the snake boat race). Each boat has about 100 oarsmen. They row huge and graceful snake boats. Men and women come in huge numbers to watch the snake boats race through the water during the Onam festivities.

Ten Days of Celebration

1. Atham: Onam celebrations starts with Atham day in the Malayalam month of Chingam. It is the first day of of celebrations. People believe that King Mahabali starts his preparations to descend from Pathala to Kerala on this day. The day also marks the start of festivities at Thrikkakara temple  (considered as the abode of Mahabali) in Kerala.

2. Chithira: The second day is celebrated by adding a second layer to pookkalam design, using two different colours apart from yellow (mostly orange and creamy yellow). People start cleaning their homes to prepare for the Thiruvonam day.

3. Chodhi: Third day of Onam celebrations is called Chodhi.The pookalam starts growing in size as 4 to 5 different flowers are used to add new layers or designs. People start shopping for the festival on this day. Malyalees start buying new clothes and jewellery.

4. Vishakam: Fourth day of Onam Celebrations is called Vishakam. It's considered to be one of the most auspicious days of Onam. Earlier the markets used to open their harvest sale on this day. At present Vishakam marks the start of several Onam-related competitions like Pookalam, etc.

5. Anizham: Fifth day of Onam celebrations is marked by boat race. Vallam Kali (Snake Boats) get ready to race in the Aranmula Uthrattathi Vallamkali. A mock boat race is conducted on this day at Aranmula as a rehearsal for the famed Aranmula boat race that would be held after Onam.

6. Thriketa: Onam frenzy starts building up on the sixth day called Thriketa. Most schools and government offices give holiday from Thriketa. Pookalam design would be considerably large by this time, as 5 to 6 new flowers types would be added to the original designs.

7. Moolam: Seventh day of Onam Celebrations is marked by a smaller versions of Onam Sadya (Onam special buffet lunch) in many homes. Most temples in Kerala offer special sadhyas from this day onwards.

8. Pooradam: The eight day of Onam Celebrations. The day starts off with a major traditional ritual where the small statues of Mahabali and Vamana will be washed and cleaned and taken around the house in a procession. It will be later installed in the center of the pookkalam smeared with a rice-flour batter. The smearing is done by small children who are called Poorada unnikal. From this day onwards, the statue will be called Onathappan. The pookkalam design from Pooradam day onwards gets much bigger and complex in design. Shopping is one of the major activities as the public will be making final purchases for the great Thiruvonam day.

9. Uthradom: It's the ninth and the penultimate day of Onam celebrations. Uthradom is Onam eve and celebrated in a big way. People go out for last minute shopping called as Uthradappachil. The day is considered to be auspicious for purchase of fresh vegetables and fruits along with other provisions for Thiruvonam day.

Uthradom is also known as 'First Onam' as it's the day when King Mahabali descends onto Kerala. The Uthradom lunch is generally grand. Women start preparations for grand Thirvonam feast on the evening of Uthradom.

10. Thiruvonam: The tenth and final day of Onam celebration is called Thiruvonam. Legend says that on this day Mahabali was sent to the netherworld ( Pathalam) by Vamana. The day marks the return of Mahabali to his fabled land (Kerala), as per the boon he received from Vamana to meet his subjects and bless them. This day is considered auspicious as it's the birthdays of several temple deities including Vamana of Thrikkara temple and Sree Padmanabha Swamy of Thiruvananthapuram.

Celebration starts early in the morning. People clean their homes, make rice flour designs at the main entrance (a traditional welcome sign), take an early bath, wear new clothes and distribute alms to the poor. Special prayers are offered in temples, churches and mosques, highlighting the secular nature of this festival. Each family prepares a Pookkalam to welcome King Mahabali. Ona Sadya is the highlight of the day when families eat around 25 food item to mark the festivity.

(AW: Pratima Tigga)