HAPPY ONAM TO ALL ILITES Onam is a Hindu festival, celebrated with a great enthusiasm throughout Kerala for a period of ten days unitedly without the difference of caste and religion. It falls during the month of Chingam according to Malayalam Calender ( i.e., between August and September). It is also known as the harvest festival of Kerala. The festival commemorates the Vamana Avatar of Lord Vishnu and the subsequent homecoming of the legendary King Mahabali, who ruled Kerala in ancient times. That period was believed to be the golden age of Kerala, people were happy, free from harm and complete harmony and prosperity was there. [JUSTIFY]This golden age ended when Vamana pushed King Mahabali, deep into the earth. [/JUSTIFY] [The detailed story was given in the blog entry “Scribblings of a septuagenarian” Onam festival and the story of Mahabali by Pushpavalli Srinivasan on 8th September 2011] [JUSTIFY]Atham is the first day and Thiruvonam is the final day of the onam celebration. Each day has its own importance in various rituals and traditions. [/JUSTIFY] [JUSTIFY]FIRST DAY OF ONAM CELEBRATION: The celebration of onam starts with Atham day in the Malayalam month of Chingam. It is believed that King Mahabali starts his preparations to descend from Pathala to Kerala on this day. Thus the traditional ritual of laying Pookalam (floral carpet) starts on this day and is called as Athapoo. The size of pookkalam on this day is small. This will grow in size day after day. Only yellow flowers will be used on this day and the design will be simple. Also, the earthen mounds, which look somewhat like square pyramids, representing Mahabali and Vamana are placed in the dung-plastered courtyards in front of the house beautifully decorated with flowers. [/JUSTIFY] [JUSTIFY]SECOND DAY OF ONAM CELEBRATION: [/JUSTIFY] Chithira is the second day of onam celebration. 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 that they will add new flowers to pookalam and a second layer is added to pookkalam design with 2 different colours apart from yellow (mostly orange and creamy yellow). On this day, people start cleaning the household, planning and intense discussions for the big day of onam begins from this day. Along shopping list if prepared and childrens get the opportunities of putting in their long pending demands in the elaborate list. It’s a time for fulfillment for everyone [JUSTIFY]THIRD DAY OF ONAM CELEBRATION: The third day of the 10 day long carnival of onam is called Chothi or Chodi. The pookalam now will start growing in its size by adding new layers or designs with at least 4 to 5 different flowers. The day also marks the start of shopping activities. Frenzied shopping can be witnessed in the market places all over the state as everybody buys new clothes and accompanying accessories for the grand festival. Gifts are also procured for everyone in the house including the servants. [/JUSTIFY] [JUSTIFY]FOURTH DAY OF ONAM CELEBRATION: Vishakam or Vishagam is the fourth day of Onam festivities. It is considered to be one of the most auspicious days of Onam. In olden days, the markets open their harvest sale on this day. Women who have to prepare the elaborated meal of onasadya on Thiruvonam, gets engaged in the prior preparations like making various types of pickles and pappadams besides various other things . Girls engage themselves in making new designs for pookalam with flowers of different colours and shapes. Pookalam designing competitions are also organized at various places. [/JUSTIFY] [JUSTIFY]FIFTH DAY OF ONAM CELEBRATION: Anizham is the fifth day of Onam Celebrations. High point of the day is the grand Snake Boat Race event called Vallamkali (Aranmula Uthrattathi Vallamkali). The hugely popular competition happens on the banks of the river Pamba at Aranmulla, after Onam day i.e., on Uthrattathi. A large number of long Snake like boats called Chudan Vallams participate in Vallamkali. Each picturesquely decorated boats is oared by hundreds of oarsmen dressed in the traditional dhoti & turban. Boats are oared on the rhythm of vanchipattu (boat Songs). Vallamkali is essentially a team event as a single mistake by a oarsmen can lead to overturning of the boat. And on the home front, more flowers are added to the Pookalam laid in front courtyard of the house [/JUSTIFY] [JUSTIFY]SIXTH DAY OF ONAM CELEBRATION: Thriketa or Thriketa is the sixth day of Onam. There are no set rituals marked for the day. It marks the time for homecoming for people staying away from their families for various reasons. The pookalam design will be very large by this time, with at least 5 to 6 new flower. [/JUSTIFY] [JUSTIFY]SEVENTH DAY OF ONAM CELEBRATION: Moolam is the seventh day of the festival. On this day, the smaller versions of traditional Ona Sadya (Onam special buffet lunch) starts in many places. Most of the temples offer special sadhyas on from this day. Festivities include Puli Kali (Masked leopard dance) and traditional dance forms like Kaikotti Kali also performed in various functions. [/JUSTIFY] [JUSTIFY]EIGHTH DAY OF ONAM CELEBRATION: Pooradam is the eight day of Onam Carnival. 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. [JUSTIFY][/JUSTIFY] [/JUSTIFY] [JUSTIFY]NINTH DAY OF ONAM CELEBRATION: Uthradom or Uthradam is the ninth day of the penultimate day of the Onam festival. It is considered as Onam eve and celebrated in a very big way. The importance of this day is last minute extreme shopping frenzy called as Uthradappachil and is considered the most auspicious day for purchase of fresh vegetables and fruits along with other provisions for the Thiruvonam day. Uthradam is also known as FIRST ONAM because it marks the day when King Mahabali descends onto Kerala and the traditional myths says that the king will spend the next four days touring his erstwhile kingdom and blessing the subjects. [/JUSTIFY] [JUSTIFY]TENTH DAY OF ONAM CELEBRATION: Thiruvonam is the tenth day of Onam Celebration. The final day of Onam that culminates the 10 days of Onam Carnival. 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. Activities begin early in the morning. People clean their house, take early bathm wear new clothes and participate in special prayers organized in individual homes and then in local temples. Later a very special and the biggest of all day’s pookalam is preposed to welcome Maveli. In the noon the grand feast of onam called Onasadhya is prepared. The strictly vegetarian meal consists of 21 mandatory homemade curries and sweet payasam served on Plantain/ Banana Leaf. The eldest member of the family presents gifts and new clothes to the family members. Various cultural events are organized all over the state to mark the day. Spectacular carnivans of elephants, fireworks, boat races and music are the other highlights of the day. There are some rituals also marked for the 11th and 12th day called Avvittom & Chatayam respectively. But the major celebrations get over on the 10th and the most important day of Thiruvonam. The Avvittom marks the preparations for King Mahabali's ascension to heavens. The main ritual of the day is to take the Onathappan statue which was placed in the middle of the Pookalam during the past 10 days and immerse it in nearby rivers or sea. The pookkalam will be cleaned and removed after this. The day is also important, as the famous Pulikali is held in the city of Thrissur, Kerala. In this, men dressed as lions and tigers parade through the city in large numbers. The Puli-Kali also marks the end of traditional Onam celebrations[/JUSTIFY]
