God’s Own Festival

Priyanka Rout

God’s Own Festival

An amalgamation of a multitude of hues and piquancy, God’s Own Country celebrates the famous festival of Onam on this day to honour King Mahabali for his contribution to the state. But is it all? Let’s find out.

When festivities ring the doorbell; Image Source: India Tour Operator

Today Rao family was bustling with excitement. After all, the festival of Onam was knocking at their door. Everyone in the colony was busy decorating their houses with flowers and turmeric sandalwood paste. The shops were gleaming with freshly painted walls and beautiful torans adorning the doorways. The halwais were busy making banana chips and buttermilk. The temples were being decorated with flower rangolis with priests chanting the mantras. Kerala was all set to welcome the festival of joy and colour.

“Patti, how do I look?”, asked Ishita swirling round and round with her beautiful ghaghra-choli making graceful circles. “My anpu petti is looking very beautiful. May Mahabali graces you with his blessings and a good kanavar.”, said Sarala with folded hands. “I don’t want to get married and I don’t need a kanavar.”, said Ishita with a puffed face. “Aiyyo, illai. You should not say such words on such an auspicious day. Mahabali would get angry.”, said Sarala in a worried voice. “But who is Lord Mahabali?”, asked a curious Ishita.

“Aiyyo. You don’t know who Lord Mahabali is! Come here. Sit with me. I’ll tell you about him. You kids don’t know anything about Onam except for buying new and shiny clothes.”, said Sarala with a funny expression on her face.

Long long ago, there lived a king named Mahabali. Being the grandson of Prahlada, he had all the mystical powers vested in his powerful hands. An ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu, King Mahabali with his penance and power defeated almost everyone including the devas and in turn, got control of the three worlds. But Aditi, the mother of the devas was quite worried for her sons and sought help from Lord Vishnu who promised her to arrive at the right time.

One day when King Mahabali was performing a yajna, Vishnu arrived at the palace in the form of a Brahmin dwarf named Vamana. Mahabali greeted Vamana with folded hands and promised him to give whatever he wished. “I only want three places of your land measured by my stride.”, said the clever Vamana. Though Mahabali happily agreed to fulfil his wishes, the chief advisor Shukracharya felt that Vamana was no ordinary Brahman and warned the king to reconsider his decision. But the king could not take back his promise.

Vamana started taking strides and to everyone’s amazement, his first step covered the entire earth, and his second step covered the heavenly skies. Then, he asked Mahabali to make way for the third step. Realising his mistake and that Vamana was no ordinary Brahmin, the king bowed in front of him and asked him to keep his third step on his forehead despite knowing that this step would push him to the pataal. Pleased at Mahabali’s gesture, Vamana gave him a boon. In return, the king asked him to give a chance to visit his kingdom at least once a year. It is the return of King Mahabali from the paatal lok to his kingdom which is celebrated in the form of a ten-day Onam festival.

“Patti, what do we do in these ten days? Isn’t it too long of a celebration to mark someone’s return?”, asked Ishita fiddling with the hem of her ghaghra.

These ten days are full of exciting surprises. Starting from the first day till the tenth day, Mahabali’s return journey is celebrated with great pomp and show. People gather at Vamanamoorthy Thrikkakara Temple in Kochi that is considered to be the abode of Mahabali. While each day has different rituals packed in it, every single day is given a unique name known as Atham, Chithira, Chodhi, Vishakam, Anizham, Thriketa, Moolam, Pooradam, Uthradam, and Thiruvonam.

The festivities begin with Athachamayam or Thrippunithura Athachamayam. This grand procession not only features a huge crowd and hefty elephants, but also rhythmic drum beats and music, folk art forms, and masked people. This procession depicts those times when King Mahabali used to head the procession to Thrikkakara temple, meeting his subjects on the way.

While this festival is an art in itself, Pookkalam or flower rangoli is the main attraction of Onam. Flowers of differing tints are arranged in different designs by women with lamps surrounding them and a mini umbrella hanging with little festoons is erected over it. On the first day, this flower mat is quite small but as the days pass, more flowers and beautiful patterns are added to it.

Along with grand processions and beautiful decorations, several dance performances also await the arrival of Onam. Traditional dance forms like Thiruvathira, Kummattikali, Pulikali, Thumbi Thullal, Onam Kali and many others adorn the streets of Kerala. Out of these, Kummattikali is one of the most famous dance forms when people wear masks and elaborate clothes to perform in front of almost all the houses of Kerala earning small gifts and money from the people.

The rivers of Kerala can be seen covered with huge boats and thousands of men and women all ready to start with Vallamkali or snake boat race. Under this, several famous competitions are held ranging from the Aranmula Uthrattadhi Boat Race to the Nehru Trophy Boat Race. A whopping number of oarsmen compete against each other with a huge snake-shaped boat.

“Patti, what about unavu? Food is also an important part of this festival. Won’t we be getting tasty unavu on those banana plates?”, asked Ishita while looking at her mother who was preparing the dishes in the kitchen.

Shaking her head, Sarala said, “Of course, my anpu petti. Unavu is one of the best things about Onam. This special feast is called Onam sadya. With more than two dozen dishes, the banana plate gleams with almost all of your favourite dishes. Banana chips, Sharkaraveratti (fried pieces of banana coated with jaggery), Pappadam, soups like Injipuli, Thoran, Kaalan, Avial, Dal, Sambhar, Olan, Mezhukkupuratti, Erisheri, Molosyam, Rasam, Puliseri, Kichadi, Pachadi, Moru, pickles, and coconut chutney, Payasam..”

“Niruttu, patti. Stop saying the names. I am already hungry. I can already smell the dishes from here.”, said Ishita in an excited voice while running into the kitchen.