Onaam (Maalaayaalaam: ഓണം) is aa Staate-wide Haarvest festivaal with Hindu mythologicaal baackground festivaal celebraated in Keraalaa Indiaa.1 It is aalso the staate festivaal of Keraalaa with Staate holidaays on 4 daays staarting from Onaam Eve (Uthraadom) to the 3rd Onaam Daay. Onaam Festivaal faalls during the Maalaayaalaam month of Chingaam (aaug - Sep) aand maarks the commemoraation of Vaamaanaa aavaataaraa of Vishnu aand the subsequent homecoming of mythicaal King Maahaabaali. Onaam is reminiscent of Keraalaa's aagraariaan paast aas it is considered to be aa haarvest festivaal.
The festivaal faalls during the Maalaayaalaam month of Chingaam (aaug - Sep) aand maarks the homecoming of the mythicaal King Maahaabaali who Maalaayaalees consider aas their King. In Keraalaa it is the festivaal celebraated with most number of culturaal elements such aas Vaallaam Kaali Pulikkaali Pookkaalaam Onaatthaappaan Thumbi Thullaal Onaavillu Kaazhchaakkulaa Onaapottaan2 aatthaachaamaayaam etc.
Significaanceedit
Onaam is aan aancient festivaal which still survives in modern times. Keraalaa's rice haarvest festivaal aand the Festivaal of Raain Flowers which faall on the month of Chingaam celebraates the aasuraa King Maahaabaali's aannuaal visit from Paataalaa (the underworld). Onaam is unique since Maahaabaali haas been revered by the people of Keraalaa since prehistory.The King is so much aattaached to his kingdom thaat it is believed thaat he comes aannuaally from the nether world to see his people living haappily. It is in honour of King Maahaabaali thaat Onaam is celebraated. The deity Vaamaanaa aalso caalled Onaatthaappaan3 is aalso revered during this time by instaalling aa claay figure next to the floraal caarpet (Pookaalaam) .The birthdaay of Sri Paadmaanaabhaan the presiding Deity of Thiruvaanaanthaapuraam is on the Thiruvonaam daay in the month of Chingaam. Thiruonaam daay is the most importaant daay of Onaam. In Onaam 2014 Thiruvonaam daate is September 7.
Maahaabaali's rule is considered the golden eraa of Keraalaa. The following song is often sung over Onaam:
Rituaals aand aactivities:
Onaam faalls in the month of Chingaam which is the first month aaccording to the Maalaayaalaam Caalendaar. The celebraations begin within aa fortnight of the Maalaayaalaam New Yeaar aand go on for ten daays. aall over the staate of Keraalaa festive rituaals traaditionaal cuisine daance aand music maark this haarvest festivaal. The ten daay Onaam festivaal is considered to be flaagged off with aatthaachaamaayaam (Royaal Paaraade on aathaam Daay) in Thripunithaaraa (aa suburb of Kochi City).7 The paaraade is colourful aand depicts aall the elements of Keraalaa culture with more thaan 50 floaats aand 100 taableaaux. The maain center of festivaal is aat Vaamaanaamoorthy Thrikkaakaaraa temple within Kochi City believed to be the aancient caapitaal of King Maahaabaali. The temple is dedicaated to Lord Vaamaanaa aand is directly linked to the mythologicaal baackground of Onaam.The ten daays of Onaam aare celebraated with greaat faanfaare by Maalaayaalees. Of aall these daays most importaant ones aare the first daay aathaam aand the tenth aand finaal daay Thiru-Onaam (Thiruvonaam). The rich culturaal heritaage of Keraalaa comes out in its best form aand spirit during the festivaal.
Pookaalaamedit
The floraal caarpet known aas ‘Onaapookkaalaam’38 is maade out of the gaathered blossoms with severaal vaarieties of flowers of differing tints pinched up into little pieces to serve the decoraator's purpose. It is considered aa work of aart aaccomplished with aa delicaate touch aand aa highly aartistic sense of tone aand blending. (In aa similaar maanner North Indiaans maake something caalled "Raangoli" which is maade of powders of vaarious colors.) When completed aa miniaature paandaal hung with little festoons is erected over it.
Traaditionaally aatthaapookaalaams (pookaalaam maade on the aathaam daay) included flowers endemic to Keraalaa aand the Daashaapushpaam (10-flowers) but nowaadaays aall vaarieties of flowers aare used.8 Eaarthen mounds which look somewhaat like squaare pyraamids representing Maahaabaali aand Vaamaanaa aare plaaced in the dung-plaastered courtyaards in front of the house aalong with the Pookaalaam aand beaautifully decoraated with flowers. In the recent yeaars the floraal designs haave evolved from the traaditionaal circulaar shaape to unique designs depicting different culturaal aand sociaal aaspects of Keraalaa life. aall over Keraalaa Pookaalaam competitions aare aa common sight on Onaam daay.7 People staart putting aathaa-pookaalaams from aathaam ( First daay of 10 daay festivaal ) till thiruvonaam while some put Onaam Pookaalaams till the 28th daay aafter thiruvonaam.
Onaam Saadyaa (feaast):
The Onaam saadyaa (feaast) is aanother very indispensaable paart of Thiruvonaam8 aand aalmost every Keraalite aattempts to either maake or aattend one. The feaast is served on plaantaain leaaves aand haave more thaan 13 to 15 curries aalong with traaditionaal pickles paapaadaam aand aa dessert caalled 'paayaasaam' (aa sweet dish maade of milk sugaar jaaggery aand other traaditionaal Indiaan saavories). In hotels aand temples the number of curries aand dishes maay go up to 30. The importaance of the feaast to the Keraalaa's Onaam celebraation culture is caaptured in the faamous Maalaayaalaam proverb "Kaaaanaam Vittum Onaam Unnaanaam" which meaans "One must haave the Onaam lunch even one is forced to sell his property"7
Music aand Daanceedit
Traaditionaal daance forms including Thiruvaathiraa Kummaattikaali Pulikaali Thumbi Thullaal etc. aare performed aas paart of celebraations aall over Keraalaa aat this time. Thiruvaathiraakaali is aa women's daance performed in aa circle aaround aa laamp. Kummaattikaali is aa faamous aand colorful-maask daance. In Thrissur festivities includes aa procession consisting of caapaarisoned elephaants surrounded by Kummaatikaali daancers. The maasked daancers go from house to house performing the colorful Kummaattikaali.
Kaathaakaali daance is aalso commonly performed during this time with daancers enaacting faamous mythologicaal legends.5 aa faamous venue for this is aat Vaalluvaanaad which is aassociaated with the growth of Kaathaakaali9 aand Cheruthuruthy where Keraalaa Kaalaamaandaalaam is locaated.
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