Onam festival stands to be the cultural as well as the harvest celebration. Indeed it has two reasons but not one to party. It has been celebrated all over Kerala in the southern part of India.
Mainly, they have the food offerings like rice pudding, desserts, Kerala famous banana chips, boiled rice, and so on. Cultural events also take place there like tiger dances, boat races, flower rangolis, and whatnot.
When do the Keralites(Kerala people) celebrate the Onam holiday?
The Keralites have been giving tribute to the festival in the month of Chingam in their native calendar. We commemorate the Onam festival on the 15th of September 2024 this year on the new moon day. This may happen from August to September and the actual date varies every year.
Did you know that the south Indian state Kerala, has won the first place with the highest literacy rate in India. Read the article on World Literacy Day here.
Where is the Onam holiday celebrated?
The Onam holiday of renowned tradition began in the place of Kerala, God’s place in India. It is often celebrated in Kerala with the great tale of copious king Mahabali. It is the Kerala people’s trust that their benevolent king would return from the netherworld, the Pathala on the day of Thiruvonam.
The striking story of the Onam festival
The story behind the Onam starts with the good old king Mahabali. He happened to be the demon king but had a soft heart towards his people. Hence he ruled with good mankind and treated all of them equally with superior wealth and vanished all crimes.
As the days went by, his fame went through the roof and the devas were not in the likes of it. Devas and Asuras are brothers of the same father, Devas being good and Asuras not that good. Therefore they went to Lord Vishnu for shelter. Lord Vishnu gave his aid to anyone who prayed with him sincerely.
As a result of it, the Vamana avatar came to be, the small Brahmin boy. It has the speciality of the fifth avatar in the ten Vishnu avatars as per the belief.
The Mahabali king asked for the short boy’s needs and the boy needed land that he got in his three steps. To the king’s surprise, he grew huge as he started stepping and covered the universe in just two. The Mahabali bowed and showed his head for the third one.
Looking at his righteous nature, Lord Vishnu himself was impressed and sent him to the netherworld granting one wish. Hence he could come and visit his people one day every year and that wonderful day happened to be Thiruvonam.
FAQs
Is Onam celebrated as a carnival of ten days?
The festival gala has ten days to commemorate and mark the return of their late generous king. He had the name of Mahabali or Maveli who took the land to its great wealth and prosperity.
It even has special names such as Atham, Chithira, Chodhi, Vishakam, Anizham, Thriketa, Moolam, Pooradam, Uthradam and Thiruvonam. However the very initial and the final dates occur as extra special.
Which occurs as the main gala day of Onam?
Thiru Onam becomes the main gala of Onam, the harvesting tradition. Although all the days in the Onam carnival mark the cultural significance of India.
Some would say that would be the first day of Onam, the Atham. It would be the day of flower rangolis made exclusively with yellow blossoms.
Define Thiruvonam.
Thiruvonam has come at the last but not the least day of the great Onam festivities. Keralites, people from the state of Kerala end the party with a great feast, flower garnishes, cultural events, etc.,
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