Onam
onam ipa oːɳɐm annual harvest hindu cultural festival celebrated mostly people kerala major annual event keralites official festival state includes spectrum cultural event onam commemorates return generous daitya king mahabali banished netherworld vamana fifth avatar hindu deity vishnu according hindu legend indra king devas defeated mahabali king asura devas ultimately seek refuge vishnu agrees restore indra power vishnu incarnates dwarf priest called vamana king mahabali devotee vishnu conduct ritual prayer one attended vamana request three foot step land build firealtar mahabali agrees despite told vamanas divine nature sage shukra vamana grows size three stride encompasses universe beyond three world restored indra mahabali asura banished netherworld patala however witnessing mahabalis love subject vamana grant king sole wish visit kingdom every year homecoming mahabali celebrated onam kerala every year date onam celebration based panchangam fall nd nakshatra thiruvonam month chingam malayalam calendar gregorian calendar fall august–september festival ancient origin intricately linked hindu mythology literary epigraphical evidence suggests onam long religious context history kerala neighbouring part south india earliest known reference word onam celebration found maturaikkāñci – sangam era tamil poem rd century ce mention festival called onam celebrated dedication mayon vishnu madurai game duel held temple premise oblation sent temple people wore new clothes feasted thcentury alvar mystic saint nammalvar mention one measured three world parallel legend mahabali vamana thcentury pathikas pallads periyalvar describes onam celebration offering vishnu mention feast community event thcentury inscription thrikkakara temple kochi dedicated vamana – avatar vishnu – mention series offering made votary two day prior thiru onam thcentury inscription tiruvalla temple one largest hindu temple kerala dedicated vishnu mention onam state donation made temple onam festival offering uddanda shastri southern indian sanskrit poet visiting court zamorin written festival called śrāvaṇa presumed verse festival onam word onam thiruvonam tamilmalayalam form śrāvaṇa nakshatra mentioned indian astronomy चोकुयन्ते पृथुकततयश्चापतादिन्य उच्चैः सर्वानार्यःपतिभिरनिशम् लम्भयन्त्यर्थकामान्। बभ्रम्यन्ते सकलपुरुषैर्वल्लभाभ्यः प्रदातुम् चित्रम् वस्त्रम् श्रावणकुतुकम् वर्तते केरळेषु॥ gang lad playing bow hoot loudly woman make husband provide wealth pleasure men wandering hither thither present beautiful garment woman festivity sravana take place kerala thcentury european memoir describes onam mention among thing onam always celebrated september malayali people adorn home flower daub cow dung believing auspicious association goddess lakshmi according kurup onam historically hindu templebased community festival celebrated period many day onam ancient hindu festival kerala celebrates rice harvest significance festival indian culture two common according hindu mythology mahabali greatgreatgrandson brahmin sage named kashyapa greatgrandson demonic dictator hiranyakashipu grandson vishnu devotee prahlada link festival puranic story prahlada holika fame hinduism son hiranyakashipu prahlada despite born demonic asura father hated vishnu rebelled father persecution people worshipped vishnu hiranyakashipu try kill son prahlada slain vishnu narasimha avatar prahlada saved prahladas grandson mahabali came power defeating god devas taking three world according vaishnavism defeated devas approached vishnu help battle mahabali vishnu refused join god violence mahabali mahabali good ruler devotee mahabali victory god declared would perform yajna homa sacrificesrituals grant anyone request yajna vishnu took avatar – fifth – dwarf monk called vamana approached mahabali king offered anything boy – gold cow elephant village food whatever wished boy said one must seek one need needed three pace land mahabali agreed vamana grew enormous size covered everything mahabali ruled two pace third pace mahabali offered head vishnu step act vishnu accepted evidence mahabalis devotion vishnu granted boon mahabali could visit every year land people previously ruled revisit mark festival onam reminder virtuous rule humility keeping promise vishnu last day mahabalis stay remembered ninecourse vegetarian onasadya feast name thrikkakara originated thirukaalkara meaning place holy foot main deity thrikkakara temple vamana smaller temple side shiva deity vamana temple known vadakkum devar shiva temple known tekkum devar number subsidiary deity installed thrikkakara temple census report onam festival state though vamana temple accepted main temple elite level local people consider shiva temple important one believe shiva kuladeivam family deity mahabali vamana temple time palace mahabali situated place vamana temple present fall mahabali palace destroyed later vamana installed spot saint kapilaaccording nanditha krishna simpler form legend one without mahabali found rigveda vedic text shatapatha brahmana solar deity described power vishnu story likely grew time part allegorical bali metaphor thanksgiving offering bounty rice harvest monsoon vishnu metaphor kerala sun summer precedes onam according roshen dalal story mahabali important onam kerala similar mahabali legend significant region balia bawan uttar pradesh bharuch gujarat mahabaleshwar maharashtra story significant mahabalis rule ended emphasis hindu belief cyclical nature event individual ruler nothing last forever except virtue selfunderstanding overcomes sorrow alternate tale behind onam relates parashurama incarnation vishnu credited hinduism created western ghat kerala according legend vishnu observed king kshatriya warrior waging constant war one another growing arrogant assumed avatar parashurama warrior sage era king kartavirya arjuna king persecuted oppressed people sage god following murder father jamadagni parashurama swore vengeance king warrior class slaying travelled world oppressor vanquished threw axe ocean ocean retreated region axe descended creating land kerala onam festival according legend celebrates parashurama creation kerala marking day new year legend worship parashurama attested text epigraph dated nd century ce onam popular major hindu festival kerala state christine frost one also celebrated community much zest alongside hindu festival celebrated becs basic ecclesial community trivandrum local ritual according latin catholic bishop selvister ponnumuthan tradition according selvister ponnumuthan start lighting nilavilakku arati includes waving flower pushparati bible eating onam meal together hindu form communion brother sister different faith significance practice viewed becs trivandrum form integration hindu mutual respect sharing tradition paulinus st bartholomew – voyage east indie describes onam fourth grand festival celebrated malayala called onam happens always month september day new moon always th september rain cease malabar nature seems regenerated flower shoot tree bloom word season european call spring festival seems therefore instituted purpose soliciting god happy fruitful year continues eight day time indian accustomed adorn house flower daub cow dung cow already observed sacred animal dedicated goddess lakshmi cere indian occasion also put new clothes throw aside old earthenware supply place new men particularly young form two party shoot arrow arrow blunted exceedingly strong discharged force considerable number generally wounded side game great likeness cerealia juvenalia ancient greek roman according p salini research scholar islamic study muslim join festivity friend celebrate hindu festival onam according chapter filippo osella caroline osella hindu nonhindus celebrated onam equally time unity family kin group particularly emphasized another paper osella osella state onam celebrated muslim muslim prepare onam feast air daring secret muslim indian politician light traditional vilakku oil lamp others refused light lamp onam event declaring hindu tradition teaching islam muslim daily newspaper publication condemned muslim minister participate onam tradition various section islam raised concern celebration onam muslim however muslim observe onam anyway considering celebration ritual cultural practice onam fall month chingam first month according malayalam calendar celebration mark malayalam new year spread ten day conclude thiruvonam ten day sequentially known atham chithira chodhi vishakam anizham thriketa moolam pooradam uthradam thiruvonam first last day particularly important kerala malayalee community elsewhere atham day marked start festivity thrikkakara vamanamoorthy temple kochi vishnu temple considered focal centre onam abode mahabali raising festival flag parade held colourful depict element kerala culture float tableau day diverse range celebration activity ranging boat race cultural program sport competition dance event martial art floral rangoli – pookkalam prayer shopping donating time food charity spending time family feast men woman wear traditional dress kerala sari kasavu sari particularly wore day onam celebration across state start grand procession thrippunithura near kochi called atthachamayam also referred thripunithura athachamayam parade feature decorated elephant marching drum beat music folk art form float colourfully dressed people mask keralas history kochi king used head grand military procession full ceremonial robe palace thrikkakara temple meeting greeting people contemporary time statesupported event parade float traditionally feature scene epic mahabharata ramayana additionally float include theme bible well current theme thereby highlighting unity harmony procession path historically tripunithura vamanamoorthy temple thrikkakara ernakulam district temple dedicated vishnu vamana dwarf avatar arrival temple marcher offer prayer floral rangoli known onapookkalam athapookkalam pookkalam made gathered blossom several variety flower differing tint pinched little piece design decorate pattern floor particularly entrance temple premise like flower mat lamp arranged middle edge work religious art typically team initiative girl woman accomplish delicate touch personal artistic sense tone blending completed miniature pandal umbrella hung little festoon erected pookkalam similar rangoli made powder various colour popular north india traditional ritual laying pookkalam floral rangoli start atham day pookkalam day called athapoo relatively small size size pookkalam grows size progressively day onam festival yellow flower used atham one circular layer made design kept simple statue figurine mahabali vamana also installed entrance house day traditionally atthapookalams included flower endemic kerala dashapushpam flower nowadays variety flower used earthen mound look somewhat like square pyramid representing mahabali vamana placed dungplastered courtyard front house along pookalam beautifully decorated flower kerala pookalam competition common sight onam day traditional dance form including thiruvathira kummattikali pulikali thumbi thullal onam kali others thiruvathira kali womens dance performed circle around lamp kummattikali colourfulmask dance thrissur festivity include procession consisting caparisoned elephant surrounded kummatikali dancer masked dancer go house house performing colourful kummattikali onam kali form dance player arrange circle around pole tree lamp dance sing song derived ramayana epic kathakali dance also commonly performed time dancer enacting character various ancient indian legend famous venue valluvanad associated growth kathakali cheruthuruthy kerala kalamandalam located pulikali also known kaduvakali common sight onam season dance showcase performer painted like tiger bright yellow red black dance beat instrument like chenda thakil folk art mainly performed cultural district thrissur thousand pour city part art performance ritual worship dance theyyam given onam season mahabali played onathar variation include character oneswaran onapottan thrikkakara temple every day festival showcase one activity including kathakali thiruvathira chakyar koothu ottam thullal patakam onam song percussion instrument show onasadya grand scale attended ten thousand people religion faith festivity include pul kali masked leopard dance traditional dance form like kaikotti kali performed various function official government celebration start day heavy illumination thiruvananthapuram kochi kozhikode along firework city kerala political commercial cultural capital thiruvananthapuram kochi thrissur lit light fabulous display firework sumptuous onam sadya feast prepared thrikkakara temple megafeast conducted open public attended twenty thousand people vallamkali snake boat race another event synonymous onam wellknown race include aranmula uthrattadhi boat race nehru trophy boat race numerous oarsman row huge snakeshaped boat men woman come far near watch cheer snake boat race water event particularly featured pampa river considered sacred kerala equivalent ganges river tribute traditional snake boat race similar snake boat race also held malayali diaspora singapore annually onam jurong lake onam sadya feast another indispensable part onam almost every keralite either make attends one onasadya reflects spirit season traditionally made seasonal vegetable yam cucumber ash gourd feast served plantain leaf consists nine course may include two dozen dish including limited chip especially banana chip sharkaraveratti fried piece banana coated jaggery pappadam various vegetable soup injipuli also called puliinji thoran mezhukkupuratti kaalan olan avial sambhar dal served along small quantity ghee erisheri molosyam rasam puliseri also referred velutha curry kichadi confused khichdi pachadi sweet variant moru buttermilk curd mixed water pickle sweet sour coconut chutney feast end series dessert called payasam sweet dish made milk sugar jaggery traditional indian savoury eaten either straight mixed ripe small plantain curry served rice usually kerala matta parboiled rice preferred kerala hotel temple number curry dish may go importance feast keralas onam celebration culture captured famous malayalam proverb kaanam vittum onam unnanam mean one must onam lunch even selling one property need travancorestyle onasadya renowned disciplined traditionbound kurichians tribe parambikkulam celebrate onam festival eating new grain onam go community hunt game bagged hunt distributed among participant consumed family feast feast held uthradam thiruvonam feast also include fish meat normally largest chunk onam celebration end thiruvonam however two day following thiruvonam also celebrated third fourth onam third onam called avvittom mark preparation king mahabalis return ascension heaven main ritual day take onathappan statue placed middle every pookkalam past day immerse nearby river sea pookkalam cleaned removed ritual people buy wear new clothes occasion onam called onakkodi onam keralite hindu install image thrikkakara appan onatthappan vishnu form vamana home hindu install image murtis lord ganesha ganesha chaturthi festival elsewhere many lamp lit hindu temple kerala celebration palmyra tree erected front temple surrounded wooden balustrade covered dry palmyra leaf lit torch burned ash signify king mahabali went patala sacrifice swing another integral part onam especially rural area young men woman decked best sing onappaatt onam song rock one another swing slung high branch onam season often associated creativity weaver potter go excess production cater increased demand product season especially north kerala region kannur kasargod handloom fair integral part spirit onam festivity day part kerala people indulge various game dance postthiruvonam known onakkalikal include competition ox race maramadimatsaram uriyady foodeating competition pookalam competition etcin special month kuravans travancore use onam day offering thanks ancestral spirit uthradam day offer liquor rice cake flattened parched rice incense camphor etc spirit ritual end request spirit satisfied offering assured next attempt would better appeal made protect believer ward evil spirit area ritual locally known kalayam vaikkal similar offering like done makaram harvest known uchara onam also celebrated worldwide malayali diaspora celebration notable oman malaysia switzerland united state united arab emirate singapore united kingdom new zealand australia france notably paris marseille dhoti ethnic wear onam onathallu – performed kerala onam vallam kali – traditional boat race conducted onam medium related onam wikimedia common