Onam is one of the greatest festivals of Kerala. It is the festival, which the Keralites celebrate unitedly without the difference of caste and religion. Gnam is a time for sports and festivities and in Kerala where one-third of the area is low lying, Covered with canals, lakes and backwaters; the people take to their boats and country crafts to celebrate. Colourful aquatic festivals are organized along the sacred rive Pamba. After three months of heavy rains, the sky becomes a clear blue and the forests a deep green. The brooks and streams come alive, spitting forth-gentle white foam, the lakes and rivers overflow and lotuses and lilies are in full bloom. It is time to reap the harvest, to celebrate and to rejoice. The harvest festival of Onam corresponds with the Malayalam New Year, Chingam (ending of August and beginning of September.)
Onam is mainly the harvest festival of Kerala and is an attraction for thousands of people within and outside the state. Lasting for four days to ten days, all the activities during this season are cantered around worshipping, music, dances, sports, boat races and good food. Onam is a harvest festival, and celebrates the bounty of nature after a year of hard labour.
Elaborate procession of Trichur and spectacular snake boat races on River Pampa mark the merry-making nature of the festival. Women dress up in new saris and heavy jewellery and make elaborate and intricate designs of 'rangolis' (with coloured rice paste) and 'pookkalam' (with flowers) in front of their homes.
Legend :
A long time ago, an Asura (demon) king called Mahabali ruled Kerala. He was a wise, benevolent and judicious ruler and beloved of his subjects. Soon his fame as an able king began to spread far and wide, but when he extended his rule to the heavens and the divine world, the gods felt challenged and began to fear his growing powers. Presuming that he might become over­ powerful, Aditi, the mother of Devas pleaded with Lord Vishnu to curtail Mahabali's powers.
Vishnu transformed himself into a dwarf called Vamana and approached Mahabali while he was performing a yajna and asked for alms. Pleased with the dwarf brahmin's wisdom, Mahabali granted bim a wish. The Emperor's preceptor, Sukracharya warned him against making the gift, for he realized that the seeker was no ordinary person. But the Emperor's kingly ego was boosted to think that God had asked him for a favour. So he fiimly declared that there is no greater sin than going back on one's promise. He kept his word.
The Vamana asked for a siInple gift-three paces of land­ and the king agreed to it. Vishnu in the guise of Vamana then increased his stature and with the first step covered the sky, blotting out the stars, and with the second, straddled the divine world. Realising that Vamana's third step will destroy the earth; Mahabali offered his head as the last step. Vishnu's- fatal third step pushed him to the netherworld, but before banishing him to the underworld Vishnu granted him a boon. Since he was attached to his kingdom and his people, he was allowed to return once a year from exile. Onam is the celebration that marks the homecoming of King Mahabali. It is the day when a grateful Kerala pays a glorious tribute to the memory of this benign king who gave his all for his- subjects.
Rituals :
Onam is a festival of festive celebrations. New clothes are bought on this day and people indulge themselves in dances and sports. The number of days of the festival range from four to ten days, depending on the region. The children and the youth join in the mirth of the season and set about collecting flowers early morning to decorate the yards of their houses for the ten days of the festival, starting from Atham to Thiruvonam. On the day of Onam, new clothes are given as present followed by a grand feast.