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Onam is the biggest festival of last for 10 long days. Onam is the festival when people ward away all the barrier of caste, creed, and religion and celebrate the festival unitedly. During the festive time whole of Kerala embellish like a newly wed bride. It is the time of sports, mouth watering cuisines, sogs, dance and merriment. It is marked on late August or late September with some electrifying enthusiasm and high spirited celebration. Onam is also a great festival for farmer as the time is for harvest and pray for prosperity. Onam is celebrated after monsoon when sky is blue and forest are lush green. Kerala is mainly covered with beautiful canals, lakes and backwaters so people take out their boats and racing on the river to celebrate the festival. Infact boat racing in Kerala at the time Onam is a famous event and people from different part of Indian and abroad come to witness the spectacular event.
Onam is an important festival and paced around worshiping, music, dances, boat races and good food. Some unbelievable grand procession is set up on the streets of Trichur and snake race on the river Pampa is something for which people here are waited for year. Women in traditional attire flaunt in heavy jewelery make 'rangolis'(floral decoration made up with colored rice paste) in front of their houses. Women also put flower mat in front of their homes also visit the temple with elders and children. Special day for Keralitie women as prepare some delicious food in this day and celebrate it with much pomp and gaiety. At Aranmulla, a small town in Kerala is famous for some ancient temples dedicated to Lord Krishna and Arjuna, thousands of people gather on this day in this temples and pay their homage. Also the days are famous for exciting snake boat races. It is a big contest where at least 30 snake boats or 'chundam vallam' participate for a race of stretch of about 40 kilometers. These boats are steered by by rowers who attire in traditional dhotis and turbans, they racing with each other while singing traditional boat songs, the boats are racing one the river in an absolute rhythmic way, a pure visual extravaganza.
Religious Significance
Onam is a festival that is celebrated with equal fervor among Hindus, Muslim and Christians of Kerala. In the festival days, Hindus pay homage to idol of Thirkkakar Appan (Lord Vishnu) in their homes. There are many legends associated with Onam. The most popular one is the legend of king Mahabali who gave Kerala its golden age. Popularity of king Mahabali couldn't tolerated by gods and they sent king to exile but with request from Mahabali, they allowed to visit once in a year to Kerala. The annual visit is celebrated as Onam every year. Another popular story about the boat palliodam. It says, once a boat filled with food got stuck in the bend of river. When boatman names Bhattathiripad fed poor people living on the bank of river, only then the boat moved forward. From then onwards it has been a ritual to feed poor family on Onam.
Onam Customs And Rituals
Athachamayan - Name of a grand carnival that begins with Onam celebrated with lot of fanfair. The custom has a royal touch as it started with erstwhile Maharaja of Kochi state traveled to Thripunithura Fort with a grand carnival. The attractions of the carnival are folk dances, procession of caparisoned elephants, and songs and dance by artists.
Snake Boat Race - Snake boat race is the most exciting event of Onam. Its not just a competitive event but a custom when people worship their boat and decorated it with full enthusiasm. 30-35 boats compete with each other while rowers sings traditional songs to motivate themselves. It has been a great visual pleasure.
Procession Of Decked Elephant - Trichur, the small city is known for its cultural wealth marks the festival with some grand procession of decked elephant. With elephants roam freely in the streets with style and grandeur. The procession is followed by merry making, song and dance.
Pulikai Performance- The most entertaining custom of Onam. Artists disguise in tiger, paint their body with yellow pattern of black and red. The drama of hunting deer and goat by tiger with music is an enticing event. Pulikai performance of Thrissur and Paghat districts are the most famous.
Thumbi Thullal - It is a custom performed by women folk dancer. Group of dancer sit in the formation of a ring and the lead singer sit inside the ring and other women clap while humming the song. Women sport best clothes and attractive jewelries.
Athapoovu Competitions - Its an ancient tradition during the festival of Onam when people use to decorate in front of their homes with some beautiful 'rangolis' or 'pookalam'. The competition of pookalam is very enjoyable when everyone want to outshine each other with colorful pookalam.
Onam is specially famous among outsiders for its exciting snake boat race. SO if you visit Kerala during Onam, never forget to witness the grand event.
Enjoy some scrumptious cuisines of Kerala during the festival session.
Kerala is famous for its backwaters and beaches especially Kovalam beach. Make sure that you visit those places.
In India Kerala is the place where you get traditional ayurvedic massage. It will rejuvenate you and cure many of your illness. Don't forget to take an ayurvedic massage in a beautifully located resort.
The Grand Boat Race
One of the main attractions of Onam, is the 'Vallamkali' or boat races of Karuvatta, Payippad, Aranmula and Kottayam. Hundreds of oarsmen row traditional boats to the rhythm of drums and cymbals. These long graceful Snake Boats called 'Chundans' are named after their exceedingly long hulls and high sterns that resemble the raised hood of a cobra.
Then there are 'Odis', the small and swift raiding crafts adorned with gold tasseled silk umbrellas, the 'Churulans' with their elaborately curled prows and sterns, and the 'Veppus', a kind of cook-boat. This traditional village rivalry on watercrafts reminds one of ancient naval warfare.
Thousands throng the banks to cheer and watch the breathtaking show of muscle power, rowing skills and rapid rhythm. These boats - all pitted against their own kind - rip through the backwaters of Kerala in a tussle of speed.
Onam is For All
Although this festival has its origin in Hindu mythology, Onam is for all people of all class and creed. Hindus, Muslims and Christians, the wealthy and the downtrodden, all celebrate Onam with equal fervor. The secular character of Onam is peculiar to this land where unity had always coexisted with diversity, especially during festivals, when people come together to celebrate life's unlimited joys.
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