The story of Onam

Onam is a festival celebrated mainly in Kerala by the Malayalees. This is one of the important festivals, celebrated for 10 days. During the celebration, people here welcome King Mahabali. 

This is also a harvest festival; people make beautiful flower designs at their entrance; these designs are known as pookalam. Doing so blesses the home with prosperity. Women go shopping and buy new clothes and ornaments. A feast takes place, and kaikottikali, a dance form, happens. Performances like Tumbi tullal, kummatikali and Puli Kali also happen.

Onam celebrates the arrival of the great asura King Maha Bali; it is believed that on this day, he comes from Patala Loka and visits Earth.

The Legend About Maha Bali

Maha Bali is the grandson of Prahalada. Once Maha Bali performed a yagna, a short and glowing boy entered the premises. Maha Bali, known for his welcoming nature, went to the boy and asked him what he wanted. The boy asked for the space of his three footsteps.

Maha Bali thought he was a small kid and would take a tiny space. Maha Bali granted the boy his wish. However, the boy turned himself into the real avatar, Lord Vishnu himself.

Vishnu turned himself into a gigantic form and started measuring his three footsteps. His first footstep covered the whole Sky; his second foot covered the entire Earth. Now, as nothing was remaining for this third footstep, he asked Bali where to put his third footstep. Bali was bound to his promise; he offered Vishnu his head.

He surrendered in front of Vishnu with joy. Vishnu then took his third footstep, and with this, Bali was sent to Patala Loka to live there. However, the people who used to worship Bali took the request to see their King. Vishnu agreed to their request, and he asked Bali that he could visit Earth once a year.

Since then, the day has been celebrated as Onam, during which King Bali visited the Earth and his people.

The Deeper Meaning Of Life In These Three Steps

The legend of Vamana happened for a reason. Maha Bali was a great asura king who owned all earthly possessions and was nearly invincible. Then to destroy his ego and teach him the lesson of humility, Vishnu decided to take the Vamana avatar.

Measuring the Earth teaches us to be humble and also consider the humans who are living beings just like us.

Measuring the Sky teaches us the vastness of the cosmos and how tiny and insignificant we are in front of it.

The hand on the head teaches us the cycle of life and death and that nothing is permanent but this cosmos. It teaches us how big the cosmos is and how small a role we play here.

Hence there is nothing that we can own and develop ego about. We can learn from the story of Vamana and King Bali and understand to transcend our egos to let the knowledge rise.

The Significance Of The Shravan Month

Onam falls every year during the Shravan month or the duration of August/September. It is also known as Thiruvonam or Shravanam, which falls under the Shravana star per the Indian calendar. This month generally happens between July-August in the North and August-September in the South.

The Shravana start is known as Altair and is a bright star in the Aquila constellation as per Western astrology. The star remains along with Beta and Gamma Aquilae. These three stars are Vamana\'s three footsteps in his gigantic Vishnu form.

Rituals Of Onam

Onam, a ten-day festival, is celebrated with great fervor in Kerala. People take an early bath all these ten days and wear their traditional clothes. Women wear the white saree with golden borders, Kasavu.

People go for prayers in the temples and draw rangoli at their entrance. They cook the famous feast Sadya, served on the banana leaves in South Indian manner.

During this festivity, the popular boat festival also takes place, which is called Vallam Kali. Tiger dances called Pulikali happen; people worship the God or Onathappan. Women perform dance rituals, Kummattikali, Onathallu or martial arts, Onavillu/music, and folk songs; all these activities happen, among many other activities.

The Chundan Vallam boat race is the biggest event compared to other boat competitions. It started in the 13th century when the kingdoms of Kayamkulam and Chembakassery declared war. This led to the construction of Chundan Vallam, a war boat.

Boat racing in Kerala is also a performance for tourists from around the world. The event takes place at Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha, Kerala. The winning team takes lacs of rupees home as a reward. This year Onam will start on August 30, 2022, and will happen until September 8.

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