Festivals - Series I

Onam

Rooted in the myth of the demon-king Mahabali, Onam is easily the biggest and the most popular festival of Kerala. It falls in the Malayalam month of Chingam (Aug-Sept). It is the harvest festival of Kerala. During the ten day-long festival, Keralites, irrespective of caste, creed and religion, Children go around collecting flowers and decorate them in the front portion of the house in various designs and patterns to welcome their benefactor and king.Legend has it that Mahabali, the erstwhile ruler of Kerala who was banished to the nether-world by Lord Vishnu under the guise of the Brahmin boy, Vamana, visits his subjects on Thiruvonam.

It's a ten day-long festival and the most important days of the Onam festival are Uthradom and Thiruvonam days. On the latter, a grand feast is held in every home. Onam also provides an occasion for family get-together among the Keralites.


Vishu


This day on which Vishu falls is the astronomical new year day and it is celebrated as such. The Malayalis believe that the fortunes for the year depend upon the nature of the object one sees first in the morning of Vishu Day. In order to fulfill the desire to look at the auspicious articles, they prepare a 'Kani' (anomen) on the previous day for seeing in the next morning. In circular bell-metal vessel known as 'Urule' some raw rice is put and over it a folded newly washed cloth is spread.

The Kani includes gold ornament, white cloth, a measure of rice or paddy, bell metal mirror, flowers of the Konna tree (Cussia fistula), halved jack fruits, halved coconuts, yellow cucumber, and two standing oil lamps emitting sparkling light their eyes. Two coconut halves containing oil and lighted wicks are also placed in the vessel which illuminate the articles inside it. A bell-metal lamp filled with coconut oil is kept burning by the side of the vessel. At the dawn, the Malayali's begin the first day of the Year by waking up in front of Kani.

Another interesting features of this day are Kaayi neetal where the elder members in the family gift money to the younger ones.