Onam & Impressing the God !

Yesterday was Onam, the biggest and the most important festival of the state of Kerala. It is a harvest festival and is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm all over the state by people of all communities. According to a popular legend, the festival is celebrated to welcome King Mahabali, whose spirit is said to visit Kerala at the time of Onam.

Story goes that during the reign of mighty asura (demon) king, Mahabali, Kerala witnessed its golden era. Every body in the state was happy and prosperous and king was highly regarded by his subjects. Apart from all his virtues, Mahabali had one shortcoming. He was egoistic. This weakness in Mahabali's character was utilized by Gods to bring an end to his reign as they felt challenged by Mahabali's growing popularity. (It used to happen in those days as well !) However, for all the good deed done by Mahabali, God granted him a boon that he could annually visit his people with whom he was so attached.

It is this visit of Mahabali that is celebrated as Onam every year. People make all efforts to celebrate the festival in a grand way and impress upon their dear King that they are happy and wish him well. People decorate their houses and make such wonderful patterns called Pookalams. They use flowers of different colours to make these kolams.


And, of course, there are competitions all over the place where ladies make big patterns and the best ones are chosen. The images in this post are from taken from different sites in which such Pookalams were displayed.
As Vennila is growing up, we too made the first attempts - though modest - in making such patterns. (One of them is given at the bottom of this post). You are supposed to do it for 10 days preceeding Onam. Collecting flowers of different colours and making it early in the morning - I think, it is a wonderful way of celebrating a festival. But, I am quite amused at the reason for this celebration. "To impress Mahabali, the King whose spirit is supposed to visit every malayali house !"

After all, only when someone from outside visits the house, we tend to clean it a bit, tidy it and impress them ! Such preparations actually add joy to the actual event of meeting them. Changing the pillow covers and disposing off the old papers. Recently, when a top Government official visited our hospital, everyone tried to clean the name boards hanging outside - which do not fall under the strict cleaning regimen in the hospital.

I cannot think whether I do such preparations to welcome anyone. I do make plans, but not good at such visual displays. The only thing I always do is to cleanly shave and cut my hair, before I go home to meet my mother ! She is my living Mahabali.

Here is Vennila's first ever pookalam.

Thanks Gouthami for wishing "Happy Onam" !