Onam celebrations blend traditional with modern

Onam

The harvest festival of Kerala, Onam will be celebrated next week and preparations have already begun in Navi Mumbai. Legend says that it is celebrated to welcome King Mahabali, whose spirit is said to visit Kerala at the time of Onam which also marks the beginning of the Malayalam calendar. In Kerala, the carnival can last for anything from four to ten days. Locally that is not the case, one day seems adequate enough.

On Onam, people wake us as early as 4 am and the day begins with getting their home ready. Elaborate prayers are recited and special pujas are performed by the senior family member. Lamps are lit up in front of the idols and all members of the house join in for the prayers. Since the festival is that of a harvest celebration, prayers are offered that the harvest in the coming year will be just as bountiful.

After this many families opt to visit a nearby temple. Dressing up in traditional finery also plays an important role and often new clothes are given to every member of the family by the eldest. In some modern families, gifts are sometimes exchanged.

Once the religious rituals are over, it's time to prepare for the Onasadya, which is the grand meal of the day. Like all festivals, it is the food that remains the most impressive aspect. The grand feast for Onam is called Onasadya, and it is a nine course meal consisting of 11 to 13 essential dishes. Served on banana leaves, the family sits on the floor for this elaborate meal served on a fresh banana leaf. There is a fixed order of serving the meal and a set place to serve the various dishes on the leaf. A lot of preparation and hard work goes intro putting this meal together.

After the grand meal, its time for fun and games. The male members of the family usually indulge in some rigorous sporting activity, while the seniors and the women enjoy playing cards or a game of chess. Women also perform the traditional Kaikotti Kali, the clap dance or the Thumbi thullal. There are traditional games that are played during Onam, it's called Onakalikal. And it includes ball games, games of combat and archery and Kutukutu that is the Kerala version of kabaddi. But space is the most important requirement here. Finally the day ends singing traditional Oman songs.

In Kerala the celebrations are far more elaborate. rticipate. Prominent among the celebrations is the Vallamkali commonly called the Snake Boat Race. The other highpoint of Onam is the dazzling display of fire works and each year the celebrations have only gotten bigger and better.