History & Origin of Onam-The most important festival of kerala
Read the history & origin of Onam,the most important festival of kerala. It is an annual festival of 10 - 11 days with varied festive activities. The main function is on Thiruvonam (Malayalam star day.
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Onam History
Records about Onam is available only from A D 800. That does not mean that the Onam celebrations were started during AD 800only. It is quite possible that the festival is in existence much earlier to that time as corroborated by the Mahabali legend. However, records about onam is available only from 800 AD point out to the reign of Kulashekhara Perumal of the Cheran dynasty where there was reference of Onam having celebrated. But onam has been a part of Malayalee culture for centuries.
However, there are some legends about the reasons for celebrating the Onam festival to compensate for the lack of historical evidences. Let us see the legends connected with the Onam festival.The Mahabali Legend
This prominent legend is connected with Mahabali, supposed to be one of the ancient rulers in earth. Mahabali was (the grandson of Bhakta Prahlada S/o Hiranya Kasipu a demon king – an Asura – a species of negative virtues) a king fighting with Gods (Suras – persons of good virtues). However, Mahabali was a just, benevolent and caring ruler especially of Kerala, for his subjects. During his time all were treated alike and nobody knew of poverty (a kind of socialism much before Karl Marx wrote about socialism and communism). His was a golden era of Kerala according to Mythology. In fact even now one of the songs sung during onam is "Maveli naadu vaaneedum kaalam, maanusharellaarum onnu pole…(during Mahabali's time all people were alike and it goes on to tell the virtues of the time)". His popularity was rising and that was to overshadow the kingdoms of the gods. His only drawback was that he was against gods and was doing everything to denigrate and reduce their glory. Linearly he was an Asura – demon king. Mahabali conquered most of the kingdoms and was preparing to wage war to conquer the kingdom if Indra (Deva Lokam). The gods who were jealous anxious and apprehensive, approached Lord Mahavishnu, the protector. Mahabali was a devotee of Mahavishnu, learning to worship him during his childhood from his grandfather Prahlada. Mahavishnu considered the facts and decided to settle the matter satisfying the gods and at the same time putting Mahabali on higher level. Mahabali was a king of charitable nature and will give anything within his limit to the asker. So Mahavishnu disguised as a dwarf Brahmin called 'Vamana', came to Mahabali and asked him for land enough to cover 3 steps by the Vamana. Mahabali agreed to the same and suggested Vamana to measure. Thereupon Vamana increased his size to such an extent that he covered the entire earth with on step and the entire atmosphere by the 2nd step. Now there was nothing to keep the 3rd step. So Mahabali offered Vamana to keep the 3rd step on Mahabali's head. Pleased with the virtues, Lord Vishnu made Mahabali the king of Paatala (another universe in the cosmos) and granted a boon that Mahabali could visit his erstwhile kingdom, Kerala, once every year. Mahabali started visiting Kerala during the 10 days of Chinga Masa (falls during August – September) from Atham to Thiruvonam. The period of the supposed visit of Mahabali to Kerala is celebrated as Onam. The 11th day 'Avittam' might be the farewell day. On the 10th day, the Thiruvonam day night the mud (matheri – mathevar) forms which were kept perpendicular (vertical) for pooja will be kept lying (horizontal). On this day the lunch will be much simpler with only few items.
There is another part to the above legend. When Vamana the bachelor Brahmin came to Mahabali, during a special function Vishwa Jeeth Yagam (yaga for having success in conquering all other rulers including that of the Indra's swarga at the suggestion of his Guru Sukracharya) being conducted by Mahabali. All the assembled noble persons were showing great respect to Vamana recognizing him to be a holy person. So Mahabali offered Vamana that he can ask whatever he (Vamana) want. Vamana said that he wanted only land to the extent of his 3 steps. Immediately the Raja guru of Mahabali, Sukracharya, guessing the personality and intention of Vamana (incarnation of Mahavishnu) suggested to Mahabali not agree for the request. Mahabali did not want to break his word and was going ahead to fulfill his word. The Sukracharya decided to prevent the deed. So he hid in the 'kindi' (a pot with a slaniding tube outlet for pouring water) as a creature to prevent the water from coming out of the kindi. Since washing the feet of the donee (receiver of gift) is an essential ritual of the gift, Mahabali did not know what to do. Vamana offered help and took a sharp edged 'Darbha' (a holy grass very strong, used in all poojas) and poked the same in the tube of the kindi. This pierced one eye of Sukracharya and made him to scramble out. Then the ritual and gifting was completed. This is the reason attributed for the loss of one eye of Sukracharya. This is mentioned as an aside as it had some connection with the gifting of three feet of land by Mahabali.Boat Palliodam legend
It is regarding a boat – Palliodam (a boat used for transporting temple idols, sacred items, items for pooja of god or for transporting rulers or high ranking persons) in which food items were being carried to Aranmula temple through a river. At a particular point the river became very narrow and the boat was not in a position to negotiate through the narrow gorge. There was a Brahmin ‘Bhattathiri' in the boat who volunteered to inquire with somebody nearby to see what can be done for transporting the food in the boat. When he came to the river bank he saw one hut. He went there and observed a widow and a child weeping because of hunger and not having any food to eat. The kind man went back to the boat and brought some food and gave the same to the woman and child. After that he went back to the boat and to the surprise of him and all the others in the boat, the boat started moving forward and could negotiate the narrow gorge. As commemoration of the incident feast is being arranged on the same day every year with the idea of feeding the poor. In the later years it turned into a festival of 10/11 days and the poor feeding also became secondary as there were no persons so poor as to starve for want of food. But food was offered to the deity of the Janardanaswamy of Aranmula. The procedure is followed even now. The Vanishing boy Legend
This legend is connected with the head of Katoor Mana (a Nampoodiri family). At a very long time back, the head of the Katoor Mana went to the nearby river Pampa for bath. In those days there used to be a custom to feed a person preferably a bachelor Brahmin boy as a ritual before the householders take food. After bath the Nampoodiri was waiting for a bachelor boy to come by, and praying to the Lord Krishna, who is the deity of the Aranmula temple, so that he can feed the boy. Then he spotted a boy in tattered dress. He bathed and dressed the boy, invited the boy for food and fed the boy. After the feeding was over, the boy disappeared. The Nampoodiri went in search of the boy and he saw the boy near the Aranmula temple. On his reaching near the boy the boy again slipped out and he could not trace the boy. The Nampoodiri Brahmin came to the conclusion that the boy is none else than the deity himself in guise to help him out. Since then the Brahmin brought food to the temple gave as his offering to deity in memory of the feeding of the boy every year on the day of the incident that happened to him. This happened on Thiruvonam day of Chingam and the offer of food to the deity was being done on Onam days every year. This spread to all other Nampoodiri families in Kerala. Since Nampoodiris were the landlords, Brahmins and representative of the rulers of the area, this custom is said to have spread among the entire population of Kerala.
As mentioned earlier it is a 10/ 11 days festival with games, sports for men and women, children and also jointly for all. There will be simple poojas to Mahabali and the gods especially Lord Mahavishnu, New dress wearing and other social and cultural activities. Since this article is about the history of onam, the details are not included in this article.Why Onam Festival in Chinga (Sravana) Masam?
Reason number - 1
Onam is celebrated at the peak of the best period of the year in Kerala – a State in India. The peak season is during the main harvest period. Naturally in the feudal system based on agriculture as the main activity, the harvest periods will be very important. In the olden days when in many parts of the state the paddy (main grain and the staple food of Kerala) cultivation was only once a year. So the festival falls after the harvest of this cultivation. Subsequently, of course, due to improved irrigation schemes many parts of Kerala started having paddy cultivation first twice a year and then 3 times a year as the necessity arose due to the increasing demands of the increasing population. But the festival time has not changed as this is the main harvest season. Reason number - 2
Another reason for selection of this time for the festival time is the fact that the preceding month, the Karkadakam (Karkidaka, karkidakam, Kadaka, Ashada, Aadi) used to be the worst period of the year. Karkidakam is the time when there will be torrential rain; there used to be floods; due to the incessant rains no work will be available to the labourers; Food scarcity will be there; and the life, for majority, used to be a miserable one with near starvations etc. This month is known as the ‘Panja masam'. There was a say that “karkadakam kazhinjal durghtam kazhiyum" (meaning: when karkidakam masam is over troubles will be over). Because of the nature of the season, this used to be the peak season of diseases, sickness and ill health coupled with maximum financial difficulty. Because of the combined effects of poverty condition and sickness, the season is also known as the Kanji (rice gruel – porridge) season. After the miserable period, the abundant period starts. So this season is celebrated as a festival of prosperity. Reason number - 3
One more reason may be that the Onam Festival is associated in the minds of the Keralites with Mahabali and Mahavishnu (n the form of Thrivikraman - Vamanan). As per some legends Mahabali agreed to give 3 feet measure of land to Vamanan on the Thiruvonam day and Mahabali's transfer to Paatala Lokam and his getting the blessings and boon from Vamanan on this day. Mahabali was allowed to visit his erstwhile kingdom of Kerala once a year on this day. The happy people of Kerala wanted to observe this day as thanking giving day to Mahabali for his giving a golden period to the people. Another factor attributed is that Thiruvonam is the Jayanthi of Vamanan. On this day it is believed that Mahabali comes to Kerala to see all his subjects' well being. There is a temple at Thrikkakara considered to be the abode of Mahabali. This temple will starts it festivity from this day.
Another reason is that the Chinga Masam (Malayalam Era) is the first month of the year and 1st day of that month is New Year day in by gone days. Actually onam used to start from the 1st day of Chingam. The elders in the family will tell that from Chingam first Pookkalam used to be arranged in front of the house till Atham star day, when the festival enters a more formal way celebration.
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