Onam Festival - History in Brief
This article will provides you a clear idea of history Onam festival. Moreover this article explain significance of Onam festivals and importend celebrations in Onam days.It will also give to you a brief idea about snake boat races.
Onam is mainly celebrated in Kerala state. This annual harvest festival will give great joy and better relief for Kerala peoples. Onam celebrated in between august and September.But in Malayalam calender it celebrated in first month called Chingam. The earliest Onam festival has been found during the reign of Kulasekhara Perumals. That is around AD 800. In Kerala Onam celebrated 10 or 12 days.Pookalam designing,pulikali,Tug war (vadamvali) are the main attraction Onam festival.
History of Onam
There are mainly two legends related with Onam festival. First one is related to story of King Mahabali. It says that King Mahabali is the most perfect king. His season is known as golden era in history. Actually he is the ruler of netherworld.When he extended his rule area to heaven with netherworld. The God appointed Lord Vishnu against him. Then Vishnu went to Mahabhali in the form of dwarf brahmin(Vamana).Mahabhali impressed with him. Mahabali granted to him one wish,then he asked three paces of land. The first step is covered with sky and second with netherworld. The Vishnu third step convey Mahabali to netherworld. Then he asked to Vishnu for a boon to visit earth in every year. So peoples celebrates Onam to welcome Mahabali to earth.
The second was related to a story of boat palliodam. It says that When a boat full of with grains travel through river suddenly boat stuck at middle of
river.then came Bhattathiripad and give some foods to a poor family residing at
bank of river. From that situation peoples begin to give foods during Onam season.Another significance related to Onam is celebrating it as harvest festival.It mirrors the golden era of The King Mahabali. As a part of this ,Farmers concentrated to produce more foods for richness of the state.Onam celebrations
During Onam days peoples wake up earlymorning.after bathing they prays and preparing pookalam in their house.then they turned to prepare Onasadhya which is purely vegetarian.Palpayasam is main attraction of Onasadhya.Then peoples concentrates on Onam dances like kaikottikali,pulikkali.Mens mainly busy with Onathallu,Tug war ,Kabadi,thalapanthukali. etc.
The important attraction is snake boat races ,which attracts tourists rather than local peoples.Jawaharlal Nehru so impressed with snake boat rsces.So he Offer a Nehru trophy for this.Now days it is very popular in Kerala.
Aranmula snake boat race is another important one.
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