Onam is truly the biggest festival of Kerala. It is a festival that lasts for ten days and it is filled with a variety of art, dance, stories about legends etc. These hidden stories have been taken either from history or from mythology or is a simple in nature, folk story which is layered heavily in meaning. This year Onam is from the twenty sixth of august to the sixth of September, these old stories are thoroughly renewed. Hidden stories behind the Onam traditions in Kerala 2025 are the legendary tales which help in shaping the festival.
The Central Story
The reason why people celebrate Onam is because many decades back, Mahabali used to rule over the people in a just, kind, generous and good way. The people were very happy under his rule. Everyone was equal in his kingdom, he was generous to the people who lacked anything and he was always fair in his decisions. Since he was a demon, the gods began to feel that this kind of behaviour would make him look more superior than them so they requested God Vishnu to do something. God took his fifth avatar of Vamana who was a dwarf Brahmin and asked Mahabali for only three paces of land. The King readily agreed. The only problem was that Vamana was meant to get bigger in size so he covered the earth and the heaven in the first two steps. For the third step, the humble Mahabali offered his own head. Impressed by this act of devotion, Lord Vishnu allowed him to return to his people once a year which is rejoiced as Onam. This is the beginning of hidden stories behind Onam traditions in Kerala 2025.
The Meaning of the Festivities
The first day is called Pookalam where families create flower designs on the entrance of their house as a way to welcome King Mahabali. On the second day, a luxurious feast is prepared with vegetarian dishes which is a symbolism of community eating, prosperity and abundance. It showcases that during the reign of Mahabali, his subjects did not feel like they needed anything. On the third day, the celebrators wear new clothing which represents renewal, equality etc. It shows how hospitable they are to the King Mahabali.
Popular Rituals
One of the most famous rituals is the Tiger Dance where a group of dancers paint themselves as tigers and dance to a rhythm of beating drums. They say that this ritual started over twenty decades back. It depicts how nature can also be calmed down and adds an energetic beat to the festival. Another popular tradition are the boat races where there are huge crews riding a boat in one standard rhythm. This suggests how people can be cooperative, how they can increase their stamina, how people can use the power of nature to their benefit. Some people also say that the boat races are like an offering to the Gods themselves.
In conclusion, Onam is a kind of festival which is like a combination of performance, mythological tales of the harvest season and a kind of day which celebrates equality. The sacrifice and greatness of King Mahabali is very important because in the spirit of his reign, the hidden stories behind onam traditions in Kerala 2025 come on the surface. Every single ritual like Pookalam or Sadya or Onakoddi or even the boat races is much more than just a ritual; it is like a string which helps in weaving a community together; a kind of tale that goes beyond time.
Author
Shreeja Mukherjee