Festivals
ONAM
Concept: One of the best known regional festivals of Kerala,Onam is celebrated by all Keralites irrespective of their caste or religion to celebrate the return of King Mahabali, the kind demon king who once ruled the land. According to the legend, Lord Vishnu decided to test King Mahabali's charitable nature and presented Himself as a poor child Brahmin known as 'Vaman' to the King and requested for three feet of land to live. The kind king was surprised but agreed to give the land from wherever he wishes.Vamana then began to grow and covered the whole earth by one foot and the heaven with his other foot. King Mahabali readily presented his head to place his third food to the extraordinary child.This won him the favor of Vishnu,who gave him the kingdom of 'Pathala' and the boon to visit his kingdom Kerala once in a year to see his people at Onam.
Celebration: Onam celebration in Kerala is much hyped as the Kerala's most popular festival. It features feasts, traditional dances, boat races and merriment.
The festival is ten-day long and falls in the month of Chingam (according to the Malayalam calendar) and is celebrated with much pomp and gaiety. People decorate their homes wit
h fresh flower mats known as 'Pookalam' to welcome the King Mahabali.They wear new dresses; visit the temples to offer their prayers to the Gods and performing traditional dances such as Thiruvathirakali and Thumbi Tullal. There is a grand lunch called 'Sadhya'
on the Thiuruvonam, the fourth day of Onam, which is considered very importa
nt and absolutely essential.The ten days are meant for feasting, boat races, songs, dances and merriment to welcome their king. Sumptuous home cooked meals served on plantain leaf and the sweet Payasam are the most common delicacies that are served during Onam. There are processions of caparisoned elephants, fireworks and Kathakali dancers. Many cultural and sport events and carnivalsare organized during the season.
VISHU
Celebration: Though Vishu is identified with the Hindus religious beliefs, it is not in any way a religious festival. As per popular belief, the first thing people see on Vishu, the 'Vishukkani',
is decisive to the y
ear's prosperity.
Thus the 'Vishukkani' has over the years become a ritual arrangement of auspicious articles like raw rice, fresh linen, goldencucumber, betel leaves, arecanut, metal mirror, the yellow flowers 'konna' (cassia fistula), and a holy text and coins, in a bell metal vessel called 'uruli'. A lighted bell metal lamp called 'nilavilakku' is also placed along side.
As Vishu ushers in a New Year dawn, people wake up to behold the ritualistic arrangement. Giving off handsel (kaineettam) to the younger members of the family is part of the celebrations.
POORAMS
" Thrissur Pooram" - considered to be the Mother of all poorams, is a cultural highlight par excellence, celeb
rated in the Malayalam month Medam (April/May).
The two century old festival of spectacular procession of caparisoned elephants and enthralling percussion performances in a never ending succession is an 36 hours marathon event of incredible beauty, a feast for the eye and the ear,unfolding between 6 am to 12 noon the other day. Different from the usual temple festival, Thrissur Pooram is participated and conducted by people across all barriers of religion and caste. This is explained with the genesis of the festival
Historical Background: Before the advent of Thrissur Pooram, the largest temple
festival during summer in central Kerala was the one-day festival held at Aarattupuzha, 12 km south of the town. Temples in and around Thrissur were regular participants of this religious
exerciseuntil they were once denied entry by the responsible chief of thePeruvanam area of Cherpu, known for its Namboodiri supremacy. As an act of reprisal and also in a bid toassuagetheir wounded feelings, Prince Rama Varma (1751-1805), also known as Sakthan Thampuran and enthroned as the ruler of the erstwhile Cochin state invited all these temples
to bring their deities to Thrissur where they could pay obeisance to Lord (Sri) Vakunnathan, the deity of the Vadakunnathan temple.Further he directed the main temples of Thrissur,
Thruvambadi and Pamamekkavu, to extend all help and support to these temples. It is this historical background that determines thecourse of the Pooram program and it is specifically the ruler'santipathy to the brahmin aristocracy to open Thrissur pooram for the common man.
ReligiouBackground: Adhering to the medieval Peruvanam tradition, the festival is
confined to the temples of Devi (goddess) and Sastha (divine combination of Shiva and Vishnu). Ten deities from the neighboring temples pay obeisance to the presiding deiety of Thrissur and only spectator of the Pooram events, Lord Siva at the Sree Vadakkunnathan temple, situated in the heart of the town. Principle participants are Paramekkavu and Tiruvambadi, close to the Vadakunnathan temple. Also participating and known as 'Cherupooram' are the suburban temples at Kanimangalam, Karamukku, Choorakkattukara, Laloor, Ayyanthole, Neithilakkavu and Chembukkavu, Panamukkampilly, altogether 8 deities. The sprawling Thekkinkadi maidan,
en circling the Vadakumnathan temple, is the main venue of the festival.
Concept: One of the best known regional festivals of Kerala,Onam is celebrated by all Keralites irrespective of their caste or religion to celebrate the return of King Mahabali, the kind demon king who once ruled the land. According to the legend, Lord Vishnu decided to test King Mahabali's charitable nature and presented Himself as a poor child Brahmin known as 'Vaman' to the King and requested for three feet of land to live. The kind king was surprised but agreed to give the land from wherever he wishes.Vamana then began to grow and covered the whole earth by one foot and the heaven with his other foot. King Mahabali readily presented his head to place his third food to the extraordinary child.This won him the favor of Vishnu,who gave him the kingdom of 'Pathala' and the boon to visit his kingdom Kerala once in a year to see his people at Onam.
Celebration: Onam celebration in Kerala is much hyped as the Kerala's most popular festival. It features feasts, traditional dances, boat races and merriment.
The festival is ten-day long and falls in the month of Chingam (according to the Malayalam calendar) and is celebrated with much pomp and gaiety. People decorate their homes wit
h fresh flower mats known as 'Pookalam' to welcome the King Mahabali.They wear new dresses; visit the temples to offer their prayers to the Gods and performing traditional dances such as Thiruvathirakali and Thumbi Tullal. There is a grand lunch called 'Sadhya'on the Thiuruvonam, the fourth day of Onam, which is considered very importa
nt and absolutely essential.The ten days are meant for feasting, boat races, songs, dances and merriment to welcome their king. Sumptuous home cooked meals served on plantain leaf and the sweet Payasam are the most common delicacies that are served during Onam. There are processions of caparisoned elephants, fireworks and Kathakali dancers. Many cultural and sport events and carnivalsare organized during the season.VISHU
Celebration: Though Vishu is identified with the Hindus religious beliefs, it is not in any way a religious festival. As per popular belief, the first thing people see on Vishu, the 'Vishukkani',
is decisive to the y
ear's prosperity.Thus the 'Vishukkani' has over the years become a ritual arrangement of auspicious articles like raw rice, fresh linen, goldencucumber, betel leaves, arecanut, metal mirror, the yellow flowers 'konna' (cassia fistula), and a holy text and coins, in a bell metal vessel called 'uruli'. A lighted bell metal lamp called 'nilavilakku' is also placed along side.
As Vishu ushers in a New Year dawn, people wake up to behold the ritualistic arrangement. Giving off handsel (kaineettam) to the younger members of the family is part of the celebrations.
POORAMS
" Thrissur Pooram" - considered to be the Mother of all poorams, is a cultural highlight par excellence, celeb
rated in the Malayalam month Medam (April/May).The two century old festival of spectacular procession of caparisoned elephants and enthralling percussion performances in a never ending succession is an 36 hours marathon event of incredible beauty, a feast for the eye and the ear,unfolding between 6 am to 12 noon the other day. Different from the usual temple festival, Thrissur Pooram is participated and conducted by people across all barriers of religion and caste. This is explained with the genesis of the festival
Historical Background: Before the advent of Thrissur Pooram, the largest temple
festival during summer in central Kerala was the one-day festival held at Aarattupuzha, 12 km south of the town. Temples in and around Thrissur were regular participants of this religious
exerciseuntil they were once denied entry by the responsible chief of thePeruvanam area of Cherpu, known for its Namboodiri supremacy. As an act of reprisal and also in a bid toassuagetheir wounded feelings, Prince Rama Varma (1751-1805), also known as Sakthan Thampuran and enthroned as the ruler of the erstwhile Cochin state invited all these temples
to bring their deities to Thrissur where they could pay obeisance to Lord (Sri) Vakunnathan, the deity of the Vadakunnathan temple.Further he directed the main temples of Thrissur,
Thruvambadi and Pamamekkavu, to extend all help and support to these temples. It is this historical background that determines thecourse of the Pooram program and it is specifically the ruler'santipathy to the brahmin aristocracy to open Thrissur pooram for the common man.
ReligiouBackground: Adhering to the medieval Peruvanam tradition, the festival is
confined to the temples of Devi (goddess) and Sastha (divine combination of Shiva and Vishnu). Ten deities from the neighboring temples pay obeisance to the presiding deiety of Thrissur and only spectator of the Pooram events, Lord Siva at the Sree Vadakkunnathan temple, situated in the heart of the town. Principle participants are Paramekkavu and Tiruvambadi, close to the Vadakunnathan temple. Also participating and known as 'Cherupooram' are the suburban temples at Kanimangalam, Karamukku, Choorakkattukara, Laloor, Ayyanthole, Neithilakkavu and Chembukkavu, Panamukkampilly, altogether 8 deities. The sprawling Thekkinkadi maidan,
en circling the Vadakumnathan temple, is the main venue of the festival.