Keralites celebrate Onam with a blend of tradition, modernity

Youngsters in traditional Kerala attire pose for selfies and reels in front of Wadakumnathan Temple, during Onam celebrations, in Thrissur, on September 15, 2024.
| Photo Credit: K. K. Mustafah

On Sunday (September 15, 2024), Keralites gathered at homes to celebrate Onam, a largely secular festival reminiscent of a utopian pastoral past, with gifts, group games, new clothes, floral decorations, fireworks, house visits and a lavish traditional spread served on emerald green banana leaves. 

The palpable festival cheer and bonhomie also spilt onto the street from homes. Clubs and resident associations set up swings, revived conventional games and organised feats of strength competitions, including arm wrestling, pole climbing, and log pillow fights. 

Onam also saw a revival of harvest season games played on fallow fields in the past, including Ola Panthu, Kuttiyum Kolum and Uri Adi.

Kanakakunnu Palace

In Thiruvananthapuram, the historic Kanakakunnu Palace and its sprawling, leafy grounds emerged as the epicentre of flashy and modern Onam celebrations, marked by music concerts, dances, light and sound shows and folk art performances. The nearby Manaveeyam Veedhi provided a stage for young artists to showcase their talent.

Blues of Wayanad landslide erased

The festival seemed to erase, at least temporarily, the blues of the Wayanad landslide disaster that shocked Kerala in July. The State Government had cancelled official celebrations in mourning for the lost lives. However, it allowed businesses and media houses, including TV channels, to organise events.

A founding fable

Onam, founded on the fable of the return of a beloved fairy tale king banished by jealous Gods to the netherworld, has evolved over the years into a secular national festival and cultural holiday for Keralites.

Diaspora Onam

The festival has also helped the sizeable Malayalee diaspora establish their cultural identity in foreign lands. Conventional and social media were replete with Onam celebrations of settler Malayalees in the Gulf, the U.S., England and Europe. 

Organised under the auspices of the Malayalee Associations, the expatriates used the occasion to showcase their linguistic, culinary and societal uniqueness to the world. 

Devotees throng Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple

Closer home, members of the erstwhile ruling family of Travancore lit a lamp beside the mammoth floral motif marking Onam in front of the iconic Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple. The temple thronged with devotees in the morning.

Traditional feast for devotees in Aranmula Temple

The historic Aranmula Parthasarathy temple in Pathanamthitta district welcomed Onam with a traditional feast for devotees. Hundreds of people made a beeline for the Vamana temple at Thrikkakara in Ernakulam district.

 The temple has a special place in Onam lore. Legend has it that its presiding deity, an incarnation of Vishnu, had despatched Mahabali to the underworld at the behest of other gods envious of the mythical king’s fair rein and bonding with his subjects. 

Philanthropy

Acts of philanthropy also marked Onam. Voluntary organisations served Onam sadya to patients and bystanders in hospital wards, orphanages and State-run geriatric homes. 

The Onam spirit seemed all pervasive. For one, it also penetrated the forbidding walls of the Central Prison in Thiruvananthapuram.

Central Prison celebrates Onam

Established by the colonial government in 1886, the sprawling Central Prison, spread across 64 acres of verdant land, organised games and cultural programmes in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram and served the traditional Onam feast for nearly 1,600 inmates. 

Law enforcers in Thiruvananthapuram also took a small break from work and enjoyed Onam feasts in State Houses. Heavy advertisement-backed television programmes showed commercialised glitter of the high-decibel holiday. 

Made-for-television festival

It was also a made-for-television Onam, with content creators hiring top entertainment talent, including movie stars and celebrities, to keep families glued to the screen. 

President and PM greet Keralites

President of India Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted Keralites on Onam. 

Ms. Murmu posted on X: On the auspicious occasion of Onam, I convey my heartiest greetings to everyone, particularly to our brothers and sisters in Kerala. During this festival, we celebrate the new harvest and show our gratitude to mother nature. May this festival bring peace, prosperity and happiness”

Mr. Modi also took to social media to greet Keralites. He posted on X: ”Wishing everyone a joyous Onam. May there be peace, prosperity and wellness all over. This festival celebrates the glorious culture of Kerala and is marked enthusiastically by the Malayali community all over the world”.

Kerala Governor Arif Muhammad Khan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan also greeted the people.