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The festival of Onam is celebrated throughout the state of Kerala. Kerala during Onam is marked by happiness, excitement and enjoyment among all sections of people. Onam is celebrated as an outcome of reasons that have to do with mythology as well as old agrarian practices. If one is to go by the myth, then King Mahabali or Maveli was a generous and virtuous ruler, who had once ruled Kerala. During his rule, the kingdom became so prosperous that devas (gods of the Heaven) felt jealous about this and also for the reason that King Mahabali was an asura - a member of the demon clan - who were the enemies of devas. So, they sent Lord Vishnu in the guise of Vamana (a dwarf) to King Mahabali.
As an offering from the generous king, Vamanarequested Mahabali for three feet of land. And at the time of measuring the three feet of land,Vamana grew so huge that he measured all the worlds in two steps. Since he had nowhere else to place his third step, Mahabali asked Vamana to place it on his head. Pleased by his benevolence, Vamana blessed Mahabali before he was sent to the nether world and granted him permission to visit his dear subjects once in a year. This occasion is celebrated by all Keralites as Onam.
Story behind the celebration of Onam
According to old Hindu texts, Mahabali was the great great grandson of Kashyapa, a great Brahmin sage and the grandson of Prahlada, who was a Vishnu devotee. Mahabali came to power after defeating the Devas took over the three worlds. He led a prosperous rule and was an ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu. Once Vishnu decided to test Mahabali by taking the form of a dwarf boy called Vamana. Mahabali had announced that he would be performing Yajna (home sacrifice) and grant anyone any request. When Vamana approached Mahabali, he was asked what he wanted.
Vamana claimed that one should not ask for more than they needed and only asked for 3 footsteps of land and Mahabali agreed. Vamana grew extremely big and covered whatever Mahabali owned in two steps. As for the third step, Mahabali offered himself an act which was accepted as devotion for Vishnu. Hence, Vishnu gave a boon to Mahabali according to which Mahabali could visit his land and people once every year. This visit of Mahabali marks Onam, a reminder of his prosperous rule and his humility in front of the Lord Vishnu.
Another simpler form of this legend is found in the Rigveda, which describes a deity with the powers of Vishnu and Bali is a metaphor for sacrifice, an offering made to the Gods after a bountiful rice harvest.
Kerala, the “God’s Own Country” is a land of colours! Be it the nature’s ‘green’ shade romancing the ’emerald’ backwaters, the ‘golden’ rays of the sun caressing the clear ‘white’ sands, or the ‘azure’ sky calling for the mystical ‘hues’, Kerala showcases all the colours of Mother Nature! Well, if you want to explore all these shades and colours of the nature, you must your Kerala trip during any of the fairs and festivals in Kerala! It is during the fairs and festivals; the entire of the state unites together, removes all the religious and communal barriers, to celebrate every moment with full vigour and enthusiasm. No matter what background they are from, the way these locals celebrate the fairs and festivals in Kerala, it simply creates an everlasting memory in the minds of everyone!
