Hello everybody!
Onam, the major festival of Kerala, is over (it was on the 27th of August this year). As I was in India on vacation, I could enjoy a traditional Onam this year. But I was so busy I could not wish my friends here a happy Onam. Well, better late than never! So:
HAPPY ONAM, ALL!
Onam is supposed to be the time when Maveli, the legendary king of Kerala (who is equated with the mythical Asura king Mahabali), comes on his yearly visit from the netherworld to see his subjects (the tale of Mahabali, who is kicked down to the netherworld by Vamana, an incarnation of Vishnu, is a classical planter's myth of the seed which goes in and comes back as grain).
I thought I'd share some pictures of the event.
These are the floral decorations which we make in the front yard of the house for nine days preceding onam. It is called "Pookkalam".
This is "Onathappan" (Father Onam - Maveli), in his usual form of an earthen pyramid, truncated at the top.
Onathappan with the feast spread out before him, on the traditional plantain leaf. (My son refused to accept that Onathappan would actually come and eat the food. He is six and growing up fast... pity!)
Nandu.
Onam: State festival of Kerala
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Onam: State festival of Kerala
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