Article Title: Onam
21-08-2023
History & Art and Culture Prelims Plus
Why is in news? Heralding celebrations associated with Onam festival, Aththachamayam procession holds at Thripunithura, Kerala
Onam is a major harvest festival in Kerala and is celebrated to honour the home-coming of Asura king Mahabali who brought about peace and prosperity in Kerala.
Onam is celebrated at the beginning of the month of Chingam, the first month of the solar Malayalam calendar (Kollavarsham). It falls in August or September each year.
The festival is spread over 10 days and culminates with Thiruvonam, the most important day.
It is also celebrated as the festival of paddy harvest.
During the festival, people get dressed in their traditional attire, prepare the Onam Sadhya and take part in a variety of group activities such as the Pookolam (rangoli made with fresh flowers), Vallam Kali (boat race), Pulikali (tiger dance), Kai Kottu Kali (Onam dance), Kummattikali (mask dance) and various other activities.
God vs Demon Story:
Battles between demons and gods are familiar to people everywhere. Gods emerging victorious over evil is an inseparable part of these battles.
In India, too, these victories are celebrated in different parts of the country over the years. E.g. Rama is good, Ravana is evil. Durga is good, Mahishasur is evil.
However, an exception to this has been the battle between Mahabali (Asura or demon) and Vamana (avatar of Vishnu), where Mahabali is revered as the unchallenged King of Malayalis.
There are a few isolated places in India where demons are worshiped. E.g. There are some areas in Bihar and Bengal where Mahishasur is king of Asur tribes.
Historians see these fights between god and demon in the context of fights between brahmins and non-brahmins and tribals in the past.
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