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KERALA -in regional language, KERALAM

ONAM

Onam - Rejoicing The Return of Mahabali :

Imagine one morning you open your eyes to the euphony of violins and cymbals. You walk over to the window - like a puppet of the moment - only to see a colourful procession coming towards you. It seems as if the entire city is on the streets. Women in colourful traditional costumes, with cascading gold necklaces, and carrying coconut-frond kiosks, are selling mouthwatering fried banana fritters. Look at those little girls, wearing tiny gold 'parrot's cage' earrings as they cling to their fathers, nagging for a cheap wooden toy or so. You fly through the stairs and think if you hadn't been staying so high! As you come down, you see a colourful checkerboard of 'rangoli' (with colored rice paste) and 'pookkalam' (with flowers), displaying some elaborate and intricate designs, in the courtyard. And instantly you remember that it is 'Chingam' (September), the colourful month of Malayali calender, when the whole state reverberates with the fragrance of enigmatic 'Pookalams' (the multi-colour floral decoration in elaborate patterns), taste of 'Onasadya' (festive meal) and the heart-throbbing frolic of Snake Boat Race. The 10-day festivity also celebrates the golden age of king Mahabali, a mythical ruler of Kerala, who is believed to return once a year from eternal exile to earthly splendours

Namukku Onam Akhoshikkam - Let's Celebrate Onam :

The ten-day celebrations of Onam presents an exquisite medieval grandeur. As you walk over the cobbled streets of Thiruvananthapuram, look at those beautiful houses, displaying a rich taste of parquetry, adorned with flowers and traditional lamps by the road side. The sprawling courtyards with 'Onapookkalam', a carpet made out of clustered blossoms, with a slight tint of green leaves, pinched up into little pieces to serve the decorator's interests. It is a delicate work of art and cannot be made without an artistic sense of tone and blending. Even a dozen of tusker elephants, caparisoned in their gold-leaf ornaments, share some space in the procession. Look at those petrifying performers, wearing fierce makeup and glittering headdresses, as they jaunt through the crowd. Some of them hold a flaming torch and fistful of a powder is thrown occassionally into the flames - presenting an aura around, that eventually crackles into tongues of fire. One can also see heavily painted colourful wooden mask depicting faces of Kummattikali dancers, who move from house to house collecting small gifts and entertaining people.

ELEPHANT FESTIVAL AT THRISSUR

Location :

Thrissur, 83 km north of Kochi

Celebrated At :

Thekkinkadu Maidan outside the Vadakkunathan Temple

Major Attraction :

Line of beautifully caparisoned elephants, fireworks

When To Go :

April to May

Elephant Festival - Thrissur

If you wonder what else you can do beside cruising on the backwaters, getting an ayurvedic massage and messing with the sands, you should reshuffle your thoughts, because aptly you are in God's own country. You will always find something or the other to elevate your spirits - be it mist-clad mountains or handsomely decorated elephants at Thrissur. 'Puram', the most colourful temple festival of Thrissur (or Trichur, as is known locally), attracts thousands of people to witness the grand elephant procession. Apparantly, no celebration in Kerala is complete without an elephant pageant. The gentle pachyderm has been revered a noble position and accorded the privilege of fetching numerous gods and goddesses of this land. Interestingly, many well-to-do families in Kerala, until a few years ago, owned an elephant which was considered as a member of the household.

VISHU

Like most parts of India, festivals in Kerala are an integral part of the social and cultural structure of the state and festival time is the best time to plan one's travel to Kerala. In Kerala, every community, every religion has something to celebrate about all through out the year. Vishu is one of the important festivals of Kerala. It comes in the month of April usually on the 14th. According to the traditional Malayalam calendar, it is the 1st day of the first month Medam of the New Year. Traditional rituals are followed to bring in another year of prosperity. Vishu is one of the most popular festivals of Kerala. Vishu falls on the first of Medam (March-April), which is the Malayalam New Year's Day. Since it is considered propitious to view good things on this day for year round good fortune, Vishu morning is an important time. The heart of this festival of Kerala is the preparation of the kani (the lucky sight or gift). The custom of preparing the kani has been followed for generations. The women take a large dish made of bell-metal (uruli), arrange in it a grantha (palm-leaf manuscript), a gold ornament, a new cloth, some flowers from the Konna Tree (Cassia fistula), some coins in a silver cup, a split coconut, a cucumber, some mangoes and a jack-fruit. On either side of the dish are placed two burning lamps with a chair facing it. Family members are taken blindfolded and then their blindfolds are removed and they view the Vishu Kani. As in other Indian festivals, a great feast at home is the high point of celebrating Vishu in Kerala.

CHRISTMAS

The spirit of Christmas is evident in Kerala. Host to Christian missionaries through the centuries, the state's Christmas celebration is unique. The birth of Jesus Christ on December 25 each year sees a variety of customs and ceremonies. To begin with there is the Christmas Star, the Christmas tree, the Crib, the Christmas cake, presents, and of course, Father Christmas, who is the star attraction for children. Though the Christmas tree is a comparatively new addition to Christmas celebrations in Kerala, it is the twinkling Christmas star put up at Christian homes or shops which sets the tone for a season of cheerfulness and joy. In cathedrals and churches, the nativity of Jesus is enacted through miniature models. Carols and songs developed from nativity plays are sung. Priests hold the Holy Mass in churches at midnight. Before the Mass begins, an image of the child Jesus is brought out by the priest, preceded by children holding lighted candles that are placed in the crib. Hymns are sung and crackers are burst to signify the coming of Jesus Christ into the world. Later in the day, there is a feast with delicacies. Cakes are made at homes along with traditional Kerala sweets making Christmas a traditional Kerala festival.

EID FESTIVALS IN KERALA

Bakrid or Idul-Azha the festival of sacrifice, is the second of the two important festivals for Muslims in the state. In Kerala, as in other parts of the world, the day begins with every member of Muslim households dressing up in their best attire for prayers at the Id-Gah, the wide open space set aside for public prayers in towns and villages. The congregational prayers are led by the Imam. After the ceremonial Id prayer, the Imam addresses the devotees, exhorting them to be conscious of their duties to God. Once the sermon is over, it is time to exchange greetings and the customary hug to signify brotherhood. The festivity continues at homes with celebratory feasts and social visits. Muslim women in Kerala pay visits to the neighbouring homes and take part in singing and dancing. In the evenings, special meetings are held in which members of non-Islamic communities participate. Such meetings are perfect examples of the spirit of tolerance and mutual friendship that exist between communities in the state. The other more important Muslim festival is Idul-Fitr, which comes after a month of strict fasting. In certain parts of Kerala, some new practices in connection with the celebrations have been introduced like the invitation to members of sister communities to participate in Id functions.

BOAT RACE

Another, unparalleled attraction of God's Own Country. Another great event as important as the land’s ethos as the elephant pageant. A sport that signifies the excellent team spirit, integration and amity of the people of this backwater country. An occasions of great excitement that is a reflection of a vibrant people. The snake boat races of Kerala. Magnificent fiestas that brings alive the tranquil backwaters. Snake boat races are held in connection with Onam, the harvest festival in August/September. Scores of long snake boats and other smaller crafts participate in these events. The largest team sport in the world, the snake boat races are preceded by colourful water parades. Usually, a snake boat is manned by four helmsmen, 25 singers and 100-125 oarsmen, who row in unison to the fast rhythm of vanchipattu (song of the boatman). Thousands of people crowd the water's edge to cheer the huge black crafts as they slice through the waters to a spectacular finish. The oldest of these events have curious legends and myths attached to their origin. Myths closely linked to the rustic people and their beliefs. more...

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