Onam festival 2020: History, significance, date and legend of Kerala’s harvest festival

Onam is one of the biggest festivals in the state of Kerala and it is marked by the harvest season of the standing crops. Celebrated for a period of 10 days, the festival falls between the months of August and September. This year the festival began on August 22 and will last till September 2. According to the Hindu rituals, the significance and origin of the festival goes back to the arrival of King Mahabali who was the grandson of Prahlada. The first 4 days of the festival are celebrated in the grandest manner with each day having special significance. The first day is associated with the homecoming of King Mahabali to Kerala. Consequent to his arrival, King Mahabali on the second day is believed to have paid visits to the common people of the region. The third day marks the preparations for the departure of the King while the fourth day is celebrated as the Jayanthi of Sri Narayana Guru, according to an Indian Express report.

The festival holds special significance for the Malayali people inside and outside the country. The attachment for the festival is akin to what people in Bengal have for Durga Puja and people in the Eastern states of Bihar and Jharkhand have for Chhath Puja. As is the case, the 10 days period is laced with many festivities and mega attractions like boat races (vallam kali), tiger dances (pulikali), colourful masked dances (kummattikali), and other dances (thumbi thullal) among others. Elaborate decoration, lighting, and unique flower arrangements called pookalam are another attraction for the festival.

The climactic part begins with the preparations for the Onam sadhya where a grand feast filled with seasonal vegetables, yam chips, mango pickle, lime pickle, tamarind and ginger chutney among others. Rice made with the essence of coconut, curd, pineapple, chillies and buttermilk are the other delicacies in the feast.