Bali, the grandson of Prahlada (associated with Narasimha avatar of Vishnu), ruled a kingdom of happy citizens. Bali decided to expand his kingdom and conducted a sacrifice. This alarmed Indra and other Gods who decried his arrogance and they appealed to Vishnu.

Vishnu took the Vamana avatar (dwarf) and went to Bali to beg for alms. The generous king promised to grant any wish. Vamana asked for three paces of the foot. With the first two paces, Vamana covered the entire universe and then asked Bali where he should put his foot for the third pace. Humbled, Bali bowed his head and asked Vamana to put it on his head. Vamana then trampled him to the nether world (patala).

Bali was attached to his subjects and asked Vamana to be allowed to visit his lost kingdom and people once a year. Onam is when the king returns to his people. The people spare no effort to demonstrate their joy and happiness on Onam.

Some stories suggest that Vamana granted the right of return to Mahabali on the request of Lakshmi who had tied a rakhi to Bali. This latter story is narrated by Al Beruni, a Muslim scholar who wrote about Northern India of the 11th cent CE. It is pertinent that the Bhai dooj, brother-sister festival, that follows Diwali is called Bali Pratipada in some parts.

Picture – Raja Ravi Verma painting of Vamana and Mahabali

Source: PK Gode on Diwali, AM Kurup, The Sociology of Onam.

It means Onam feast is a must even if it requires selling one’s property.

Onam Sadhya is elaborate. It consists of 26 to 28 dishes and is served on plantain leaf. It is prepared without onion or garlic and is entirely vegetarian. Sadya is very particular in the manner in which the dishes are arranged on the leaf. Everything except the rice and sambhar are served on the leaf before the guest is seated.

Picture – Onam Sadya

Source: Vijayan Kannampilly, The Essential Kerala Cookbook.

The Vallam Kali (boat game) is popularly called snake boat race. The races are usually organized in the Onam month, but there are some in other months also.

The most popular race is held at Punnamda lake in Alappuzah on the second Saturday of August. Nehru had visited Alappuzah in 1952 and a boat race was organized for him. Impressed by the race, he gifted a trophy to the winner. This trophy was named Nehru Trophy and the boat race has been held since 1954. Perhaps this is the first occurrence of naming something after Nehru? This year’s race, scheduled for August 10, has been postponed to September 28 due to the Wayanad landslides.

Every year, on November 1, a President’s Trophy Boat Race is held at Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam to mark the anniversary of formation of Kerala State.

Picture is the 2023 boat race

Source: Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala.

In the Aranmula temple, Krishna appears as Parthasarathy. When a Namboodiri could not find a Brahmin for his feast on Onam, Krishna appeared as a boy to him and accepted the feast. When the Namboodiri requested the child to come again next year, Krishna told him that he could be found at Aranmula.

From then, on Onam day, the Namboodiri sailed to Aranmula with a boat filled with provisions for the feast. The boat is called Thiruvonachilavu Thoni. This became a yearly ritual. When the boat was attacked by dacoits, boatmen from the region accompanied the boat for safety. This tradition continues.

The Vallasadhya is the Onam feast in which devotees offer Sadya to oarsmen. It is elaborate with about 60-70 dishes. Vallasadhya is held over two months around Onam and crews of boatsmen are invited by rotation to participate. The temple also hosts a non-competitive boat race called Vallamkali during Onam.

Picture – Aranmula Vallasadya dishes

Source: K.R.Vaidyanathan, Temples and Legends of Kerala. Bhoga Naivedyam.

The Malayalam calendar is known as Kollam calendar. It started on August 15, 824 AD. Most Indian calendars are either lunar (or) luni-solar. The Kollam calendar is entirely solar.

It starts on the sign Leo, unlike Indian calendars that start on the Month Aries. It is called Kollam calendar since it was inaugurated in the city of Kollam. There are multiple legends on the reasons for the start of the era. However, historically, it was inaugurated by King Martanda Varma at his capital city of Kollam after elaborate consultations with his court astronomers.

Since Onam falls on the first month of the calendar, Chingam, it is also confused with the Kerala New Year. Vishu is the Kerala New Year celebrated in April.

Picture – Mampalli insctiption of 10th Century AD – First reference to Kollam era

Source: E.V. Sarma, Kollam Era

‘Pathikas’ & ‘Pallads’ are compiled by Periyazhawar, a famous 9th cent Tamil thinker. It describes how offerings were made on the occasion of Onam to Ananthasayanam – one who reclines on the serpent Ananta, a description of Sri Vishnu.

Other inscriptions dated to about 1000 years ago and found around Travancore show how private citizens made donations of land & foodgrains to ensure offerings were made to temples during Onam.

Picture – Travancore Durbar

Source: Census 1961, Onam A Festival of Kerala.

The earliest known reference of Onam is about 1800 years old. It is found in ‘Madurai Kanji’, one of the Tamil ballads of Sangam literature. It is composed by Mangudi Maruthanar who is believed to have lived in 2nd cent CE.

The author describes how Onam was celebrated in Madurai in the bright fortnight of the month of Sravana. The celebrations were held for 7 days. Oblations were sent to temples, games and duels were held in temple premises and people wore new clothes and had sumptuous feasts. At the end of the 7 day celebration, the king presided over warriors, poets & chieftains and gave away gifts to them.

Picture – Sangam era paintings at Palani

Source: Census 1961, Onam A Festival of Kerala.

It is a pyramidal clay or cowdung structure established at home on a carpet of flowers. Sometimes the upper piece of the grinding stone suffices. It is variously meant to represent Vamana, Mahabali, Shiva or even the family deity.

Stories suggest that once a man could not visit the temple to participate in Onam festivities. He dreamt that he could still participate by establishing Onathappan at home. There are other stories. King Mahabali requested his subjects to come to the main centre of Onam celebrations when he returned to Kerala once a year. Many expressed discomfort on walking so far. The kind king advised them to celebrate at home by cleaning the house, decorating it with flowers and having an oil bath. These stories capture the spirit of how the Onam festival turned from a temple festival to a family event.

Picture – A traditional Onathappan

Source: AM Kurup, The Sociology of Onam.

As per Sangam literature, Onam was celebrated in an area comprising many parts of South India called Malainadu. As per the inscriptions at the Thrikkakara temple, the many rulers of Malainadu assembled at Thrikkakara for Onam celebrations that lasted 28 days. These celebrations were financed by the Chera rulers and stopped when a grand army attacked and defeated the Chera king. This event was probably retained in memory and customs.

The King of Cochin who would proceed in a ceremonial procession towards Thrikkakara during Onam. However, he would turn back at the outer gate of the palace when a messenger informed about the fall of the Chera king. Historically, we know that the popular Chera king Bhaskara Raviverma Kulasekhara suffered a crushing defeat. The great Rajaraja Chola defeated him around 1000CE at the battle of Udagai in Kanyakumari.

Picture – Chera empire

Source: AM Kurup, The Sociology of Onam.

Thirukkakarai is near Cochin. The deity is Vamana or Thiruvikrama and is shown placing his feet on the head of Mahabali. The temple has grand Onam celebrations. An image of Thirukkakarai appan is made of mud and worshipped. The celebrations last for seven days. The temple complex also houses a Shiva temple.

Picture – Thirukkakarai temple

Source: Raghava Iyengar. Kerala and Tamil Literature. Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala.