Chennai: Onam, an annual harvest festival of Kerala, is one of the major events celebrated with pomp by the Malayali community across the world. The festival commemorates the return of King Mahabali, a mythical and righteous king, and brings the communities together.
The festival falls on the first month - Chingam - of the Malayalam calendar and spans for the duration of 10 days. It begins marking the Malayalam new year and ends with Thiruvonam. The ten days are sequentially known as Atham, Chithira, Chodhi, Vishakam, Anizham, Thriketta, Moolam, Pooradam, Uthradam and Thiruvonam. This year, the festival began on August 12 and will end on August 23.
The festive celebrations generally begins from Vamanamoorthy Thrikkakara temple in Kochi. Different kinds of activities and celebrations like boat races, tiger dances, folk songs and dance, sports competitions, martial arts, floral rangoli and prayers are offered during the festival. Sumptuous feasts (Onasadya) are served at households during the festival.
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Low key celebrations for 4th year in a row
Affected by floods and Covid-19 pandemic, the festival has become a low-key affair for Malayalis for the fourth consecutive year. Kerala was hit by massive floods in 2018 and 2019 while the pandemic has hit the country in 2020. Keralites have come to terms to celebrate it behind their closed doors.
Leaders including the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and others have expressed onam wishes to the public.