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Onam Festival in Malabar

This important Malabar festival is in commemoration of the reign of Mahabali which is believed to have been one uninterrupted period of peace, plenty and prosperity; and in fact the golden age of our national history. Theft, robbery, murder and other crimes were altogether unknown as may be seen from the following couplet.

“Maveli nadathu vazhum kalam
Kalla kkedilla kalavu milla”

Which may be freely translated as follows

“When Mahabali ruled the land
There was no theft nor dread of thiefs.”

The national calm that prevailed was not disturbed by any acts of cruelty or oppression. The sanctity of contracts was fully realized. Honesty of purpose and probity of character were the dominant guides to every man’s actions. In short men in those days lived in what has been called “a state of nature”. This reign of nature was brought to a close by Vamana, the fifth incarnation of Vishnu, one of the members of our Divine Trinity. Mahabali was an Asura king against whom and whose prosperous reign the Devas entertained the deepest class hatred and jealousy. With the object of putting an end to Mahabali’s reign, the Devas repaired to Vishnu’s presence and importuned him to adopt some means to cripple the increasing prosperity of Mahabali. Vishnu readily acceded to the request and appeared as Vamana unto the king in all “the glory and freshness of his youth.” The king was so madly enamored of this “gilded youth” that he resolved to welcome him at any cost. He asked the youth what he wanted; to which the boy replied that he wanted nothing more than three feet of earth. The demand was at once conceded; when the boy immediately assumed a gigantic figure and with his huge feet began to measure the earth. It was then found that the whole of the land measured less than three feet; and for the rest of the proferred earth Vamana trod upon Mahabali’s head and pushed him down to the infernal regions. But the popular outcry consequent upon Mahabali’s deposition was so great that the ex ruler was eventually allowed to return to the earth once a year. The period of his visit was fixed for the Malayalam month of Chingam corresponding to about August or September; and his stay in the country, short though it is, has ever since been celebrated as a grand national occasion which is now identified with the Onam Festivals. It is said that during the reign of Mahabali the whole year round was marked by pomp and revelry such as prevail during the short period of the Onam. And the onam festival forms the period during which Mahabali is supposed to re-visit the earth to see how the country prospers in his absence.

The festival lasts according to local variation for four, five or six days during which time feasting and games,mirth and jollity prevail. It concerns chiefly the male members, although females also, as a matter of course, enjoy the pleasantry and marry making. The festival opens practically ten before the Thiruvonam day when every family makes a point of beginning to keep the house extra clean. A portion of the yard amount the house and inside it is cleanced every morning with cow-dung water and elegantly beautified with the figures of certain birds, and animals maid of flowers of varied colors strewn carefully in peculiar artistic fashion; so that the mornings look exceedingly bright and cheerful. On the opening day there is a small element of festivity universally indulged in. In some place the Onam begins three or four days before the Thiruvonam day. But strictly speaking it commences only on the Thiruvonam day. The opening of the festival is marked by the distribution of clothes in the shape of presents by the heads every respectable Taaravad to the juniors and immediate relatives as well as to servants and workmen. The junior members also sometimes give presents to their relative and hangers on ; but not to such an extent as in the case of Karanavans or head of families. The people enjoy the merriment and revelry. They go about in the finest attire and in the neatest possible fashion. Images made of sticky clay of peculiar shapes with flower branches stuck on the tops, are fashioned and kept and prominent places which are decorated with lines tastefully drawn along and about with water mixed with rice-floor and sanctified with a coating of cow-dung water, both inside and outside the house; and offering of pooja are maid to them both morning and evening by some one before the inmates begin to take their meals. This continues right up to the close of the festival. This images are called Thrikka Karappan; and they are introduced into the house on the day previous to the Thiruvoanm day. After the dedication of these images a concourse of people band themselves together and raise a peculiar rhythmic shouting cry; which practical proclaims the approach of Onam. The feasting all along is on a very grand scale; the essential element in it is Nenthrapazhom or banana, a plantain fruit almost indigenous to Malabar. They are taken and cut in tows and threes, and boiled in water and are eaten along with the various meals; the intervals between which also begins sometimes closed up by fresh edition of plantain-eating. Both male and female members of family sit together apart at meals. By midday the principal meal is over and then each one goes his own way to participate in the out-door merry-making. Field games such as football matches, personal combats, games, games of chess, dice and cards and dancing by females and music parties constitute the leading enjoyment from morning till evening football matches are different in detail to the corresponding European once. A small stick is planted at the fixed spot, and people especially young lusty men resolve themselves into two rival camps and open the match. One party stands at the post while the other stands a little away from it. The ball which is usually of coir rope is propelled amain with the plam of the hand towards the rival party for furiously scramble for it vying with each other to catch it and stop its onward career. This done, one of the members takes it in hand and aiming at the post throws the ball in its direction. If the ball hits the post or if any one member of the hostile rank catches the ball in its progress up through the air, but not when it has once touched the ground then that particular players turn is over. Then another man takes up the play and continues it; and when all the members of the one party have had each his turn then the rival sections begins the play exactly in the same manner and under the same rules as the previous section. The process is continued time after time and then the whole lot of them together declare the issue of the match.

Combats are of two kinds, viz., those are under taken singly and those held in batches. In the first the people of one locality divide themselves into two batches. When the match is opened the leader of one group sends forth one trained pugilist who paces along the intervening stretch of ground between the two groups shaking hands and challenging to meet in fair combat any one from the opposite camp. A little while after someone from the other party takes up the gauntlet and then after a few preliminary manoeuvres the combat is begun. The issue of the fight is watched with eager concern by all interested spectators and the successful man is then deluged with presents of money and cloths by the rich and generous amongst the members. This processes is then continued for somr tome till the closes of the day. The next kind goes by the name of Attakalam. This essentially a boyish pastime though grown men also at times take part in it. A large circle is drawn on the plain sand floor and people are selected for each of the two section from amongst the assemblage. One section is then placed in a collective body inside the circle, while the other stands around the outside. The latter than try with of course as little personal injury to themselves are possible, to strike at and bring outside, the former who are inside, each by each. In the interval between one outsider getting inside and touching the body of any one amongst the inside group the letter are allowed to beat and worry the antagonist. But the moment he touches the person of the inside man he obtain complete immunity from violence at the hands of the rest of the inside batch. But the person who is caught is at liberty to strike him and struggle to prevent his beings driven out. If he gets turned out then he is no more to remain inside; and when the whole of the inside section are thus driven out, the first batch has finished its turn and is then followed up by the other batch; and if any body is left inside who cannot be driven out, his party is declared successful. Sometimes presents are given to the winners as tokens of appreciation of their training and strength.

A kind of peculiar bow formed of strong and slightly elastic wood with a small cord made of bamboo materials and attached to the both ends of the bow by means of two knobs which when played on by means of small stick produces a very dulcet musical tone is the familiar playthings for children . Sometimes they join together and organize a sort of bow party; and the pastime interest them deeply.

The only other prominent item of enjoyment is dancing by young maidens. A number of these join together in a circular row at pre-arranged spot and begin the dancing. The airs are many and varied. Some of them are isolated ones composed in pure Malayalam touching some specialized topic; while there are some other and more dignified ones extract from the dramatic literature of the country. Now standing in a string with out touching each other one member thereof opens the ball by reciting one couplet from one of these songs. She is then caught up by others in equally melodious and profuse strains. Then she sings the next couplet and is then followed up by the rest of the party collectively and so one until the whole song is exhausted. Then another girl begins with another song which is similarly ended and so on the process goes. Thus the whole surrounding atmosphere of many of leading house hold is filled by the vociferous yet dulcet melody of charming choirs of lady singers adding to the jollity and attractiveness of the occasion all round.

Thus closes to Onam festival. On the last day the aforesaid clayey images are removed in the evening for which an auspicious day is selected, and the removal is symbolized by rhythmic shouting similar to that which marked it all the inauguration. The close of the festival is awaited with anxious solicitude by the people who when taking away these images on the closing day do so with special requests to them to come back again the next year.

Then there is the tail-end of the Onam called Pathinaram makam. It comes off exactly on the sixteenth day from the Thiruvonam day when also the festivities of the Onam are indulged into much the same extent as before.