Onam Celebration in Kerala: A Classic Celebration of Malayali Culture and Tradition

Onam Celebration in Kerala is a time for great joy and celebration, and Kerala’s historic town of Guruvayur is no example. The state’s great historical culture can be seen in the deeply passionate and enthusiastic celebration of the Onam Festival, an agricultural celebration. We shall explore the customs and festivities of Onam in Guruvayur in this blog, highlighting the root of this colorful celebration.

Traditional Rules and Customs:

Onam festivals are rich in cultural and historical importance, especially in Guruvayur.
Below are some festivals and traditions related to Onam in Guruvayur:

1. Sadhya

Kerala’s rich cultural tradition is shown with the yearly feast known as Onam sadhya. There are a variety of dishes in the sadhya, such as rasam (spicy soup), avial (mixed vegetable dish), parippu (lentil soup), and sambar (lentil-based vegetable stew). Savory meals are balanced by sweet treats like payasam and kachchanthiri. The Onam sadhya experience is completed with thoran or stir-fried vegetables, and flavors like Appam, a thin pancake, and Idiyappam, a steamed rice.

2. Thiruvonam

Thiruvonam, the most famous day of Kerala’s Onam celebration, is an event filled with much happiness and celebrations. The end of the Onam Festival is celebrated with great excitement in thiruvonam. Kerala’s rich oral tradition is on full display as the day ends with an impressive series of celebrations that begin with a traditional puja and continue with a traditional Onam sadhya. The gateway of a noble King mahabali and the prevailing of good over evil are the two main symbols of thiruvonam.

3. Pookalam

A colorful and clear floral mandala known as pookalam is an essential part of the Onam celebration in Kerala. A variety of flowers, leaves, and petals are used for creating the pookalam on the grounds of palaces and temples. The pookalam’s elaborate designs
and themes stand for both the Onam festival and the coming of king mahabali. By tradition, the pookalam is made over nine days, with a new design being created every day, finishing on the main day of Onam with the beautiful thiruvonam pookalam.

4. Pulikali (tiger dance)

During Onam celebrations in Kerala, the colorful and energetic pulikali, tiger dance is a beautiful sight. Pulikali will be performed at Guruvayur by dancers dressed in decorative lion outfits complete with colorful makeup and silk. A thrilling performance is created when performers follow a lion’s moves to the sounds of drums and musical instruments. Kerala’s rich history of culture is expressed by the historical Onam folk art known as pulikali, which reflects the winning of good over evil. The show typically takes place in Guruvayur’s streets and temples, which improves the colorful atmosphere of Onam.

5. Vallamkali (Boat Race)

Vallamkali, a traditional boat race in Kerala, is the main attraction of the Onam celebrations, highlighting the history of the culture of the state. The event, which celebrates the strength, skill, and bonds of boatmen in Kerala’s peaceful backwaters,
gathers thousands of viewers and participants. Kerala’s Onam celebrations are a rainbow of colors, flavors, and traditions that highlight the state’s rich cultural history. The Onam festival in Kerala is an unforgettable occasion because of this joyful display you purely must experience.