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FESTIVALS
- Onam
- September 4 2017
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Onam
Legends
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For quick
reading about Onam
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Onam is the most popular and attractive
festival of Kerala, India. It is the harvest festival
of Kerala. Irrespective of cast, creed, religion, all
Keralites celebrate it now as a national festival of
Kerala and it is part of the cultural repertoire of
every Malayalee. Onam in the Malayalam month of Chingam
(Aug-Sept).
The
legend states that Onam is celebrated as the home coming
of Mahabali, the king who ruled over Kerala in the age
of plenty and all are equal. |
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| Onam
Legends
states that Onam is celebrated as the home coming
of Mahabali, popularly
known as Mavely,
the king who ruled over Kerala once, "when
all men were equal, when no one was poor, when
there was neither theft nor dread of thieves". |
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He
was a true devote of the Lord
Mahavishnu and was the grandson of the devout
Prahalada. The Lord Mahavishnu decided to test
the King Mahabali. He came to earth as vamana avathr,
as a poor dwarf Brahmin boy. He asked the King Mahabali
that he want three feet of land to live. The king laughed
and told Vamana to take three feet of land from anywhere
he wants.
Suddenly Vamana began to grow and he covered the whole
earth by one foot and covered the sky with other foot.
And asked Mahabali to give space for the third foot.
By seeing all these, the king understood that Vamana
is not an ordinary person, and Vamana has come to test
him and he showed his head to keep the third foot. Vamana
kept his third foot on the King's head and the King
was pushed down under the earth (pathala). |
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| Mahabali
asked Vamana to reveal his true identity. Suddenly
Vamana vanished and the Lord Mahavishnu’s
glittering image appeared before Mahabali. Mahabali
was overjoyed by seeing this. The Lord told Mahabali
that he wanted to test Mahabali and he has won
in that. The Lord also offered Mahabali to ask
any boon for himself. |
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Mahabali told the Lord that he want permission to
visit Kerala once in a year. And the Lord gave permission
for that. It is the day that Mahabali visits kerala,
the day Thiruonam (Thiruvonam).
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Another
legend |
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Mahabali was an Asura
king of Kerala and was very efficient and truthful.
During his ruling it is said that there was no thieves,
no corruption, no betrayal. And all people lived united,
without the difference of rich or poor and all are
equal.
He became very popular day by day and the Gods could
not be tolerated the popularity of the King Mahabali.
They sought help from Lord Vishnu
who was worshiped by the King Mahabali.
Lord Vishnu took the avatar of a poor and Brahmin,
called Vamana. Vamana was small in size like a boy
and came to the kingdom of Mahabali just after his
morning prayers, when the King gave boons to Brahmins.
The Vamana asked for as much land as could be covered
by his three steps. The King made a promise to do
so. Suddenly Vamana began to grow and he covered the
whole earth by one foot and covered the sky with other
foot. And asked Mahabali where is the space for the
third foot.
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 By
seeing all these the king Mahabali realized that the
boy was not an ordinary Brahmin and asked Vamana to
put his third step on his head with out any hesitation.
Then Mahabali was pushed down to the infernal
regions (Patala)
by Lord Vishnu (Vamana). Mahabali requested permission
to visit his people once in a year. Lord Vishnu was
pleased to grant the request. Keralites celebrate Onam
festival to commemorate the advent of Lord Mahavishnu
as Vamana avatar and to rejoice the annual visit of
Emperor Mahabali to meet his people. The legend of Onam
may also be reflective of beginning of Brahmins/Namboodiris
(Vamanan) dominations in Kerala and the fall of native
residents (Mahabali) of Kerala of that time.
Keralites Celebrate Onam for 10 days .
Read more >>>>>>>>
Atham pathinu ponnonam |
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