ONAM- the harvest festival of kerala

usha

Hi all,
Onam the harvest festival of Kerala had started from 20th of aug. Entire kerala is in a festive mood. Most of the people have a floral carpet made infront of their houses. The main roads have been decorated. A trip in the night thru the state is a treat to our eyes. full of colourful lights and many places cultural programmes are going on. The KTDC (kerala State Tourism Dept) give a lot importance to the toruists who visit kerala at this period. The people who love to eat typical kerala veg food this is the time to invite urself in any traditional homes in kerala. whoever comes we are supposed to give food.
The celebrations will go on till 1st of september.
Now Y this Onam-harvest festival sooooo important. There is a mythological story behind it which is mentioned in "MAHABARATHA". It is connected to Lord Vishnu's aim of coming in Vamana Avathar.(as U all know Lord Vishnu had 10 avatharas and each had an aim).
I hope i could create some curiosity..the full story will be following later.
rest in next.
cheers
HAPPY ONAM TO ALL
take care and keep smiling.
ush

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Life is a beautiful journey so keep travelling with a SMILE

beach

....waiting for the promised story

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radz

Wishing you all very Happy Onam !

usha:waiting for the story still .

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usha

hi beach and radz,
Since there were only 2 whose ready to listen a story i thought let more come then i will tell the story.
beach seems to be knowing it anyway.
hey i am going to my parents house for ONam'
I will be back by 3rd of sep.
till then hope u will miss me radz
contat me in my mbile radz ok?

cheers
HAPPY ONAM TO ALL

AvidTrekker

The word ONAM can be linguistically traced back to the Sanskrit word Shraavanam. This happens to be the current month according to the Hindu calendar. Shraavanam became Thiruvonam which in turn became Onam. Educated people still refer to Onam as Thiruvonam.

A Kerala folk song renders thus:

"When Mahaabali
ruled the land,
everyone was equal.
Happily they lived
and danger befell none.
There was no falsehood,
or fraud
There was no untruth
in his realm."

As the story goes .... Bali was a good and noble King. Due to his goodness which amounted to greatness, he was called Mahaa-Bali or "Bali the great". Though he belonged to a Raakshasa lineage, which was more known for its demonaic qualities.... Bali proved himself to be the exception to the rule. He was as noble as anyone could be, belying and rising above his Raakshasa genes. Hiranyakashipu (demonaic) had a son Prahlaada (great devotee of Vishnu). In turn Prahlaada's son was Virochana who was again demonaic and cruel. Virochana's son was Bali; later called "the Great" as he turned out as noble as his illustrious grandfather Prahlaada.

Bali had everything that any person could ever wish for. His subjects loved and adored him. He had a vast kingdom of his own and also every neighbour paid him their taxes... giving him the title "Chakravarti"... or "Ruler of the Continent". Some people aver that it means "Ruler of the World".

As the folk ditty above goes, there was no shortage or injustice in his realm. He had risen to a spiritual level which was far above that attainable by ordinary humans. He had yet to overcome his ego completely.... God decided that the time was ripe to show the World the true greatness of Bali and decided to take a "body-form" or "avataar". This was later to be called "Vamana" because the form was that of a short statured person (some say 'dwarf') in a dress which Bramhins of the day wore. He carried a palm frond umbrella with him. He probably was a ten-eleven-year-old child.

Vamana went to the Royal Court of Bali to demand "bhikshaa" or alms as was the custom in those days. [bramhins in those days were true to their profession and did not earn money.... the only way they could eat was by alms.... this is no longer the case today].

As Vamana walked into the Royal court, his dazzling radiance charmed one and all. The form was so endearing that Princess Ratnavalli (Bali's sister) imagined this dear child to be her own and mentally pictured that she was mothering him (breastfeeding him). "Bhavati bhikshaam dehi" (noble one, give me alms) said the charming child Vamana while addressing King Bali.

Shukraachaarya was Bali's teacher or Guru. He alone had the mastery over the "Sanjeevani Vidyaa" (creating-life science) which he had won as a boon from Bramhaa the Creator. This Science enabled him to bring dead warriors back to life... thus ensuring that the Raakshasa Army was always in full strength on the battlefield. This ensured that the Raakshasa Army had never been defeated till then. This in turn ensured that his counsel was always heard and acted upon. He was the most important courtier among the Royal Courtiers and the King's Guru, no less!

Shukraachaarya had recognized that this charming child Vaamana is none other than God Himself! He took Bali aside and whispered something in his ear. In effect, this is what he said: "O king be warned! Beware of this innocent looking fellow. He is Vishnu Himself who has taken a form! He will ask you for your entire kingdom and will leave you penniless and powerless. Beware and do not agree to his demands... or you will no longer be king!"

Bali thought to himself; "If what Gurujee says is true, then God Himself has come to beg at my door. The One from whom all the fourteen* lokaas beg has Himself come as a beggar at my door..... only a fool would deny Him what he has come to ask" Thinking thus, he replied: "Yes, O charming braamhana, what bhikshaa do you want?" The braamhana child replied: "I only want as much land as I can cover with three footsteps of mine..." The teacher Shukraachaarya went into another huddle with the king... "he is going to cover your entire kingdom with three footsteps.... BEWARE... do not give him what he asks for!!" The Noble King thought to himself: "whether He can cover my kingdom with three steps is not the question here... If it is indeed God Himself begging from me, I HAVE to give Him what He asks.... this chance may never come again in many lifetimes!!

[* fourteen lokaas are the 14 planes of existence or the 14 Parallel Universes. Our Universe is in the middle, and is termed as the Bhuu-loka or the plane where "solids exist"][seven lokaas are subtler than our Universe, the rest are grosser or "more dense & solid" than our plane or our Universe]

The king said: "I give you my word with this holy water of my mantra meditation...." so saying he took his mantra-meditated-water and tried to pour out water from the spout into his right palm... but the water did not pour out.... apparently the small aperture of the spout was blocked by some debris. The King asked for something to clear the spout. Someone gave him a thin hard piece of sharp grass. This was used to poke the mouth, the spout was cleared. The King uttered the sankalpa mantra for giving "bhikshaa" (alms) while pouring his personal holy water into his right palm. Three times the right palm was used to sprinkle this mantra water onto the braamhana while the King uttered thrice: "So may it be given, so may it be given, so may it be given....!!!" With folded hands in "namaskaara" mudraa, the King requested the braamhana: "Vipra-vara, please take your three footsteps to measure out the land that you wish for"

The charming child Vaamana now grew so tall that his head could not be seen by anyone.... because it was now hidden by the clouds. The soles of his feet were all that could be seen. With the first step He covered the entire Earth. The second step saw him covering the entire sky. Now an ethereal voice asked Bali.... "I have covered all of the Earth and all of the Sky with my two steps, where do you propose I put my third step, O king?" By now, the King was thoroughly humbled and understood the ultra-subtle reality behind this question. The King said, "My Lord, place your third footstep on my head." Vaamana placed his third footstep on Bali's head which destroyed whatever ego remained there. Bali was assigned an immortal subtle spiritual form and reached the denser Universe where he would stay in un-interrupted bliss till the end of this current cycle of Creation. Because he loved his people so dearly, he requested that he be allowed to visit his kingdom in subtle form once every year. Request was granted. He chose that very day because he thought it to be the holiest day, being the day when god chose to visit his kingdom as a human "form"

To this day, it is said that every year the kind Rajah Mahaabali visits every house in his kingdom on this holy day to cast a loving glance on his subjects. His subjects prepare for his visit with all celebration and pomp. Everyone wears new clothes, prepares the choicest of delicacies, draws new "kollam" designs on the floor at the doorstep... and sings and dances the traditional dances. It is a day of thanksgiving. It is a day to remember the most happiest of eras that ever graced the land. It is a day of fun, frolic and joyous thankful, prayer.

Most of the Christians and Muslims of Kerala (& they are large in number) also observe this festival because it is a festival of the land... their very own motherland.... God's own Country.... Kerala !

Associated stories:

1. The Story of Shukraachaarya (the teacher)

Shukraachaarya the teacher (Guru) tried one last sratagem in desperation to save his king from gifting away the kingdom. He assumed a micro-form (with his siddhi called animaa) and entered the mouth of the spout to prevent the mantra-ed water from coming out. The grass which was used to clear the spout entered and punctured his eye in that micro-form. He became famous after this incident as "Shukraachaarya the one-eyed" He continues to figure in many a story as "Shukraachaarya the one-eyed".

2. The story of Princess Ratnavalli (the sister)

yad bhaavam tad bhavati "as you think, so will it happen..." is illustrated by this story.... The Princess Ratnavalli first fell in love with the charming child Vaamana and mentally imagined herself "mothering" (breast-feeding) Him. When this very being put his third footstep on her brother Bali's head; she was seething with anger. (probably her Raakshsa genes asserting themselves!) She wanted to kill Him and imagined herself killing Him... After thousands of years, this very woman was re-born as a contemporary of Vishnu's eighth avataar... Lord Shri Krishna... where she actually almost fulfilled her mental imaginations. When the child Krishna was gambolling mischievously in Vrindaavan, the evil King Kamsa was plotting to have this child killed. He sent many ogres who could change their forms at will... but they all failed. The original Princess Ratnavalli was re-born as Pootanaa (in the same raakshasa lineage, one may add... do the genes carry these codes? one may wonder) .... a woman of some considerably evil attainments in Kamsa's Kingdom (here again, Kamsa belonged to the same lineage as Bali!) She was recruited as a last ditch effort to kill the child Krishna after all the powerful ogres failed. She applied a deadly poison over her breasts and went into Vrindaavan to the house of Krishna's foster parents. She engaged Krishna's foster mother in inane conversation to gain her confidence. Krishna's mother was used to complete strangers coming and visibly admiring her darling son... so this did not seem out of place to her at all. When the mother's back was turned, this female assassin kootchy-kooed the little child Krishna to induce him to suckle from her breasts. Of course, Krishna was a child only by way of appearance.... he started suckling milk from Pootanaa's breast... and as the story goes... sucked the very life out of her!! She fell down dead and Krishna resumed His mischief..... so the story says...

yad bhaavam tad bhavati is illustrated here thus: Princess Ratnavalli felt like suckling the charming child Vaamana.... her wish was fulfilled when she suckled Krishna (the same Vaamana re-born) as the body form of Pootanaa. When she was seething with anger after the third footstep was placed upon her brother Bali, she imagined herself killing the now-not-so-charming-child Vaamana. This mental picture was duly fulfilled when she tried to kill the same child (now Krishna) as a paid assassin Pootanaa...... mysterious indeed are the ways of our mind..... always be careful about whatever you think.... ALWAYS THINK POSITIVE.

3. The story of Kerala

Even today.... Kerala is a specially blessed land because of MahaaBali's good karmas. It is a land of plenty. Crops grow there EVEN without any effort at tilling the land. No one knows the meaning of the word "drought" in Kerala. It enjoys the highest literacy figures (100 %) in the Country. It is generally a rich land and the people are quite generous. Very few beggars to be found here... as compared to Bihar (for example). Women in Kerala are treated with honour and respect; quite unlike the general trend in Northern India. Even though people do not set up really big industries (due to its perceived leaning towards marxist communism) Kerala has not really suffered.... the hard working Keralite gets employment in the Middle-East and sends money home to Kerala. [for comparison, another marxist-communist ruled state... West Bengal... is wretchedly poverty ridden... and full of exploited illiterate labourers.] Religions flourish without any resistance in Kerala. The first Christian Saint (to India) landed in Kerala nearly 1900 years ago and was allowed to follow his messiah and his religion.... quite unlike the other lands of those times. It is also speculated that the first Arabic Muslims landed in Kerala and quietly pursued the peaceful version of True Islam much before the Barbar hordes invaded India via the Khyber Pass at the North West. Even today the Moplaa Muslim community of Kerala claim pure Arabic descent for themselves.

It is believed that Vaamana's huge feet have left one foot-print. Even today it is a Geographical feature visible at the bottom of the ocean as observed from Aircraft. There is a 7-km-long "footprint" shaped depression visible at the bottom of the ocean as one goes Westwards out from the Kochi Coast. Many Navy chopper Pilots have seen this. Some airplane Pilots too. This is believed to be the "footprint" of Vaamana.

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The Universe is an ellipsoid?... or a Spheroid?? If the sphere smiles... it becomes an ellipse. This IS Creation.

usha

Well that was a great story.
Me just back from the holiday cum onam celebrations at my village.
Beach and radz hope u too enjoyed the story.
It is the belief that the "Mahabali " comes every yearto his old kingdom, kerala, on 'thiruvonam' day to meet his 'prajas' (people).
After many years we were here in kerala to celebrate ONAM. Had a great time.
cheers

usha

ENJOY THE ONAM FESTIVAL OF KERALA- 6Th to 18th Sep 2005

Onam, the harvest festival of Kerala will be between 6th to 18th Sep. Entire kerala will be in a festive mood. Most of the people will have a floral carpet made infront of their houses. The main roads will be decorated. A trip in the night thru the state will be a treat to your eyes. Full of colourful lights and many places cultural programmes will be there. The KTDC (kerala State Tourism Dept) give a lot importance to the toruists who visit kerala at this period. The people who love to eat typical kerala veg food this is the time to invite urself in any traditional homes in kerala. whoever comes we are supposed to give food. Enjoy the same layed out in banan leaf..
HAPPY ONAM to all..

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