Thiruvananthapuram: Keralites across the world celebrated Thiruvonam, the main day of the 10-day Onam festival, with traditional gaiety and fervor, spreading the message of prosperity, equality, and oneness.
People, irrespective of religion and caste, decked up their houses with Pookkalams, the traditional flower spreads, to welcome the mythical and righteous king Mahabali, who is believed to visit his subjects on the ‘Thiruvonam’ day of the Malayalam month of Chingam (the first month of the Malayalam calendar).
While changes in tune with the times reflect in the celebrations of the festival, Malayalees will be punctilious in following the traditional rituals to usher in the auspicious occasion.
As dawn broke out, joyous children could be seen rushing out to pluck colorful flowers to lay beautiful pookkalams in front of their homes as the households joined them. People dressed up in new clothes indulged in various games, dances, and renderings of traditional Onam songs.
The elders, meanwhile, started preparing sumptuous Onam Sadya, having a lot of dishes of varied tastes and flavors. The grand feast is served on banana leaves as all members of a household sit cross-legged on the floor and have it together. The festival celebration won’t be complete without the sadya, when all family members and relatives gather together.
