10 Onam Rituals that Signify the Diverse Festival!

Onam is a festival that is filled with numerous other celebrations that can be termed festivals within themselves. With their expanse so vast and rituals so diverse, they make this festival and its history worth celebrating. Inclusions ranging from music, dance, games, food and competitions make this 10-day extravaganza even grander. Let’s look at 10 rituals that are followed during Onam. 

Pookalam

Pookalam is an intricate and colourful arrangement of flowers laid on the floor. It is a floral rangoli, or a design mostly made by the women of the house. The design starts on Atham, the first day of the festival with yellow flowers, and more flowers are added each day to complete the arrangement. 

Pulikali

Pulikali is a folk tiger dance performed during the time of Onam and other major festivals in Kerala. In this dance, the men paint their bodies like tigers and dance to drum beats. 

Vallamkali

Vallamkali, famously known as the snake boat race, is a competition organised in the state and is famous all over. It is a form of canoe racing, where wooden boats are rowed by multiple players, sometimes going up to 50 in one boat. These long boats race against each other to compete in this unique competition that is organised during the time of Onam. 

Onathappan

Onathappan or Thrikkakara Appan is a clay pyramid structure with four faces and a flat top used during Onam celebrations. This unique structure represents Vamana, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, sometimes symbolising both Mahabali and Vamana. This structure is placed in the centre of a Pookalam and symbolises an invitation to the lords to visit each house during Onam. 

Onam Sadhya

Onam Sadhya is one of the most significant parts of the Onam celebration. It’s a grand vegetarian feast served on banana leaves, consisting of parboiled pink rice, side dishes, savouries, pickles, and desserts. The Onam Sadhya can have 23 to 30 items in the meal, all prepared by the people of the house. 

Athachamayam

Athachamayam is a grand parade that marks the beginning of Onam. This celebration is a cultural fiesta that provides one the rare opportunity to witness almost all the folk art forms of Kerala. 

Thiruvathirakali

Thiruvathirakali, also known as Kaikottikali or Kummikkali, is a popular dance form from Kerala. It is a dance ritual that women perform in groups around a traditional lamp called a Nilavilakku. It is performed to celebrate marital fidelity and female energy.

Kazhchakkula

As Onam is a festival of harvest, Kazhchakkula is an integral part of it. It is an offering of plantains that is part of the festival celebrations. Plantain is a starchy tropical fruit that is part of the banana family. 

Onapottan

Since Onam celebrates the homecoming of King Mahabali to Kerala, Onapottan Theyyam is a rare traditional folk character who signifies the arrival of the King. The Character dresses up in a traditional costume and roams mutely around villages as Theyyam doesn't speak, hence the name 'Onapottan' in which ‘pottan’ refers to “a dumb person” in Malayalam. 

Onathallu

Onathallu is a martial arts display and a semi-combat display sport that is performed during the time of Onam. In some regions, it manifests as a choreographed sparring routine, whereas in others, it is practiced as a combat sport involving actual sparring. It is also known as Kayyāmkali or Avittathallu.