5 Things You Want Your Kids To Know About Onam

The country we live in is filled to the brim with hundreds of festivals and celebrations! It is so important for kids today to understand what we celebrate and to identify with tradition, isn’t it?

Living in the US meant hour-long conversations with family over Skype and a strong desire to be at home with them. I would try and familiarize my son with rituals by telling him stories associated with each festival. I also hoped he would get to be with his extended family and witness the grand scale on which India does festivals! Even if you don’t get caught up in the religious fervour, festivals definitely serve to bring you closer to family.

For young curious minds, there is something to learn from every celebration and this weekend dishes up the perfect opportunity! This festive season, along with Rakshabandhan, the state of Kerala and Malayalis everywhere celebrate Onam – the festival of harvest and bounty.

Whether you are going to celebrate Onam or not, we bring you 5 really cool things that you and your child should know about the festival.

1. Why Onam is Celebrated or The Legend Of Vamana And Mahabali:

There once was a wise king called Mahabali who ruled the world in a wise and just manner. His subjects were happy, but he yearned for more. So he took over the heavens and thus angered the Gods. So Lord Vishnu took his fifth avatar as a poor, diminutive Brahmin, Vamana and went to meet the king. He begged for three steps of land as alms and when the king agreed, he began to grow.

With one step, he covered the world, with the second the heavens, and then he asked Mahabali where he should keep the third step. King Mahabali, being fair and just offered his head and thus Vamana sent him to hell and restored peace and harmony. His subjects celebrate his return to his country every year as Onam.

2. The Feast That Is Associated With Onam:

Image Source timescity.com

No Malayali (or any foodie for that matter) will ever refuse Onam Sadya or Onam feast. Food is eaten on a banana leaf as per tradition and a minimum of 21 dishes are served. Yes, we said 21!

3. Pookalam or Flower Decorations:

Image Source:desibantu.com

Onam celebrations are incomplete without the traditional flower decorations in front of houses. We don’t mean hanging garlands of flowers but decorating the flowers with traditional rangoli-style patterns done entirely with flower petals!

4. Vallamkalli or Snakeboat Races:

Image Source: blog.t2world.com

A highlight of the 10-day festival! Snake boat races take place in many places around Kerala and are a huge tourist attraction. Over 100 oarsmen take to a long, wooden canoe and row through the water channels in a bid to reach the finish line first. There are usually over 1,000 oarsmen rowing in a race!

5. Pulikali or Tiger Play:

Image Source: flickr.com

On the fourth day of Onam, trained artists recreate a special folk art form known as Pulikali. They paint themselves in yellow, red, and orange and pretend to be tigers as they dance to the beats of traditional instruments. The folk art symbolises tiger hunting and is a huge tourist attraction.