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ONAM
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Onam,
the most typical Kerala festivals, which coincides with the month of harvest
season is an occasion for spontaneous revelry. It falls in the month of
Chingam(August September). It celebrates the home coming
of Mahabali,
the legendary king who ruled over Kerala in an age of
plenty and was pushed down to the infernal regions (Pathala)
by Vishnu in
the form of Vamana.
Onam is being
celebrated as a National Festival
under Government auspices. It synchronizes with the
tourist week celebrations in
the State. The Onam celebration starts formally on the day of Atham asterism. The image of Thrikkakara
Appan (Vishnu
in the form of
Vamana) is installed in every Hindu home during the Onam season. Children go around collecting
flowers for the decoration of
the front
portion of their houses in different designs and forms which change from
day to day. The most important days of the Onam festival
are Uthradom and
Thiruvonam days.
On the latter, a grand feast is held in every home. Onam also provides
an occasion for family get together.
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Hindu
religious
festivals
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Navarathri festival which is called Dasara in Karnataka and Kali Pooja in Bengal
is celebrated as Saraswathy Pooja,
in the State. Saraswathy is worshipped as goddess of learning. On
the Durgashtami Day, the Pooja veppu is performed
when all sorts of study and work are put aside. The Vijayadasami
Day is observed as the day for the break up of the pooja and the initiation
of children into the study of the alphabets.
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Mahasivarathri
the great night of Siva, is celebrated in Kumbam ( February-March ) , it commemorates the day on which Lord
Siva consumed
the deadly poison Kalakuda Visham
to save the world from destruction. The day is
observed by the offering of special poojas abhishekhams and
the presentation of cultural programmes in all the Siva Temples. The Annual
Sivarathri Festival held on the banks of Periyar at Alwaye
is one of the most spectacular local festivals of Kerala which attracts
thousands
of pilgrims from all over the State. It has been compared to the Kumbamela
at Prayag.
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Ashtami
Rohini
the brith day of Sri
Krishna is of great importance. It is celebrated in the month of Chingam
(August - September). Devotees visit the Krishna or Vishnu temples where
special pooja and cultural programmes are held.
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Thrikarthika
is another festival which is celebrated in the month of Vrichikom (November-December).
Display of lights in the evening is an important part of the festival
Deepavali , the festival of light is celebrated by the display of fire
works and bursting of crackers. The
41 day of Mandalam season beginning with the first day of the month of
Vrischikom (November-December) is sacred to the Hindus. The 41st day which
coincides with the Makaravilakku in Sabrimala is the concluding day of
the festival. The observance of certain vrathams of fasts is resorted
to which the Hindu consider sacred to certain deities. The most important
of these is Ekadasi considered sacred to Vishnu. At the Sri Krishna Temple,
Guruvayoor, the Great Eakadasi festival is held annually for five days
in the month of Vrischikom (November- December). Sashti the sixth day
is sacred to Subramanya and Pradosham the thirteenth day to Shiva. Devotees
spend these days in fasting and devotional excercises. Full moon is also
observed as a day of fast. The New Moon days in Makaram (January-February)
and Karkatakam (July-August) are particularly important for the performance
of Sradha. Karkataka Vavu is almost like a festival day in Trivandrum
.
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Vallamkali
or boat regatta is typical of Kerala. It is held in August in the Punnamada
Kayal which commemorates the visit of Prime Minister Nehru to Alleppey.
Similar boat races are also being held at Aranmula and Champakulam which
have a religious significance . The latter commenmorates an episode involving
the idol of Sri Krishna which was lifted from Kurichi by the Chempakasseri
Raja's men for consecration in the Ambalapuzha Temple. The idol had to
rest in the house of a Syrian Christian at Champakulam. Even today the
flag and coir rope required for the Champakulam boat race are supplied
from the local Kallurkad chruch.
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There
are also other temple festivals which have local importance. The Sree
Padmanabha Temple has two Arattu Festivals , one in Thulam (October-November)
and the other in Meenam (March-April) lasting for ten days. The festival
ends with the Arattu Procession of the deity with the Maharaja of Travancore
at its head.
Attukal in Trivandrum City is
famous for its nine day Pongal festival in the month of Kumbbam. The highlight
of the festival is on the 9th day when several thousand women assemble
in the temple premises and cook the Pongala as an offering to Bhagavathy
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| Christian
religious festivals |
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Christmas
and Easter are the main festivals of Christians in Kerala. Christmas
falls on December 25th and commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. Holy
Mass is held in all churches in the State. The Christmas Tree is decorated
in chruches and homes. The appearance of Santa Claus and the distribution
of presents are highlights of the celebration. Easter commemorates the
resurrection of Jesus Christ. It falls in the month of April. The Maramon
Convention held every year in March on the river bed at Maramon under
the auspices of the Marthoma Church is the biggest gathering of the Christians
in Asia and the second biggest in the World.
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Muslim
religious festivals
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Bakrid
(Id-ul-Azha) and Ramzan (Id-ul-Fitr) are the major muslim festivals. Muslims
enjoy a hearty feast on Bakrid Day. The famous Haj is performed after
Id-ul-Azha. Id-ul-Fitr is celebrated after the conclusion of Ramzan fast
when muslims give up all kinds of food and drink during day and spend
major part of the night in prayer. Miladi Sherif (Nabi Dinam) in April
commemorates the birth of the Prophet . Muharam is another festival celebrated
on the 10th day of the month of Muharam, the forbidden month which marks
the beginning of the Hijira Year.
The
Chandanakudam at Beemapally near Trivandrum is one of the most colorful
of muslim festivals in Kerala. It is said to be the death anniversary
of Beema Beevi, a devout pilgrim lady who came to Kerala from Mecca. The
festival begins on the Ist of Jamadul Akhar of the Hijira Era and lasts
ten days. Carrying earthern pots smeared with sandal wood paste and the
mouth of the pot lightly closed with a jasmine garland around the edges
, thousands of pilgrims go around the mosque and the hallowed tomb of
the devout lady in procession, the earthern pot with money is placed at
the tomb as an offering.
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