A long long time ago, an Asura (demon) king called Mahabali ruled
Kerala. He was a wise, benevolent and judicious ruler and beloved of
his subjects. Soon his fame as an able king began to spread far and
wide, but when he extended his rule to the heavens and the netherworld,
the gods felt challenged and began to fear his growing powers.
Presuming that he might become over-powerful, Aditi, the mother of
Devas pleaded with Lord Vishnu to curtail Mahabali’s powers. Vishnu
transformed himself into a dwarf called Vamana and approached Mahabali
while he was performing a yajna and asked for alms. Pleased with the
dwarf brahmin’s wisdom, Mahabali granted him a wish. The Emperor’s
preceptor, Sukracharya warned him against making the gift, for he
realized that the seeker was no ordinary person. But the Emperor’s
kingly ego was boosted to think that God had asked him for a favor. So
he firmly declared that there is no greater sin than going back on
one’s promise. He kept his word.
The Vamana asked for a simple gift — three paces of land — and the king
agreed to it. Vishnu in the guise of Vamana then increased his stature
and with the first step covered the sky, blotting out the stars, and
with the second, straddled the netherworld. Realising that Vamana’s
third step will destroy the earth, Mahabali offered his head as the
last step.
Vishnu’s fatal third step pushed him to the netherworld, but before
banishing him to the underworld Vishnu granted him a boon. Since he was
attached to his kingdom and his people, he was allowed to return once a
year from exile. Onam is the celebration that marks the homecoming of
King Mahabali. It is the day when a grateful Kerala pays a glorious
tribute to the memory of this benign king who gave his all for his
subjects.
The Origin of Onam
Onam or Thiruonam originated as a joyous annual reminiscence of the
golden rule of King Mahabali, a mythical king, who ruled Kerala a very
long time ago. It recalls the sacrifice of the great king, his true
devotion to God, his human pride and his ultimate redemption. Onam
welcomes the spirit of a great king, and assures him that his people
are happy and wish him well. The Custom
A flower carpet called ‘Pookalam’ is laid in
front of every house to welcome the advent of the vanquished king, and
earthen mounds representing Mahabali and Vishnu are placed in the
dung-plastered courtyards. Traditional rituals are performed followed
by a lavish feast called ‘Sadhya’. Onam also means new clothes for the
whole family, sumptuous home-cooked delicacies on plantain leaf and the
lingering aroma of the sweet Payasam.
Onam Gifts Ideas
On the occasion of Onam festivities, if you also want to gift your
friends and family with some ideal Onam gifts, here are few options you
can chose from.
Silver Coin
The most popular and traditional gift given Onam is ‘Silver Coin’.
Generally people prefer coins with Laxmi- Ganesh images as it is not
only presentable but also auspicious.
Gold Jewelry
Gold Jewelry is also popular gift exchange amongst families. Generally,
fathers present their daughters with expensive gold jewelries and
husbands also present their wife with traditional gold jewelries.
Clothes
Clothes are the most commonly presented Onam gifts. The elders of the
family present several traditional dresses to the younger members of
their family. People were this dress on the day of Tiruvonam, the tenth
day of the celebrations.
Home Appliances
The tradition of presenting gift is now changing; people are now
getting more inclined towards things of immediate uses like home
appliances. These are very useful and also add on to the living
standard of the person.
Gadgets
Gadgets are another extremely popular gift items during the Onam
festivals. Mobile Phones, I-pods, I-phones, portable DVD players,
laptops and video games are the most popular gadgets presented during
the Onam festival.
Gift Coupons
People also present various kinds of gift vouchers and food coupons as
a part of Onam gifts. This at times also includes passes to city club,
movie tickets etc.
A long long time ago, an Asura (demon) king called Mahabali ruled
