Onam is an annual harvesting festival in Kerala celebrated with joy & enthusiasm. It is celebrated to honour the homecoming of King Mahabali, whose spirit is known to visit Kerala at the time of Onam. Mahabali was a demon, but he was known for being kind-hearted & generous. Onam is celebrated during the month of Chingam, the first month in the Malayalam calendar, Kollavarsham. Elaborate feasts, folk songs, boat race, dances, games and floral decorations are all part of this festival. The popularity & presentation of the rich culture & traditions of the state during the festival made Onam the official state festival of Kerala.
The coronavirus global pandemic has changed the way people celebrate festivals and special occasions. Instead of going out & celebrating with friends and loved ones, people are finding ways to mark special occasions at home with family members. That’s why we present ideas to help you celebrate Onam at home.
-
Decorate your home
Clean your home and decorate it to make it look festival ready. Make flower rangoli (pookkalam) on floors, which is considered a symbol of the harvesting time & designed to welcome the deities. Use Onam flowers for creating pookkalam, such as Chethi, Chemparathy, Shankupushpam, Marigold or Chrysanthemums. Hang a string of flowers at the doors. Fill the vases with fresh flowers. Decorating your home with flowers will spread the fragrance of nature all around. Place wind chimes near windows and hang string lights in the room.
-
Wear traditional clothes
Onam celebration would be incomplete without women wearing the traditional Kasavu saree & men wearing mundu with a shirt. Dress for the occasion to bring in festive vibes and make the celebration special at home.
-
Add a flavour of the feast
A grand feast known as Onam Sadya is prepared in every home. It has 24 dishes served on a banana leaf to add a flavour to the celebration. The family sits in a row on the floor and consume the food without using any cutlery. You can cook Onam Sadya at home and savour it with your family.
-
Surprise your loved ones with gifts
So what if you can’t step out to meet & greet your loved ones on this auspicious occasion. You can send them Onam gifts online like flower arrangements, sweet boxes, hampers, chocolates, and home décor items along with a personal note wishing Happy Onam.
-
Watch boat race on TV
The Snake Boat Race, also known as Aranmula Uthrattadi Vallam Kali, is one of the main attractions of Onam celebration. You can watch it on television with your family and experience the complete joy of this traditional festival.
-
Relive Memories
Go through old Onam celebration pictures and relive good old memories. It will bring in the festive spirit and teach the importance of customs, traditions and togetherness to everyone in the family.
Enjoy Onam festivities at home to make the celebrations even more exciting.
You Might Also Like these Festival Related Blogs:
