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Onam Festival is one of the most important festival of Kerala or South India. It is a bright and colourful festival that celebrates the
bounties of nature and a year of good harvest. The festival stretches on for ten days - days filled with feasting, boat racing, singing
and dancing. Rituals along with new clothes, traditional cuisine, dance, and music mark this harvest festival.
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According to the legends, Kerala was ruled by the Demon King Mahabali. Mahabali
was such a great ruler that his rule was known as the "golden rule of Mahabali".
His fame spread far and wide that the Gods feared that he might become too
powerful. So they approached Lord Vishnu, to curb Mahabali's power.
Lord Vishnu took the form of Vaamana, the dwarf and approached Mahabali. He asked the
good King for three paces of land. King Mahabali was so kind that he looked at
the small person and advised him to ask something bigger.
But the guru of the
demons, Guru Sukracharya, realised this was no ordinary brahmin and told the
king to refuse any boons.
But King Mahabali refused and granted three paces of
land to Vaamana.At that, the dwarf grew in height till he almost touched
the sky.
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With his first step, he measured the heavens, with his second, the
nether world. For his third pace, there was no place and Kign Mahabali offered
his head. So he did and Mahabali was pushed into the nether world. But Lord
Vishnu was so pleased with this great King that he showed him his viswarupa and
gave him a boon. Then the good king Mahabali requested that he should visit his
people once a year and see his beloved subjects. Lord Vishnu granted him his
boon and on the day "Onam Festival" of kerala King
Mahabali visits the earth is only celebrated as Onam.
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