Happy Onam!

What is Onam? A short intro
It is a festival of truth, harmony and happiness.
There is very nice story behind Onam festival. It goes like this (I tried to make it very short!!):

There was an asura(demon) king who was very generous and great. He made his kingdom (belief in the region of Kerala 🙂 like a heaven. However Devas got scared that he is making earth also heaven and soon become a threat to devas.
They immediately approached God Vishnu (solution to everything!:
). Vishnu took one avatar called Vamana (poor & dwarf Brahmin) and came to Mahabali. King asked what help Vamana needed. Vamana asked 3 feet of land for him to do prayers and meditation. Mahabali happily agreed (though he knew that it is God Vishnu came for a purpose!). Vamana all of sudden grew in size and covered everything the king ruled in just two steps and third step, there is no space. To keep his word and honour, Mahabali offered his head for the third step. Vishnu became happy and impressed on Mahabali’s gesture and asked him what blessing he wants. Mahabali told, once in a year, he wants to come back and see his people. This homecoming is celebrated as Onam. So Onam is the time when Mahabali visits us to see whether we are happy! So during Onam, people take new clothes, prepare good food/feast, no lies or cheating (very important ;)), play lot games, make floral decorations(pookkalams)…..and be happy to show Mahabali that, all of us are happy and together!

It is a 10 days of festival. Today is the main day – Thiruvonam when Mahabali arrives….

Mahabali, despite being a demon king, was said to be generous and benevolent. His rule is likened to the golden era. Because of this, his return every year is so widely celebrated. The festival is celebrated in the Malayalam calendar month of Chingam. Onam is also a harvest festival.

You can find more details in my blog here : https://skdwriting.wordpress.com/?s=Onam (you can find pictures and details of each day and some stories!)

More: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onam

Once again, wish you all a very happy Onam!

---

Happy Onam…

Happy Onam…

Keep Smiling…Stay blessed.

Happy Diwali…

Happy Onam..

Keep Smiling!

Want to know more about Onam:

https://skdwriting.wordpress.com/?s=Onam

OR

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onam?wprov=sfla1

Search some of

Onam again…!

Onam at our new home….

Big team work for this Pookkalam(floral decoration) 😉

Wish you all a very happy festival time…

Keep smiling…

Happy Easter….Let’s resurrect!

---

Keep Smiling!

Eid Mubarak!

Shawwal Hilal appeared!

Divine Ramadan month commemorated the first revelation, through a month long divine fasting and ‘giving’ (zakat). It is completed.

[First revelation of Quran to Prophet Muhammad by archangel Gabriel in 610AD at Hira Cave near Makkah.]. 

Now it is the time for celebration!

Let us celebrate Eid al-Fitr (“feast of breaking of the fast”)…

Eid Mubarak, dear friends!

Get-together, Sharing and Happiness around.

Let it spread across the world, beyond the borders of religion, color and places!

Do you know? The first day of Shawwal (or day of Eid al-fitr), is the only day in Shawwal, Muslims are *not* allowed to fast!  

So, no human should go hungry without food today! Let us do our bit for it as a positive gesture along with wishing and celebrating Eid al-fitr!

Keep Smiling, Keep Shining and Stay Blessed! 🙂 

---

Notes: | Shawwal : tenth month of the lunar Islamic calendar | Hilal : Indicates the crescent moon, which signifies the start of a Lunar Month | Eid al-Fitr: celebrated at the beginning of Shawwal month, and completion of the divine month of Ramadan | Eid Mubarak : Wishing a Blessed Celebration (Eid=Celebration, Mubarak=Blessed) | Zakat : Charity, sharing to poor/needy. | Five Pillars of Islam: Shahada-Faith, Salat-Prayer, Zakat-Charity, Sawn-Fasting, Hajj-Pilgrimage to Mecca (some changes between Sunni Islam and Shia Islam) |

Thanks to friends and google for this information. If you find any mistakes in the information, please let me know or add in comments!

---

 

Resurrection of Humanity…

Believe in compassion
Forgive and Forget
Retrospect and Revive
Heaven starts within!

Happy Easter!

---

pic: Taken at home, HTC G728 and processed a bit 😉

A Divine Message…

My Dear Friends,

In India, a small southern state known as Kerala celebrates a festival called Vishu today.  It is a kind of new year for Hindu friends in the state. Incidently, it is also Good Friday today.  So all the Christian friends are in prayers, recollecting a great sacrifice….

What a divine day today…. (14th April, 2017).

One side, it makes a mark on new start with all happiness, the other side it shows a divine  sacrifice to end sins of the world. However, in two days, it turns to be the happiest day of Easter for Christian friends.

A great message from God…. 

“Joy and Sorrow are just two shades of life. In reality they are the same and volatile. It’s all from within…I am within you when you feel happy and sad.. always. Be positive and accept the reality of life. You are all blessed and you all come from the same seed, irrespective of your color, cast and country.” 

Keep Smiling and Keep Shining….

——————–

Pic: Our home decoration today . Shot with HTC G728 mobile. 

Please follow the links in the post for more details. 

———————

Many Many Happy Returns…!

…a great birthday, that brings hopes and happiness to this world….!

Another Christmas…!

Thought of writing something and ended up with these photos captured at home….!

Simply enjoy the wonderful day of xmas with your family and friends.

Keep Smiling and Keep Shining like Christmas Star! 🙂

---

pics: Mobile Camera, HTC G728.

Thiruvonam: Spreading Lights of Happiness…

First of all, Wish you all a very Happy Onam again….

Onam is a festival of lights? Perplexed? I would say, Onam is a festival that spreads lights of Happiness. All through out 10 days of Onam, people, irrespective of color, religion, wealth, all try to be happy! I am not sure, is there any other festival in the world “forces” people to be happy from the core theme of the festival.

Onam, the whole theme of the festival is being happy and that’s what the festival is for! That’s why in Kerala, there is a saying “Kaanam Vittum Onam Unnanam” and be happy for it! (It means that “One must have the Onam lunch even selling his property, to have so”  and be happy that you could do it!)

Today is Onam Day 11  and is Thiruvonam!

Serenity of Onam & Bakrid…(Onam Day 10!)

Look at any pookkalam(floral decoration) for a while…you can feel the serenity of Onam. Onam days shower peace and happiness to the nature and minds. Every celebration is an occasion where we try to make others happy, along with that, we become happy(actually happier!). So, we can celebrate together only, not alone! Once we can cherish the moments of smiles and sharing, the celebration becomes meaningful. Those moments start bringing a feel of serenity and cares your mind…

Today is Onam Day 10! So, thiruvonam today?

Leafy Beauty…(Onam Day 9)

Why do we celebrate Onam during Chingam (ചിങ്ങം)? 

(Chingam is the first month of Malayalam Calendar or Kollavarsham.  It comes during August-September months.  Chingam 1 is considered as new year in Kerala.)

It is believed that the King Mahabali visits Kerala every year to see his people.  It was like heaven and people were very happy when he ruled this land. Hence when he visits once a year,  he wants to see his people in merry and his land prosperous.  Chingam is usually the harvest time in Kerala and people will be happier during that.  So Onam is also considered as harvest festival. 

Today is Onam Day 9 and also Bakrid! Eid Mubarak!

Melody of Onam…(Onam Day 8)

Are you hearing the melody of Onam…? If you travel through Kerala these days, you should be able to hear…esp..tea shops in villages or junctions where pookkalams are there.

There are so many sweet melodies on Onam in Malayalam. If you search in google/youtube for “Onam Songs”, you will realize that, Onam Songs are an integral part of Malayalam Music.

Whoever lives away from Kerala, cannot listen to them without nostalgic memories of their home, childhood and loved ones back in Kerala!

[I have added one of my fav Onam Songs Album link at the end of this blog]

Today is Onam Day 8.

Twinkle Twinkle Little Flowers… (Onam Day 7)

Flowers can twinkle?! The little cute flowers in Onam Pookkalams(floral decorations),  twinkle at us.  It spreads amazing energy of happiness to everyone around.

There are many traditional games that are played during onam. Pulikali,  thalapanthu kali,  uriyadi… are some of them.  Every village has some special game which adds more entertainment and fun to Onam days.  Enjoyment and being happy forgetting all your frets are the highlights during Onam days.

Today is Onam Day 7.

Today we got a very special item for our pookkalam (floral decoration)… Manjaadi (Red Lucky Seeds) !!  🙂

Harmony of Onam (Onam Day 6)

Harmony makes things more balanced and the best! Onam is a festival of harmony. For every malayali, irrespective of their religion, cast or color, Onam is close to their heart! It is like every flower and color adding to the harmony of the pookkalams (floral decorations) .

It is very interesting to have Bakrid, the festival of the sacrifice coming during Onam days. The story of Onam also reminds us a sacrifice from King Mahabali to ensure truth and commitment prevailed!

The core of every festival is nothing but harmony; living harmonious to the nature and fellow humans!

Today is Onam Day 6.

Today’s pookkalam was made by a spirited team work. All four contributed in various phases of the project 😉

It is a great feeling, once you achieve happiness together, that becomes celebration!

Keep Celebrating, Keep Smiling!

---

Are you still not enjoying the melody of Onam…? Glimpses of it here (English) for you! (You can find so many videos on Onam from internet!)

---

 

 

Elegance of Onam (Onam Day 5)

Everyday pookkalam (floral decoration) adds to the elegance of Onam festival all throughout 10days from Atham to Thiruvonam. Onam is a story of truth,  kindness and commitment.  It reminds us that happiness is a result of selflessness. It unveiled through the story of King Mahabali. For me,  he is a superhero who amazed the world with his judicious and compassionate care to his countrymen.  He could bring and sustain truth and harmony in his land,  and finally he taught us how one should be committed to his words without any fear….

Today is Onam Day 5. (08Sep2016 😉

Every smile counts… (Onam Day 4)

Everytime you see a pookkalam(floral decoration), it spreads a smile in your heart… a colorful one!

Onam festival lasts for 10 days from Atham to Thuruvonam.  Everyday the pookkalam becomes bigger by one more layer of flowers, and 10th day, 10 layers with grand pookkalam! Every layer counts:)

Today is Onam Day 4.(07Sep2016)

Every Flower Adds…(Onam Day 3)

If you travel through Kerala, especially towns or villages, you will come across floral decorations(pookkalam) on the roadside, almost at every junction. Onam adds colors of happiness!

Today is Onam Day 3.(06Sep2016)

Enjoy Onam…(Day 2)

Onam is a festival of togetherness.  Every floral decoration throughout onam highlights the beauty and harmony of togetherness.

Today Onam Day 2 (05Sep2016).