Category Archives: Festival

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 ๐Ÿ™‚ 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)โ€ฆ..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 arrivesโ€ฆ.

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!


Eid Mubarak!

eid2017

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.].ย 

Now it is the time for celebration!

Let us celebrateย 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?ย The first day of Shawwal (or day of Eid al-fitr), is the only day in Shawwal, Muslims are *not* allowed to fast! ย 

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! ๐Ÿ™‚ย 


Notes: | Shawwal :ย tenth month of the lunar Islamic calendarย | Hilal : Indicates theย 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-Pilgrimageย 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!


 

A Divine Message…ย 

My Dear Friends,

In India, a small southern state known as Kerala celebrates a festival calledย Vishuย today. ย It is a kind of new year forย Hinduย friends in the state. Incidently, it is alsoย Good Fridayย today. ย So all theย Christianย 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 ย sacrifice to end sins of the world. However, in two days, it turns to be the happiest day ofย Easterย for Christian friends.

A great message from God….ย 

“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.”ย 

Keep Smiling and Keep Shining….

——————–

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

Please follow the links in the post for more details.ย 

———————


Thiruvonam: Spreading Lights of Happiness…

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

thiruvonam

Onam is a festival of lights? Perplexed? I would say, Onamย 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 themeย 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” ย and be happy that you could do it!)

Today is Onam Day 11 ย and is Thiruvonam!

Continue reading Thiruvonam: Spreading Lights of Happiness…

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

onamday10

Look at any pookkalam(floral decoration)ย 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, thiruvonamย today?

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

Leafy Beauty…(Onam Day 9)

wp-image-1049657125jpg.jpg

Why do we celebrate Onamย during Chingam (เดšเดฟเด™เตเด™เด‚)?ย 

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

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

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

eidmubarak

Continue reading Leafy Beauty…(Onam Day 9)

Melody of Onam…(Onam Day 8)

onamday8

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

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

Continue reading Melody of Onam…(Onam Day 8)

Twinkle Twinkle Little Flowers… (Onam Day 7)

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

There are manyย traditional gamesย that are played duringย onam. Pulikali, ย thalapanthu kali, ย uriyadi… are some of them. ย Every village has some special game which adds more entertainment and fun to Onam days. ย 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)…ย Manjaadiย (Red Lucky Seeds)ย !! ย ๐Ÿ™‚

Continue reading Twinkle Twinkle Little Flowers… (Onam Day 7)

Harmony of Onam (Onam Day 6)

onamday6

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 theย pookkalams (floral decorations)ย .

It is very interesting to have Bakrid, the festival of the sacrifice coming during Onam days. The story of Onam also reminds us aย 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.ย All four contributed in various phases of the project ๐Ÿ˜‰

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

Keep Celebrating, Keep Smiling!


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


 

 

Elegance of Onam (Onam Day 5)

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

Today is Onam Day 5. (08Sep2016 ๐Ÿ˜‰

Continue reading Elegance of Onam (Onam Day 5)

Every smile counts… (Onam Day 4)

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

Onamย festival lasts for 10 days fromย Athamย toย Thuruvonam. ย 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)

Continue reading Every smile counts… (Onam Day 4)