Keralites hark back to a utopian pastoral past as they celebrate ...

Keralites continued to celebrate Thiru Onam, a festival monumentalising a utopian, egalitarian, non-discriminatory pastoral past that primarily existed in myth and imagination, with family feasts, floral decorations, fireworks, new clothes, group games and exchange of gifts, on Monday and Tuesday.

Beyond the superficial glitter of the fiercely commercialised high-decibel holiday, multiple generations gathered at the family table to enjoy a spread of ethnic dishes laid out in abundance on emerald green banana leaves.

Swings, tug-of-war competitions, and indigenous pastimes such as “Kuttiyum Kolum, pole climbing and Uriyadi” marked the latter half of the day.

The short-and-sweet fable of Mahabali, a folkloric king banished to the netherworld by gods jealous of his just rule, lies at the centre of the Onam tradition.

The celebration marks the fictional king’s return, albeit for a day, to visit his subjects, thanks to a temporary redemption granted by the gods who had exiled him.

Over the decades, Mahabali, popularly portrayed as a rotund genial and garishly ornamented monarch, has emerged as the festival’s mascot.

The fictional character’s cut-outs adorn shop windows. Major retail chains and upscale malls employ persons decked as Mahabali to enliven the shopping experience.

Founded on a fable, Onam has evolved over the years as a secular national festival for Keralites. It has become a cultural holiday for Malayalis, regardless of their religious backgrounds. Friends, neighbours, families and co-workers bill Onam as a peerless opportunity to bond.

Over the years, the sizeable Malayalee diaspora has expanded the festival beyond Kerala’s geographical bounds to establish their cultural identity in foreign lands.

Non-resident Keralites publicly celebrated Onam worldwide to underscore their linguistic, culinary and societal uniqueness.

In Kerala, the festive spirit was pervasive. For one, prisons across the State served a special fare for inmates. Law enforcement officers on festival duty ensured a minimal Onam fare at station houses. The festival did not go unmarked by the other emergency services, including the fire and rescue, and health department first responders.

Voluntary organisations served Onam sadya to patients and bystanders in hospital wards. Business abounded for food catering services supplying the traditional meal, complete with banana leaves, to urbanites.

Giving expression to the festival’s spiritual meaning, hundreds of devotees made a beeline for temples, most famously the Vamana temple at Thrikkakara in Ernakulam distict.

The temple has a special place in Onam lore. Legend has it that its presiding deity, an incarnation of Vishnu, had despatched Mahabali to the underworld at the behest of other gods.

Thiruvananthapuram has emerged as the hub of Onam-week celebrations in the State. Illuminated streets, public performances, evening stages, entertainment parks, and street food avenues drew thousands, including visitors, outdoors.

Onam also served as an opportunity for political messaging. Leaders across the aisle stressed Kerala’s secular and progressive values in their Onam messages. It also provided a high-profile stage for the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) opposition to spotlight the government’s “shortcomings”.

In Pictures | Onam celebrations 2023

For one, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president Kodikunnil Suresh, MP, staged a fast in front of the Government secretariat to express solidary with paddy farmers deprived of procurement dues owed to them by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) administration.

The Congress slammed the government for splurging on festivities and ignoring the plight of ordinary persons saddled by inflation and the cost of living crisis.

The day also saw heady partying and gambling. Liquor and lottery sales reportedly registered an all-time annual high. It was also a made-for-television festival, with news channels vying with each other to air the most pleasing Onam programming involving movie stars, top politicians and artists.