Every season fetches new festivals, celebrating the spell of beauty nature has showered on Kerala. The celebrations display the harmony that prevails in this state, even amidst its diversified cultures.
Onam is the annual harvest festival of Kerala falling in the Malayalam month of Chingam (normally August). Visit Kerala during Onam to see festivities at its crest. This festival commemorates the saga of the renowned King Mahabali, who is supposed to have ruled the state long ago, and his sacrifice for the land. Although this festival has its origin in Hindu mythology, Onam is celebrated irrespective of caste and creed. Flower carpet called 'Pookalam' is laid on the courtyard of every house to welcome the arrival of Mahabali. Splendid home-cooked foodstuffs are served on plantain leaf with a sequence of dishes served one after the other, including rice, vegetable curries, pickles and several varieties of payasams (sweet porridge). Oil lamps are lit in the quad of the houses and women dressed in traditional Kerala attire perform Thiruvathirakali.
Celebrated as the Malayalam New Year, Vishu falls in the Malayalam month of Medam (March-April). It is considered auspicious to view good things on this day for a year round good fortune; hence, people actively engage themselves in the preparation of the ‘kani’ (the lucky sight or gift). A large dish (uruli) made of bell-metal is taken in which a grantha (palm-leaf manuscript), a gold ornament, a new cloth, some flowers from the Konna Tree (Cassia fistula), coins, a split coconut, a cucumber, some mangoes and a jack-fruit are arranged. The uruli thus arranged is placed between two burning lamps and an idol of Lord Krishna. Members of the family are brought blindfolded, which is later removed to view the ‘Vishu Kani’. This is followed by Vishu Kaineetam, wherein elder members of the family offer money or gold coins to their younger ones.
Christmas and Easter are celebrated with much vivacity in Kerala, especially with its large number of Christian inhabitants. The numerous churches spread across the state are decorated with glittering lights and cribs. Unlike the celebrations in the West, Christmas in Kerala is more of homecoming and togetherness. The appetizing Christmas cuisines are aromatic, splendidly flavored and spicy.
Bakrid (Valiya Perunnal) also called Id Ul-Azha, the 'festival of sacrifice', is another festival of Muslims. Falling on the last month of the lunar year (April), Bakrid is celebrated to honor the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his only son to fulfill God's command.
Navaratri festival is a celebration that runs over 9 days. The last three days of Navaratri known as Durga Ashtami, Mahanavami, and Vijaya Dasami are the most significant. On the night of the Durga Ashtami day, 'Puja Vayppu' (the arrangement of things necessary for performing Saraswati Puja) ceremony is performed. Learning and business come to a stand still during the last three days of Puja.