SWINGING IN THE MEMORIES OF ONAM

BUT I MISS MY DECORATED SWING!

Dear Friends,

A Pleasant And Cheerful Morning!

From Atham onwards,it is raining.so,this onam will be drenched n the pookalam may be spoiled.but,rain is considered to be an auspicious sign and it's a gift of nature.
here i present my Onam post before you,on this auspicious Thiruvonam morning!

HAPPY THIRUVONAM TO ALL OF YOU!

Kerala's biggest festival ONAM is being celebrated today.It is a festival of flowers,farmers,nature and communal harmony!Today is the day when one gets to display one's culinary and creative side.Onam is basically a harvest festival and thus it is not related to any religion.It is about celebrating harvest in the best manner.

Keralites were busy purchasing the provisions,vegetables,fruits n new clothes.but here there was no uthrada pachil.everything has come in packets,the banana chips,sharkara upperi varattiyathu,palada packets[ready to make],vegetables,banana leaves everything is available in the market.
''Maveli nadu vaneedun kalam..........,
Manushyarellarumonna pole''.
When King Mahabali ruled Kerala,there was equality,peace,honesty n prosperity made the state the paradise on the earth.Once again Keralites across the world eagerly wait to welcome the legendary King Mahabali on Thiruvonam Day,2nd sept,2009.
I always cherish my childhood memories specially of festival days which add colour to my life,spring to my feet and light to my mind n a smile to my lips.and these memories make me miss my village in Kerala.
I was born n brought up in a joint family of twenty to thirty members n i was having my siblings n cousins to play with.we always had fun.we lived in the ancestoral tharavadu n in pathayapura uncle n fly stayed.it was another double storeyed house in the courtyard.
onam days begin with the wandering on the hill tops,the valleys near the fences for collecting flowers.onam takes us back to nature.i love the small cute white colured Thumba[a must],yellow coloured mukutti,red coloured shoe flowres[in many other shades too],violet coloured vadamalli,the bright coloured marigold,the red colured thechipoov n so many unknown flowers.the floral carpet on the cowdung smeared courtyard welcomed the guests from Atham onwards.the size of the pookalam will be increased by adding more flowers to it on every passing day.Thumba poov is given more importance as it is the favourite flower of Lord Shiva and King M ahabali was a worshipper of Lord Shiva.
After having an early bath,we wore the Onam Kodi[new dress]that were gifted by the eldest member of the family and put the beautiful pookalam.we used to wait for the Onam Kodi anxiously.the breakfast consists of steamed banana pieces[hot],fried papads n banana chips.wow!what mouthwatering wholesome breakfast.then we used to go to Guruvayoor Temple to have the punya darshan of Ambadi Kannan.on Uthradam devotees offer the bananas to Kannan.this is a famous offering.at both the nadas huge colourful pookalam will be put for ten days by the shopkeepers n different organisations.
in our tharavadu,the tenants used to bring bananas,vegetables n other crops cultivated in the fields and they were given Onam gifts.they used to address us as thampuran n thampuratti.kuttipennu still adress amma,''thampuratti''with respect.
Once we reach home,a sumptuous onam sadya awaits us with eleven to thirteen dishes.we sit on the mat laid on the floor.the sadya is served on tender banana leaves.a strict order of serving dishes one after another is obeyed.first the sadya is served for Lord Ganapathi infront of a lighted lamp as we start everything in the name of God.boiled bananas,fried chips,sweet banana chips,papad,parippu kari, puliyinchi,lime pickel,kalan,oalan,aviyal,sambar,pachadi,kootu kari,cabbage thoran,payasam n prathaman are the the items commonly prepared.whole family members start the preparations on teh previous night.the onam sadya is a joint effort.i love having hot boiled rice,ghee and parippukari.the colourful arrangement on the lush green banana leaves look even more tempting and irresistable.:)
After the grand meal,its time for people to indulge in recreational activities and enjoy the festival.men will be busy in rigorous sports like tug of war while ladies perform Kaikottikali n Thumbi Thullal.ladies wear the most beautiful traditional gold bordered mundu and neriyathu.gents wear gold bordered mundu and veshti.girls look beautiful in pattu pavada n blouse.besides,there is also a tradition of playing on a decorated swing hung from a high branch of a tree.onam songs are sung on the occasion.i miss the swing and the hands that used to swing me too.:) nanda n friends perform kaikottikali for the colony celebrationsand I was so happy they could perform the same before Lord Guruvayoorappan.
doing poojas to thrikkakarappan and having the neivedyam,ada after the pooja bring out the rituals behind the festival.
Onam is the only festival in Kerala that lasts for ten days.this is the festival that all keralites celebrate in high spirits.the proverb ,''Kaanam vittum onam unnanam''is really true.Onam reflects the faith of the people,a belief in the legendary past,religion n power of worship. from Chingam first onwards the preparation begins in the houses.
Friends,for the next onam,try to be in God's Own Country,the land of coconut trees,back water,house boats,ayurvedic get aways,thundering beats of drum,delightful festivals,enchanting nature,historical temples,snake boat races,traditional mohiniyattam,kaikottikali and finally the lip smacking home made food!
ENTE KERALAM ETHRA SUNDARAM![HOW BEAUTIFUL IS MY KERALA!]
If completing three yearsis a milestone in a blogger's life i'm happy n thrilled to announce that i've reached here successfully.i bow at the lotus feet of GOD ALMIGHTY with sincere prayers that i get peace of mind n self satisfaction through my simple writings.
thanking my family,my dear n near ones,my friends,my readers,my followers,my wellwishers,my sparrows,crows,pigeons,cat n kittens,flowers butterflies,the sea,the illuminated ships for inspiring n encouraging me to write the posts regularly to improve upon the quality n for giving the spark to write the posts..................... :)without you,anu can't celebrate the happy moments.
It's Anu signing off.........................

I love the bushes of shoe plants,the red,pink n yellow shoe flowers,the mylanchi plants,the pure white thumba poov,the golden coloured champak flowers,the taste of Ada prathaman,the off white traditional kasavu mundu n veshti,the white n pink pavizhamalli pookal,the pambin kavu,the wells n tank in my house in the village.
I miss onam in my house in Kerala with Amma n my family members.tomorrow i've invited my north indian friend n fly for Onam sadya as they really enjoy our feast. the spirit was always high and the hopes were bright n colourful.
Anu loves you,dil se.....wishing one n all A VERY HAPPY ONAM,let's wake up to a beautiful thiruvonapulari...............................I'm grateful to all of you,for your best wishes n good words...... and words fail to express my overflowing feelings for the wonderful onam gift from the best friend ever I had!:)I'm honoured,dear.thisOnam will be always unforgettable. The dedication song is ''Thumbi vaa thunchakudathil...........''n the dedication is to my dearies.........
It's a surprise,that Jains also celebrate their main festival of PARYUSHAN[DASLAKCHAN] for ten days,starting from 23rd August,2009.their main celebration is on 3rd september.
A WONDERFUL ONAM AWAITS ALL OF US! LET US SPREAD JOY N PEACE!

anu