Wow, long time, no write, huh? I know in my last post I had promised a few entries on what it’s like for me in India, but I had to step back from that. Like, waaaaaaaay back. The more I wrote, the more miserable I sounded and was becoming because I was picking apart the joy that someone else had found while touring here. Maybe someday I’ll come back to that when I can examine my big, scary India feelings without it affecting me in the present. So much for writing being cathartic.
Today, I’m gonna try to get back to the joy that I’VE found here (I’ve been doing this in my real life for a while now, and it’s working!). And one of those joys is…..Onam. You know, I realized I posted on my Facebook all of these gorgeous photos of pookalams (flower carpets), sadhyas (special meals), parades, games, but I’ve never explained the festival itself. Onam is the biggest festival in Kerala. It’s like Christmas: everybody celebrates it – Hindus, Christians, Muslims, you name it – no matter what they believe, and people start preparing for it far in advance. They have big Onam deals and sales in all the stores. For ten full days, people are pumped to the max about this celebration. Young men excitedly stand in groups in the middle of the road and stop moving traffic to gather donations for the nearby temples. And then Thiruvonam arrives, the culmination of the festival, and literally everything shuts down and people celebrate at home.
We moved way out to the boonies, away from Trivandrum city, about a month ago. On Thiruvonam, we drove into the city to spend the day with some family, and we were shocked at how deserted everything looked. No stores were open, no people along the roads selling fresh vegetables or fish. Total silence….until we came across those who were celebrating. People finish the pookalams (a task that begins on the first day of Onam – Atham) early in the morning in various places along the roads. Trucks, cranes, bulldozers, and rickshaws were trimmed with flower garlands and paper ribbons, but they had no drivers that day. Palm fronds were torn and folded into bows and hung from strings in the villages. And the people themselves were playing games like tug of war, blindfolding themselves and taking swings at clay pots, and musical chairs. They were dancing, laughing, joking, racing. We even came across two guys dressed as leopards? Tigers? We’re not sure, but they were chasing down the few cars that did drive by.
At the center of this festival is King Mahabali. A mythical king who is now depicted as a chubby, jolly looking fellow (sound familiar?), his spirit is said to visit Kerala on every Thiruvonam, and his people wish to show that they are as happy and prosperous as they were when he ruled the land, hence the flowers and elaborate meals.
But why does King Mahabali visit Kerala only once a year? I’m sure you’re all dying to know, right?! This legend goes way back – King Mahabali was very generous and wise. Kerala was at its best during his rule – no crime or corruption, no caste system, no poverty but no obscene wealth either, everyone lived in harmony. It was perfect until the gods became jealous of Mahabali’s rule and respect. The goddess, Aditi, went to Vishnu, the preserver God, and asked him to, you know, ‘take care of this Mahabali problem.’ To add some irony, Vishnu was the god that Mahabali worshipped the most! Anyway, Vishnu agreed and disguised himself as Vamana, a poor Brahmin dwarf. Mahabali had just finished his morning prayers when Vamana/Vishnu approached him. Vamana explained he was a simple, poor Brahmin who only wanted some land of his own. Mahabali asked how much land Vamana wanted to which he responded “as much as I can cover with three steps.” Mahabali was shocked that this poor man would ask for so little, but he agreed anyway, not sensing that anything was amiss. But as soon as Mahabali agreed, Vamana grew and grew and grew and grew until he was larger than the earth itself. Vamana covered the earth with his first step and the heavens with his second, but then he stopped and said, “Where shall I take my third step?” And Mahabali knew he had to do something or this man was going to destroy the world, so he bowed as low as he could go and asked Vamana to place his third step directly on his head. Vamana pushed Mahabali into the underworld with his final step, and Mahabali begged for Vamana to show who he really was. After seeing that Vamana was really Vishnu, Mahabali, now banished to the underworld, requested to be allowed to visit Kerala once each year because he was so fond of his people. Vishnu was incredibly moved by the request and the king’s kindness and so he granted Mahabali’s wish and told Mahabali that he would always be dearly loved by his people.
And there you have it. I’m certain I’ve missed details, but I think I covered the basics of the story so everyone reading can understand why Onam is a big deal. People prepare for Mahabali’s return for 9 days, and then on the tenth day, his spirit visits and is pleased to see everybody partaking in large meals (the Onam Sadhya) and playing games and enjoying one another’s company. Just like during his reign.
We got to celebrate Thiruvonam twice is year – once on the actual holiday itself, and then again ten days later when the institute’s, where my husband works, students put on their own celebration. I recorded a lot of the parades and the games, and now our daughter can’t go more than a couple hours without asking to watch “daddy play musical chairs” or the clip of the “drummers and the Tigers.” And I’ve listened to the rhythmic drum beats about 800 times now, but I’m not sick of it yet. She gets so excited watching it, and then explaining to me how scared she was that day when she saw the “tigers” dancing down the hallway.
I usually get a huge lump in my throat because I know this is such a blessing for her. Regardless of how torn I may be on my rough days here, she’s is undoubtedly lucky to be sharing in the spectacles of both her mother’s and father’s cultures. Evelyn and I are going to the US next month for three months, so we’ll be there for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, so she’ll get to share in MY favorite American holiday traditions. But as usual, I’m split down the middle – feeling horribly guilty about leaving my husband and knowing we will miss him the entire time were gone, but nonetheless excited to eat ALL THE PUMPKIN and wear sweaters, scarves, and boots. And to see my family too – people who always understand my sarcasm and dry sense of humor. People who just, you know, get me. Zac gets me, and probably better than anyone else, but I still don’t know about everybody else. 😂 Before I pour out my heart and soul again with things you’ve read in, I think, every single post I’ve ever written, I’ll sign off. To all you Malayalees out there – I hope I did your festival a little bit of justice. It certainly is exciting to participate in.
An American in Kerala 
You know I loved this!