Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan Sends Onam Greetings to All
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), September 14: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan extended greetings to people on the occasion of Onam and asked the people to spread the melody, charm, and sparkle of the festival across the world.
“I convey my heartiest Onam greetings to the people of the state and other Keralites all over the world. Onam, which brightens every home with the joy of festivity, celebrates the cherished legacy of a life of equality, oneness, and prosperity and inspires us to strive to create such a society. Together, let us spread the melody, charm, and sparkle of Onam across the world as Kerala’s message of love, equality, and harmony,” said the Kerala Governor in a video message on Saturday.
Onam is a celebration of unity, harvest, and cultural richness, binding communities in a tapestry of traditions. A major festival of Kerala, it falls in the Malayalam calendar month of Chingam, which in the Gregorian calendar overlaps with August-September. The festival commemorates the Vamana avatar of Vishnu, the subsequent homecoming of the legendary Emperor Mahabali, and serves as a poignant reminder of the values of benevolence, compassion, and sacrifice. The festival also honors the efforts of the farming community and is an occasion to express gratitude to Mother Nature for her bounty.
The celebrations for Onam are held for ten days and the festival is being celebrated this year from September 6 to 15. Onam celebrations include Vallam Kali (boat races), Pulikali (tiger dances), Pookkalam (flower Rangoli), Onathappan (worship), Onam Kali, Tug of War, Thumbi Thullal (women’s dance), Kummattikali (mask dance), Onathallu (martial arts), Onavillu (music), Kazhchakkula (plantain offerings), Onapottan (costumes), Atthachamayam (folk songs and dance) besides Sadya feast.
Doubts Revealed
Kerala -: Kerala is a state in the southern part of India. It is known for its beautiful backwaters, beaches, and rich culture.
Governor -: A Governor is a person who is the head of a state in India. They represent the President of India in the state.
Arif Mohammed Khan -: Arif Mohammed Khan is the current Governor of Kerala. He is a senior politician and has held various important positions in the Indian government.
Onam -: Onam is a major festival celebrated in Kerala. It marks the homecoming of the mythical King Mahabali and is celebrated with various traditional activities.
Vamana avatar -: Vamana avatar is one of the ten incarnations of the Hindu god Vishnu. In this form, Vishnu came to earth to help the gods and restore balance.
Emperor Mahabali -: Emperor Mahabali is a mythical king in Kerala’s folklore. He is believed to visit his people during the festival of Onam.
Boat races -: Boat races are traditional competitions held during Onam. Long boats called ‘vallam’ are rowed by teams in a race.
Tiger dances -: Tiger dances, or ‘Pulikali’, are a traditional dance form where performers paint themselves like tigers and dance to the beat of drums.
Flower Rangoli -: Flower Rangoli, also known as ‘Pookalam’, is a design made on the ground using colorful flowers. It is a common decoration during Onam.
Grand feast -: A grand feast, called ‘Onam Sadhya’, is a special meal served on banana leaves. It includes a variety of traditional Kerala dishes.
