Keralites celebrate Thiru Onam with zest and tradition

Keralites celebrated Thiru Onam with gusto on Friday.

For most Malayalees, the largely secular festival remains symbolic of an idyllic pastoral past rooted in myth. On Thiru Onam day, they seek to recreate, however briefly, the halcyon era when the folkloric king Mahabali was believed to have ruled over a utopian realm that transcended social inequities.

For many, especially expatriates working overseas and in other States, Onam is a festival of homecoming, with families and friends preferring to gather in their hometowns.

Customary feast

The highlight of the day was the customary sadya – a lavish vegetarian spread served on banana leaves. New clothes, floral decorations (athapoo), fireworks, gifts, swings, and group games such as tug-of-war infused the celebrations with rare vigour.

Traditional games

The day also witnessed the revival of long-forgotten post-harvest games, including Ola Panthu, Kuttiyum Kolum, and Uri Adi.

High spirits

The Kerala State Beverages Corporation (BEVCO), the State-owned liquor retail monopoly, reported collections of ₹826.38 crore during the festive season, a 6.38% rise compared with the same period in 2024.

Piety

Thiru Onam was also observed with devotion, with devotees thronging the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, the Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple in Pathanamthitta, and the Vamana Temple at Thrikkakkara in Ernakulam district.

Philanthropy

The Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) served sadya to patients and bystanders in government hospitals across the State. Voluntary organisations offered feasts in orphanages and nursing homes.

Protests

Some groups used the occasion to highlight grievances, staging hunger strikes outside the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram. At the Central Prison, inmates and staff marked the day with cultural programmes and a traditional sadya.

Commercialisation

As in previous years, the festival spurred retail activity, with businesses investing heavily in Onam campaigns across television and print media. Malayalam television channels competed for viewership with celebrity shows, interviews, and entertainment specials.

Kanakakunnu

In the capital, the colonial-era Kanakakunnu Palace and its grounds were the focal point of public festivities, featuring drone shows, dance performances, music concerts, and traditional art displays.

President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and Leader of Opposition V. D. Satheesan conveyed Onam greetings to the people.