Thiruvonam Festival
By Dr.A.Sreekumar Menon
Before discussing the various aspects of Thiruvonum festival, it is perhaps apt to give a synoptic view of the land –Kerala and its traditional culture and social fabric. Kerala which is called as “God’s own country†is a narrow fertile strip of land on the south coast of India . On the west it is surrounded by western ghats or Sahyadri range of mountains .There are different legends as to how Kerala got its name. One view is that it is land of’ Kera vrisha ‘or coconut palms, which is also called’ Kalpatharu’ meaning giver of whatever we wish. All parts of Coconut tree are useful to man .Coconut groves in back waters and in plains adds to panoramic landscape .It is also a major crop , on which thousands depend upon their livelihood .Coconut kernel and coconut water form nutritious food items . Another view is that Kerala was under the golden rule of’ Chera ‘dynasty who ruled around1st century B.C. .From cheralam came the word Keralam. Another epic view is that the land of Kerala was the gift of Parasurama, one of the ten Avatars of Mahavishnu, the supreme Hindu deity, who is believed to be the creator of the universe. It was believed that the land was immersed under sea and Lord Parasurama retrieved it from the sea by throwing his axe and gifted it to the people. May be because of this it has rich alluvial soil. Kerala history is linked with another fifth avatar or incarnation of Vishnu, Vamanaavatar who gave liberation to Mahabali, grandson of Phrahlada, the incident of which is commemorated as Oman festival. Both Prahlada and Mahabali were staunch devotees of Lord Vishnu. It is the birth place of Aadi Shankara, who propounded the Advita philosophy, according to which the religious beliefs of people should go beyond ritualism and Tantric practices and should encompasses universal love and perception of divinity in all the creations.