At Mahatma Gandhi Centre, Auckland on September 4, 2021
Supplied Content
Auckland, May 26, 2021
The Auckland Malayali Hindu Samajam (AMHS) has scheduled to conduct its annual Onam Festival on Saturday, September 4, 2021 at Mahatma Gandhi Centre, located at 145 New North Road, Eden Terrace, Auckland.
AMHS President Divakara Menon said that celebrations will commence with a special Pooja performed by Papakura Ganesha Temple Chief Priest Parameswaran (Chandru).
“As well as the traditional arrival of Mahabali, cultural programme and other items, the highlight of the day will be ‘Onam Sadhya,’ an elaborate vegetarian meal specially prepared by our members and their friends. More than 20 food items, each a specialty of the South Indian State of Kerala, will be served to all guests,” he said.
Mr Menon said that Onam 2021 will be a rare combination of Kerala’s rich cultural heritage and unique cuisine to be enjoyed by all New Zealanders.
“We welcome potential sponsors for the event, general sponsorship and companies keen on placing display boards at the venue. For sponsorship details, please contact Amal 0211268556,” he said.
Entry to the event is by tickets, the details of which will be announced shortly in Indian Newslink and at the Samajam website www.amhs.org.nz
About Onam Festival
Onam is first and foremost a day of Worship to Lord Vishnu in His Vamana Avatar and then to the Lord’s devoted Bhakta King Mahabali.
Vamana Avatar, as per Kerala Hindu concept, is celebrated in the Malayalam month of Chingam, on the day where the star ThiruOnam has prevalence. Hindu families in Kerala will start preparing for the arrival of Lord Vamana in their houses 10 days prior to the Onam day and culminating on Onam day with a grand Pooja and feast.
Lord Vamana is invited into homes with great pomp and festivities and a sumptuous feast prepared especially for the occasion is offered to Him. The festival is a family affair, enjoyed by all in the family with lots of dances and songs.
There are many versions to this story. Here is a narration according to Bhagavatam, which is considered to contain the essence of all the Vedanta literature.
Lord Vamana and Maharaja Bali
Maharaja Bali was a great authority in the line of spirituality.
He was the grandson of Maharaja Prahlada, one of the greatest devotees of Lord Vishnu. After conquering all the heavenly planets, Bali, an avowed adversary of the Demigods, became the King of the three worlds. Seeing Her Demigod sons in distress, their Mother Aditi prayed to Her husband to find a way to help them. He asked Her to worship Lord Vishnu for His blessings. The Lord was pleased and blessed Her saying that He will incarnate as their Son. When the Lord incarnated as their Son, He assumed the form of Vamana (dwarf) and went to the Yaga Shala (sacrificial arena) of Maharaja Bali.
Mahabali invited Vamana and as was duty bound, offered to give Vamana whatever He asked. Then the Lord said:
“O King of the Daityas, from Your Majesty, who come from such a noble family and who are able to give charity munificently, I ask only three paces of land, to the measurement of My steps” (Srimad Bhagavatam 8.19.16).
Three-feet measurement
The king agreed to give the land measured by the three paces of Lord Vamana. The Lord then turned himself into an enormous sized person and measured the entire universe in 2 paces. On asking for the third pace, the King’s wife asked him to give his body in the third pace. Pleased with the surrender of Mahabali, Lord Vamana asked him to go to Sutala Loka and told Him that since he desired nothing from the Lord, He Himself will become the King’s gatekeeper in Sutala, thus giving Mahabali all protection.
Joy everywhere
During the festival, people buy new clothes, decorate their houses with numerous flower arrangements and decorate their altar very nicely.
The Deity of Lord Vamana (Thrikkakarappan) in the form of a mud pyramid is installed and worshipped for ten days with traditional Malayali paraphernalia and offerings are prepared for Him which is then honoured as a feast prasadam. This lavish feast is served on banana leaf. Known as ‘Onam Sadya,’ it comprises several dishes including Rice, Kalan, Olan, Erisseri, Koottukari and more.
Transcending religions
Apart from this being a religious festival for Hindus, Onam is also celebrated as a Kerala State Festival. Irrespective of religion, everyone in Kerala celebrates Onam.
The folklore of Onam is that the King Mahabali comes to visit his subjects on the festive day and people invite him home with great fanfare. This is also celebrated as the State’s Harvest festival, as it follows the monsoon season.
People celebrate the festival by making rangolis (carpet) of flowers which is known as ‘Pookkalam’ in front of their house. Other festivities comprise of Snake Boat Races, Onappottan, Kaazhchakkula, Puli Kali, Kaikottikali, Vadamvali and so on.
Onam festival is celebrated over ten days and the first day of this is known as Atham, as it falls on the day the ‘Atham’ star has prevalence, and the final day of celebration falls on ThiruOnam. The flower rangoli starts on Atham and continues till ThiruOnam.
The above story has been sponsored by
