11/21/2022 0 Comments ONAM SPEECH IN MALAYALAM WORDS.![]() In the Malayalam month of Chingam (in August / September as the Malayalam calendar is a lunar calendar) it is believed that Mahabali visits Kerala – and that is Onam time. The King’s nobility moved Mahavishnu and he granted the boon, wherein he could visit his land once a year and that he would always remain one of the most loved of kings. Since he dearly loved his land and people, he said he would love to visit them once every year. As he was pushed down to the underworld or Paathala, Mahabali is said to have asked the Vamana for a boon. Mahabali knowing that this was no ordinary person before him, knelt in front of the Vamana, bowed his head and asked the third step to be taken on his head. There was no place to keep the third step. With one step he measured the Heaven and with the second, the Earth. As soon as his wish was granted, the Vamana began to grow in size. Mahabali told him he could take as much he wanted. “Three steps of land that can be covered by my foot”, he said. Mahavishnu is said to have taken the form of a poor brahmin named Vamana (dwarf) and appeared before Bali. They ran to Lord Mahavishnu and beseeched Him to save them by doing away with Mahabali. Besides Bali’s name and fame made them extremely jealous and insecure. The Devas (Gods) who inhabited the Heaven came to hear of this and shuddered with fear. He wanted to rule the Earth, Swargaloka or Heaven and Pathaal or the underworld. This confidence in himself is said to have made him ambitious. His valour, administrative prowess and strength of character got him the title of Chakravarthy or Emperor. A folk song of the times goes like this:Īll the people formed one casteless band. Naturally his fame and munificence spread everywhere. Though an Asura (Demon), Mahabali was an ardent devotee of Lord Mahavishnu, the Preserver of the Hindu Trninty of Brahma (Creator), Vishnu and Maheswara or Siva (Destroyer). True to the lineage he was coming from, (Mahabali’s great grandfather was the illustrious and devout Vishnu devotee, Prahalada of the Narasimhavatara fame) Bali was an ideal ruler – benevolent, compassionate and most importantly true to his word. Long, long ago Kerala was ruled by the Asura King, Mahabali. □ The legend of Mahabali is narrated in the VIIIth canto of the ancient text of Mahabhagavatham. Like any other story there is long long ago to begin this one too. Other than being a harvest festival at a time when Nature is at it best in beauty and bounty, there is also a well known legend connected to it. If ever there is a festival that transcends even religious barriers, it is Kerala’s own festival of Onam. India being the land of festivals, we practically have a festival in a day, every day of the year. The word festival conjures in one’s mind myriad images – fun, festivity, good food and most often a religious connotation / connection. ![]()
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