Onam Tops Major Indian Festivals of Flower

Traditionally, Onam was celebrated as a harvest festival. The festival finds its roots in Hindu mythological folktales, but never scents any particular religious flavor. It is considered more as an occasion for people to cherish the golden memories of a prosperous period once they enjoyed long ago.

The festive mood during the period extends to Malaylaees living across the world. The occasion is also utilized by most people for spending on new things, particularly on "Onakkodi" or new clothes. Because, it is customary that every Malayalee wears Onakkodi during Onam days.

Although, there are various interesting elements that go with the grand event, flowers and floral products occupy a prime spot, as they are in great demand for preparing "Pookalams", a major highlight of Onam.

How to get to an amazing collection of flowers

People in Kerala cannot think about an Onam without "pookalams". Perhaps, the festival will lose its charm in the absence of pookalams.

Pookalams are colorful floral arrangements in different shapes (normally circle) and sizes decorated with flowers and petals on images drawn on the floor. The word pookalam is made of "poov" meaning flower and "kalam "meaning sketch or drawing on the ground.

People make various images of mythological characters, kathakali (traditional dance form) characters, animals, flags, historical monuments etc., with flowers. And they consider it very auspicious to prepare pookalams. Women gather in groups in their traditional dress and spend hours or even days preparing Pookalams. They also enjoy performing the traditional dance of 'Thiruvathira' on the occasion with lot of enthusiasm.

choose your favorite flower

In the olden days, every household in the state, particularly in the rural areas used to make pookalams in their front yards and keep them undisturbed throughout the festival. To give a fresh look to the image, different flowers are used on each day of the festival, which lasts 10 days.

Over the years, the popularity of pookalams gained significantly and now colorful and gigantic pookalams are put on show by various establishments. There are competitions for preparing pookalams and big prizes are offered for best creations.

This is one of the major attractions for the festival crowd strolling the streets for shopping and site seeing. The Onam- week is a 'Tourism week' in Kerala and there are special programs arranged during the occasion to entertain the festive crowd. Some of the traditional arts forms like Kathakali and Theyyam are performed specially for the domestic as well as foreign visitors.

This apart, a host of other items are also arranged at special venues. The festival ends its week-long celebration with a grand procession in major cities and towns. And the people enjoy every bit of the celebration, be it entertainment, folk arts, pookalams or the omnipresence of flowers conveying the message that Onam tops major Indian festivals of flower.

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