Atham celebrations were inaugurated yesterday in the historical region of Thripunithura near Kochi with a grand procession, as the day signals the arrival of Onam, the traditional harvest festival of Kerala.
The procession was flagged off by Minister of Culture A K Balan. It is held to commemorate the royal custom of the erstwhile state of Kochi when it was customary for the king to travel with his entire entourage to the Thripunithura Fort.
Atham is held 10 days before the most important Onam event – the ‘Thiru Onam’, which this year falls on September 11.
According to legend, the annual visit of King Mahabali to see his subjects is celebrated as Onam.
Last year, due to the worst-ever floods to hit the state in a century, Onam was not celebrated. This year too, several flood-affected parts of the state are celebrating the festival in a muted manner.
The Kerala government last month announced that this year the Onam celebrations would be held in a low key manner.
Over the years, Onam has become a festival celebrated by all sections of Kerala society.
Onam falls in the month of “Chingam” which is the first month of the Malayalam calendar.
In the bygone era when untouchability prevailed in the state, this was one event which was open to all citizens. Thousands of people, including foreign tourists, witness the colourful and popular cultural extravaganza.
Starting from yesterday the one thing that cannot be missed are the ‘pookalam’– floral carpets made out of fresh flowers on the ground – outside the homes and offices and almost all places in the state. These flower decorations are the visual expressions of happiness and are extremely popular with people of the state.
Artists perform on a street as they participate in a programme to herald the beginning of the ten-day harvest festival of Onam in Thripunithura, near Kochi, yesterday.
