The main cultural elements of Onam festival celebration include:
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Rice Harvest Celebration: Onam is an ancient Hindu festival that primarily celebrates the rice harvest in Kerala, India. It is a significant event in Indian culture, with a long religious context and history in Kerala and neighboring parts of South India.
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Mahabali and Vamana: Onam became intricately linked with Hindu legends, particularly the story of Mahabali and Vamana, at some later date.
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Universal Spirit: Onam is a cultural festival celebrated by the Malayali community across the world, and its spirit holds more cultural values than religious ones.
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Unity and Prosperity: The festival reminds people of the importance of food, agriculture, and farmers hard work, and it spreads the message of unity and prosperity.
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Inclusive Celebration: Onam brings together both Hindu and non-Hindu communities, with people leaving their caste and religion behind to celebrate the festival with great enthusiasm.
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Christian Participation: Christians also celebrate Onam in their own way, often by lighting Nilavilakku (traditional oil lamps), followed by an arati (waving of lamps) and Pushparati (waving flowers) over the Bible. They then have a meal together with their Hindu friends, promoting the communion of brothers and sisters irrespective of faith and beliefs.
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Ten-Day Celebration: Onam is a 10-day festival that includes a spectrum of cultural events, traditional rituals, and artistic performances.
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Floral Rangoli (Pookalam): One of the most prominent aspects of Onam is the creation of intricate and colorful floral rangoli designs, known as Pookalam.
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Boat Races: The festival features boat races, which are a traditional and exciting part of the celebrations.
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Traditional Dances: Various traditional dances, such as Thumbi Thullal and Kathakali, are performed during the festival.
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Onavillu and Onapottan: Onavillu is a musical performance using a bow-shaped instrument, while Onapottan is a person dressed as a king who visits houses and entertains people with his performances.
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Feasting: Onam is a time for families and communities to come together and enjoy feasts, often featuring traditional Kerala dishes.
