Onam, the rich harvest festival of Kerala, is a timeless celebration of the cultural beauty of the state that comes alive through music, dance, and togetherness. This year it will be celebrated from 6-15 September to remember the homecoming of the legendary king Mahabali, the festival involves traditional arts that have a rich cultural content and an entertaining spirit that prevails throughout the regions. Musical dance forms again are an inseparable part of Onam, and some of the most popular are Thiruvathira, Kummattikali, Thumbi Thullal, Onam Kali, and so on.
Thiruvathirakali: The Graceful Dance of Devotion
Thiruvathira is one of the main celebrations and popular dance forms that take place during the festival of Onam. This folk dance is done by women only and it explains the story of the love between Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The women are dressed in shiny white sarees with golden borders ready to dance around the nilavilakku (traditional brass lamp) to the tunes of Thiruvathira pattu. The dance is an aesthetical representation of the spirit of womanhood and marital pleasure, which unifies woman power.
Onam Kali: Tiger Dance
Onam is not restricted to dance performances, but it is also about games and Pulikali also known as Kaduvakali is a prime example in this regard. The peculiarity of Pulikali can be captured by witnessing performers painted in the bright and majestic shades of wild tigers. Dancing to the sounds of instruments like Chenda and Thakil, the roots of Pulikali can be traced to the cultural district of Thrissur. Performances are based on the theme of tiger hunt. These artistic folk performances symbolically reflect the Onam spirit of unity and happiness among the people while also further enhancing the festive nature of the event by making it fun for the audience.
Kummattikali: The Vibrant Masked Dance
As a lively folk dance performed by groups of men and women wearing brightly colored wooden masks, Kummattikali makes the Onam celebrations even more lively. Made out of saprophyte, jack fruit tree, Alstonia scholaris, Hog Plum tree, or the Coral tree, these brightly colored masks represent different Hindu deities and their Vahanas. The performers of Kummattikali joyously march the streets, making spectacular gestures and movements. Also depicting the characters of folklore, Kummattikali sets up a lively narrative of tradition and drama.
Thumbi Thullal: Celebrating Sisterhood
Thumbi Thullal is another Onam dance form that is serene and simply joyful. This dance usually involves women moving in circles, and the primary dancer is in the middle of the circle actively initiating and responding with playful motions to the beats. Set to folk melodies, Thumbi Thullal is a heartwarming sisterhood show featuring ladies who perform the art form with joy, and the bond of togetherness dominating the show. It is an exemplary dance that symbolizes the Onam spirit at large, which is togetherness.
The Folk Essence:
Music forms a crucial aspect of the Onam celebrations and specially tuned Onam songs and plays fill the air for the entire ten days of the festival. Onam Songs starting from the Thiruvathira pattu up to the conventional beat of the drums of Onam give meaning to every proceeding by lending an element of soul to the celebrations. These traditional folk songs depict the farming nature of the festival as well as the inherited relationship between people and soil.
The music and dance during Onam are not mere carnivals; they are the epitome of the cultural diversity of Kerala, which is painted using colors of culture and tradition. They are all narratives of different dance forms and melodies that keep alive the tradition of a people who appreciate their culture and enjoy life to the fullest. As the tunes of Thiruvathira, Kummattikali, Thumbi Thullal, and Onam Kali play on, one cannot help but be in touch with the spirit of Onam, a festival that symbolizes the unity of people, arts, and nature.
