Onam is Kerala's most popular festival, celebrated with great enthusiasm. It is primarily a harvest festival celebrated to welcome the spirit of the pious King Mahabali from eternal exile and to assure him that his people are happy and wish him well. At trichur, caparisoned, elephants take part in a spectacular procession. There is also a maginificent display of fireworks. At Shoranur, appreciative crowds gather on the green where colourfully dressed Kathakali dancers re-enact the well-loved stories of the epic heroes and virtuous women.
On the second day of the festival, every home is lit bright and decorated in preparation for the visit of King Mahabali. Greetings are exchanged and lengths of auspicious saffron cloth are presented by friends to one another. The Vallumkali (boat race) is one of the main attractions of Onam, and is best seen at Aranmulai and Kottayam.
About a hundred oarsmen row huge and graceful odee (boats). Oars dip and flash to the rhythum of drums and cymbals in each boat. The songs are generally topical in character and concern people well known in Malabar. Above each boat gleam scarlet silk umbrellas, their number denotes the affluence of the family owning the boat. Gold coins and tassels hang from the umbrellas.
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