My Onam Poem by I.P. GOPIKRISHNAN PISHARODY

Atham! Onam came… Onam came
Onam came to my home
Every body happy with joy
Bubbling the drops of water
On my flowers in my garden,
Sang the song of Mahabali
“When Maveli, our King, rules the land,
all the peoples form one casteless race.
And people live joyful and merry;
they are free from all harm.
There is neither theft nor deceit,
and no one is false in speech either.
Measures and weights are right;
No one cheats or wrongs the neighbor.
When Maveli, our King, rules the land,
all the peoples form one casteless race.”
Athachamyam, the procession started,
marks the beginning of Onam
the custom retains its regal charm
caparisoned elephants, musical ensembles and
dance shows by skilled artsites.

Chithira- the day two
Prayer to evoke the divine blessings
Marked in a flower of Kerala
The small flies sing the song
“Onnam thumbiyum oru pattam makkalum
koode para para thumbi thullu...
thumbi erumballa, chemballa, odalla...
thumbicku orumani ponmaala.. '
'Entha thumbi... thullathe.. poovu poranjo, pookudam poranjo?
entha thumbi thullathe? '
I steed the childhood
the song I murmured

Chodhi – the day three
My sister made big pookalam
I arranged flower for her
My father purchased new clothes for us

Visakam- the day four,
the excitements comes on the way;
markets prepared the brisk;
obvious among the people;
'play of the tigers' starts;
One, two, three….no more,
Colourful of dance and music

Anizham-the day five,
the snake boat race event;
Pamba is ready to ‘snake race’
The colourful spectacle race
'Vaninnevam asuya valarthi
Vazka maveli mangalamoorthy..'
I remembered the song on my way
The thrilling snake boat race;
“chundan vallams” with vallamkalli songs,
taken me in to the world of holy moment.

Thriketa- the day six,
started the carnival;
a feeling of joy and happiness;
social gathering and events goingon,
all religion in one colour.

Moolam- the day seven,
Onam. starts now,
passion grips of my Kerala;
my Onathappan has came,
hooyare……..came he came………

Pooradam-the day eight
I create the clay idols called ‘Mathever’;
the holy day of Pooradam,
I decorate him, with colourful flowers;
Poorada Uttigal, each Mathever;

Uthradam-the day nine
tenants and dependents brings,
crops from their farms;
and the product of their toil;
Onakazhcha given to Karanavar.

Thiruvonam-the day ten
'To everyone, Onam Wishes'
the spirit of legendry King Mahabali,
visit my home today;
‘Onasadya’ is ready to eat;
‘Kaikottikali’ the elegant dance Started;
the Lasya, thandava steps of womans;
praising the legendary King Mahabali and
dancing around the pookalam;
customs and traditions in full grandiose.

My remembrance of the days,
make me thiruvonam;
before life form able to pat;
once more I need my days
coloured by, my Onam.