Manju's Blog

“Pookkalams (Floral arrangement)” are made in all the houses from “Atham” day, ten days before onam to the thiruvonam day. “Thiruvonam” is the most important day and a feast is made comprising of a variety of traditional Kerala dishes. New clothes will be worn by all members of the family. Boat races are organized in many areas, Alapuzha Nehru trophy boat race and Aranmula Uthruttathi boat race being the famous ones. These boat races attract a lot of tourists from many parts of the world.

Athachamayam is the spectacular customary procession which marks the beginning of the Onam celebrations in Kerala. It is held in Thripunithura near Ernakulam on the Atham asterism of the Malayalam month Chingam. Folk art forms of Kerala, many floats, decorated elephants are all part of this procession. It is a treat to every one’s eyes.

India is a land of festivals. There are many colourful festivals celebrated in India. There are festivals celebrated all over India and those which are celebrated only in some states. Some of the Hindu festivals celebrated all over India are Diwali, Ganesh Chathurthi, Navratri, and Mahashivaratri. Pongal, Onam and Vishu are some of the festivals celebrated regionally. Pongal is celebrated mostly in Tamilnadu and Onam and Vishu are celebrated by Keralites.

Christmas and Easter are the major Christian Festivals. These two festivals are celebrated by all Christians in India and also worldwide.

Muslim festivals like Bakr-Id, Eid ul-Fitr and Muharram are celebrated not only in India, but also, all over the world by Muslims.

There are many Sikh festivals also. Some of them are Guru Nanak Jayanti, Lohri, and Holla Mohalla. These festivals are celebrated with great enthusiasm in Punjab and by the Sikh community worldwide.

Onam is one of the most important festival for Keralites. This year, Onam falls on August 27, 2007. Onam is celebrated for 10 days in Kerala starting from Atham to Thiruvonam.

There are many rituals and celebrations for Onam, Pookkalam, Athachamayam, Aranmula Uthrittathi Boat Race, OnaSadhya, Onam Songs and Onam Games.

‘Athachamayam’ is a grand procession that marks the beginning of Onam Festival. This procession is held in Tripunithura near Kochi.

The event recalls a royal tradition when Maharajas of one-time Kochi State travelled to the Thripunithura Fort with their entire entourage, as a custom.

55th Nehru Trophy Boat Race held in Punnamada lake in Alapuzha, Kerala, on August 11, 2007. ‘Paippad Chundan’, rowed by ‘Town Boat Club, Kumarakom’ emerged victorious in the race and won the Nehru Trophy signed by the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit. Jawaharlal Nehru.

Honourable Chief Justice of India, Sri. K.G. BalaKrishnan inaugurated the Boat Race. Minister of Home affairs of the State of Kerala, Sri. Kodiyeri BalaKrishnan and Ministers, Sri. M.K.Prema Chandran and Sri. Vijaya Kumar also attended the Nehru Trophy Race. After the inauguration, the Snake Boats and the boat clubs were introduced to the Chief Justice. Mass Drill by the Snake Boats followed. It was a beautiful sight for the guests and the tourists.

There were 16 Snake Boats for the competition. They were :
1. Nadu Bhagam Chundan 2. Vellamkulangara Chundan 3. Jawahar Thayankari 4. ShreeGaneshan
5. Anari Chundan 6. Karuvatta Chundan 7. Pattara Chundan 8. St.George
9. Valiya Diwanji 10. Chambakkulam Chundan 11. Karichal Chundan 12. Kallupparamban
13. Alappadu Chundan 14. Payippad Chundan 15. Ayaparambu Pandy 16. Cheruthana Chundan

Apart from the Snake boats, other small boats also had competitions. ‘Veppu Valloms – Grade A and B’, ‘Iruttu kuthi boats’ and other small boats participated in the race. There were boats with foreign ladies also for the race.

In the first heats of the Snake Boats, Nadu Bhagam Chundan, Vellamkulangara Chundan, Jawahar Thayankari and ShreeGaneshan, were the competitors. ‘ShreeGanesh’ rowed by ‘Kollam Jesus Boat Club’, emerged victorious. In the second heats, ‘Pattara Chundan’ rowed by ‘Kumarakom Boat Club’ emerged victorious from the four participating boats Anari Chundan, Karuvatta Chundan, Pattara Chundan and St.George. Pattara Chundan is a new Snake Boat and is participating in Nehru Trophy for the first time. The third heats saw the victory of ‘Karichal Chundan’ rowed by ‘St.George Boat Club, Kollam’, from among Valiya Diwanji, Chambakkulam Chundan, Karichal Chundan and Kallupparamban. Alappadu Chundan, Payippad Chundan, Ayaparambu Pandy and Cheruthana Chundan were the participants in the last heats. ‘Payippad Chundan’ rowed by ‘Town Boat Club, Kumarakom’ was the victorious boat.

The final of the Snake Boats were held as the closing event of the Nehru Trophy. The competition was between Shree Ganesh, Pattara Chundan, Karichal Chundan and Payippad Chundan. ‘Payippad Chundan’ emerged as the winners of the Nehru Trophy – 2007 for the third time in a row(Hatrick), that too, by the same Boat Club. The second place has gone to ‘Karichal Chundan’, third place to ‘Shree Ganesh’ and the fourth place was for ‘Pattara Chundan’. The third loosers final competition was also held and ‘Kalluparamban’ emerged victorious. ‘Vellamkulangara Chundan’ won the second looser’s final. ‘Cheruthana Chundan’ rowed by ‘United Boat Club, Kainakary’ won the Chundan looser’s final.