Onam Pookalam
Onam Design
Onam Design
Onam, the state festival of Kerala, is known as a colorful festival not only for the brilliant costumed dances but also for the vibrant and vivid Onam Pookalam designs that people make in front of their houses. Onam Pookalam is basically a floral design made of flowers and Rangoli colors that decorate the houses’ front-yards during Onam festival. People put up simple and intricate floral designs on their courtyards during the ten days of Onam. It is believed that the spirit of King Mahabali visits Kerala during Onam and besides others decorations and celebrations, elaborate Pookalam designs are prepared to welcome the king.
Onam Pookalam Significance and Meaning
Onam Pookalam, one of the main attractions of Onam festival, comes from two words – ‘Poov’ meaning flower and ‘kalam’ meaning drawing. Adolescent girls and women make Pookalam designs on the first day of Onam, Attam, and continue doing so for the rest of the nine days of the festival. You will find intricate pookalam designs in front of almost all the houses during Onam throughout Kerala. The traditional pookalam designs are usually circular, mostly made around the deepam – a lamp, or idols of Mahabali and Vishnu and have multiple circles of colorful arrangement of flowers, petals and bright colors.
How to Make Onam Pookalam
The traditional Pookalam is made with flowers. To make an Onam Pookalam, wet cow dung is spread on the floor and then flowers are placed upon it. People skilled at making Pookalam designs conjure up the complex patterns in their minds and then set about creating them on the floor. Usually though, people first draw up a sketch of the design and then start filling it with flowers. The most common flowers for Pookalam are Kireedom (Red pagoda plant), Chemparathy (shoe flower), Thumba (Lucas Aspera), Mukkutti (little tree plant) and Aripoo or Konginipoo (Lantana).
The Thumba flower is small in size and glitters under sun rays and is given a lot of importance in the making of Pookalam. It is also believed to be Lord Shiva’s favorite flower. King Mahabali was a devout Shiva worshiper and so you will find Shiva statues to be a part of Onam. As Onam is a ten day festival, people usually draw up a basic design on the first day and then go on adding to it for the next nine days. On the last day of Onam, which is also the most important one, they have a huge complex pookalam design in front of their courtyards.
Onam Pookalam Competitions
During Onam festival, Pookalam competitions are held by many communities and societies all over Kerala. These competitions are extremely popular and have huge public participation. Pookalam competitions have heavy prizes and can be very tough to win. The participants have to create designs in the space provided. In traditional Pookalam designs, the use of coconut pieces and artificial colors is strictly banned but they are allowed in Pookalam competitions. Nowadays people use petals, sepals, coconut pieces and artificial colors. Some competitions though still forbid using coconuts and colors. The Pookalam designs are judged on quality and arrangement of flowers. People go in large numbers to these competitions just to see the innovative artistic drawings and designs.
Onam Pookalam Designs
Pookalam designs range from simple to complex. Some of the most common designs are of king Mahabali, Lord Vishnu, the festive theme, different birds etc. Other popular designs are the cultural dances such as Mohiniyattam and Kathakaki. Apart from these popular and traditional circular designs, people also make geometrical designs for creating Pookalam. Loads of flowers, creativity,dedication, skill and team work are required to make unique, elaborate and fancy Pookalam designs.
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