Kerala - Culture

Among the people who have enriched Indian Cultural Heritage and helped the cause of national integration, the people of the Kerala region of South India have a place of honour. Kerala culture is in fact, an integral part of Indian culture. Kerala like the Indian sub continent can claim to have a culture the history of which runs into the dim recesses of antiquity.

Kerala’s culture is also a composite and cosmopolitan culture to which several people and races have made their significant contributions. The gradual evolution of composite and cosmopolitans culture led to the emergence of a spirit of tolerance and catholicity of outlook, which still persist among the people of Kerala. Its history unfolds the romantic and fascinating story of a unique process of cultural synthesis and social assimilation. In response to every challenge Kerala has demonstrated through the ages its genius for adaptation and fusion of old traditions and new values in every sphere of human thought and endeavour.The culture of Kerala has persisted through the ages precisely for the reasons of antiquity, unity, continuity and universality of its nature. In its widest sense it embraces the highest achievements of the human spirit in every sphere of life. Thus, in its totality, it represents the quintessence of the collective achievements of a people in the fields of religion and philosophy, language and literature, art and architecture, education and learning and economic and social organisation. In fact, all through its history the genius of Kerala has blossomed forth in all its vigour and vitality and has helped its people to reach the peak of excellence in all their endeavours.

Festivals and Festivities

Kerala is a land of colourful festivals, which have a long history and tradition behind them.

Onam


Onam is the most important national festival of Kerala, falls in the month of Chingam (August-September). It is the harvest festival of Kerala. There are several legends regarding its origin. The most popular legend is that Mahabali, the
legendary king who ruled over Kerala in an age of plenty and was pushed down to the infernal regions by Lord Vishnu in the form of Vamana, returns to see his people once a year.

The celebration of Onam as a national festival was taken up on Government initiative in Kerala in 1961.The celebrations start formally on the day of Atham asterism. Onam has certain social aspects. It provides an occasion for the family get-together for the Keralites. The head of the family presents clothes as gift (Onapudava) to the junior members, servants and tenants.

Apart from these social aspects of Onam, there are certain recreational and other aspects associates with the festival. Karadikali, pulikali, Kuttiyum kolum are some of the major recreational events performed by the people on the Onam occasion. There are some games peculiars to the womenfolk, such as Thiruvathirakali, Kummi, Mudiyattom Kali, Oonjal Swinging etc. The non-Hindus of the State also celebrating Onam with all the Carnival spirit and therefore it a perfect example for the religious harmony of the state.

Vishu

The Vishu festival falls on the first day of Medam (April-May), the astronomical New Year day and Hindus all over the State celebrate it. It is the common belief that the fortunes of the coming year depend on the first object they see on the Vishu day. So the important ceremony connected with Vishu is the Kani Kanal, which literary means the first sight. This kani includes cadjan leaf book, gold ornaments, fresh and white cloth, a measure of rice or paddy, bell metal mirror, flowers of the Konna tree (Cussia fistula), halved jack fruits, halved coconuts, yellow cucumber, and two standing oil lamps emitting sparkling light. An indispensable item connected with Vishu is the Vishu Kaineettam, which means the gift of money to the children and to the poor people by the elder members of the family.

Thiruvathira

Thiruvathira falls on the month of Dhanu (December-January) and is a women’s festival. It commemorates the death of Kamadeva, the cupid of Hindu mythology. The aim of the celebration is conjugal harmony and happiness. The dance form Thiruvathirakkali is associated with this celebration.

Navarathri

The Navarathri festival is called Desara in Karnataka and Kali Puja in Bengal is celebrated by the Hindus of
Kerala.The festival is dedicated to Devi, the Divine mother and is celebrated in the month of Kanni (September- October). The Hindus of Kerala celebrate these days primarily as Saraswathi Pooja. Saraswathi is worshipped as the goddess of Learning. On the Durgashtami day the Puja

veppu ceremony is performed. In the Hindu homes, books and grandhas are arranged tastefully in a decorated room and all sorts of study and work are given up. The whole Mahanavamy day is devoted to worship of Saraswathi. The Vijaya Dasami day is observed as the day for the break up of the Puja and the initiation of children into the study of the alphabet (Vidyarambham) and work and study are resumed.

Sivarathri

Mahasivarathri is celebrated by the Hindus in Kumbham (February-March). It is supposed to commemorate the day on which Lord Siva consumed the deadly poison (Kalakutavisham) to save the world from destruction. The annual Sivarathri festival held on the banks of Periyar at Alwaye is one of the most colourful local festivals of Kerala. The pilgrims keep awake the whole night and return home next morning after performing bali.

Kettukazcha

An important festivity associated with temple festivals in the Kollam and Alappuzha districts is the Kettukazcha or Kutirakettu. The main feature of the festival is that people from different Karas adjoining the temple concerned bring huge rathams or cars varying in height. The images of Hindu gods and Goddesses and effigies of Puranic figures like Bhima, Panchali, Hanuman etc., are kept in the ratham.

Vallom Kali

Among the typical festivals of Kerala the Vallomkali or boat regatta has a place of honour. The most important of the boat regattas are held during the Onam season in Chingam (August-September) in the Alappuzha and Kottayam districts. Aranmula is the venue of the famous sake boat regatta held on the Uthrittathi day in connection with the Onam festival.

Christmas

Christmas, which falls on The 25th of December, commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. It is jovial and spectacular celebration with many customs and conventions associated with it. The Christmas tree

will be arranged and the appearance of Santa Claus (the Christmas father) and the distribution of presents follow this. There is a feast in every Christian home on Christmas day with meat as a special item. The Christmas cake has now become very popular even in Villages. All the Keralites with out any difference celebrate Christmas.

Easter

Easter, though not a spectacular as Christmas, is the older of the two festivals. It commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and falls in the Month of April. The Holy week of Easter is preceded by 40 days of fast and Prayer (Lent). The week begins with Sunday and special prayers are offered during this week. The whole Easter celebration has its accent on spirituality rather than festivity.

Bakrid

The Bakrid commemorates Ibrahim’s (Abhraham) offering of his only son as a sacrifice in obedience to God’s command. The Muslims enjoy hearty feasts on Bakrid day. The rich may sacrifice a he goat or a bullock and distribute it among friends, relatives and the poor. The famous Haj is performed after the celebration of Idul Azha.

Idul Fitr

Idul Fitr is celebrated after the conclusion of the Ramzan fast when Muslims give up all kind of food and drink during the day and spend the major part of the night prayer.

Miladi Sharif

Miladi Sharif, celebrated on a large scale in April, Commemorates the birth of the prophet. This celebration has acquired its present dimensions only in recent times. Previously the day was observed by the Muslims by reading what is commonly known as Maulud which is a short treatise in Arabic celebrating the birth, life, work and sayings of the prophet or some saint.

Muharram

Muharram is another festival celebrated by Muslims on the 10th day of Muharram the forbidden month, which marks the beginning of the Hijra year.

Folklore and Folkways

Kerala folklore is unique in its richness and variety. Folklore in its widest sense embraces traditions, folk tales, folk songs, folk arts, folk beliefs, taboos and superstitions, belief in omens and magic.

Folksongs

The people of Kerala belonging to all castes and communities have their rich collection of folk songs,

which have drawn their themes from religion and mythology, agricultural operations like sowing, harvesting, and incidents of social life like weddings and the beauties of Kerala landscape. Vanchipattukal, Mappilapattukal, Pallipattukal, and Onapattukal are some of them.

Folk Arts

Kerala has enriched with its own chart eristic folk arts from very early days. Teyyam Tullal of the erstwhile Malabar area, Bhadrakalipattu that denotes the killing of Darika by Kali, Pamputhullal, and Nagakanni connected with the Naga cult, are famous among them. The Mudiyattom Kali is a kind of folk dance in which the female participants unlock their hair and engage themselves in frantic dancing to the accomplishment of folk songs. There are also a variety of folk arts known by different names as Kumbha Nritham, Arjuna Nritham, Kummatti, Patayani, etc in different part of Kerala.