What’s the significance of pookkalam?
Spring is the season of flowers and for Keralites, it’s the harvest festival. Onam – the state festival of Kerala is celebrated for 10 days, the Atham star marking the beginning of the festival. Onam is incomplete without Atham. To celebrate the occasion, Keralites are preparing floral decorations in their courtyard for ten days to welcome their beloved king Maveli. According to Keralites’ believe he is coming on an annual visit on Thiruvonam day. Atham is also known as Athappoo and Pookkalam. Before going to the significance of Atham, let me tell a few words about this festival.
Story behind Onam
Chingam is the first month of Malayalam calendar and Onam celebration is related to the incarnation of Lord Vishnu as Vamana. It’s believed that the great asura emperor Mahabali ruled Kerala centuries back. He was a good king taking care of his subjects well. It’s believed that during his reign country was prosperous, disease free and all his subjects were good people who never told lies! Seeing this, devas felt jealous and began to think how to destroy Mahabali whom people fondly call Maveli Thampuran or Chakravarthy meaning Emperor. Mahabali, though he was an asura, was a true devotee of Lord Vishnu and devas decided to exploit this situation. Mahabali was conducting a yaga to get supreme power to reign the whole world and seeing this, all devas came to Vishnulok. Seeing devas in distress, Vishnu took his fifth incarnation as a small Brahmin boy Vamana and came to earth. He asked Mahabali to give him 3 feet earth to build a house as alms. Generous Maveli without thinking anything grand him what he asked. His guru Shukracharya sensed the danger and with his powers, he knew that it’s none other than Lord Vishnu. Though he warned him Maveli didn’t hear his words.
Before starting any ritual, Kings used to dispense holy water from Kindi, a bowl type vessel with a narrow tube at one end. To prevent Maveli from doing so, Shukracharya changed himself to a bee and a hide inside its narrow neck. When Maveli found that water is not coming out, he began to find the reason. Very soon Krishna knew the reason and with a simple smile, he took a thulsi leaf to pull the bee out of the vessel. Maveli completed his grand by dispersing water. It’s believed that Shukracharya lost his one eye after this incident. As soon as his wish was granted small child began to grow to the size of cosmic proportions. With his first foot, he measured the earth and with the second, he measured sky. Then he asked Maveli where to put his third foot. Kings can’t go back from their promises. So, he showed his head. Maveli realized that it’s none other than Vishnu. Vishnu was also pleased seeing Maveli’s devotion, truth and politeness. Before he was pushed to Pathala, as requested by Maveli, Vishnu gave him permission to visit his subjects once in every year on Thiruvonam star of the first Malayalam month Chingam.
So, to welcome their beloved king, Keralites are starting preparations before ten days, decorating their courtyards with flowers, giving new dress to dear ones and on Thiruvonam day, a grand feast prepared. They involve in different games known as ‘Onakalikal’.
How Atham is prepared
Earlier, after cleaning the courtyard, people used to sprinkle cow dung water as it’s considered holy according to religious beliefs. Then Atham is made exactly perpendicular to the front door in the courtyard. For making atham, either clay or mud can be used. First make a big cone of regular size. Then it’s provided steps 5, 7, 9 or any odd number on which flowers are arranged in pattern. Then allow it to dry for a day. Usually atham is made just one day before atham star. Then daily, apply cow dung mixed with water on it, so that flowers stick on it well. Nowadays, when people are having concrete courtyard, no one is interested in making atham with mud and cow dung. Instead they are drawing patterns on the floor and flowers placed on it. At the exact centre, extremely top, a royal flower is placed which draw quick attention. It may be a rose, lotus, marigold or even a hibiscus with many layers. But real queen is a bunch of coconut flowers.
In some places, first day, only one column is made and single colour flower used. Next day, Chithira, one more column will be added and decorating the atham with two colours. Thus, when it reaches 10 days, 10 different colours will be present in their atham. In some places, there are some rules for flowers to be used. Lucas flower, known as ‘thumba poo’ in Malayalam is the most popular one. First two days, this flower is widely used in such places which follow the rules of adding one colour each day.
Onapoo – Onam flowers
‘Poo’ or ‘poovu’ means flower. Let me give a list of some flowers known as ‘Onappookkal’ in their traditional names – Kaakkapoov (Utricularia reticulata), thumbapoo, thechippoov (ixora), karuka, thiruthaali, poovankurunnu, kolambi poo (allemanda cathartica), kaithonni, arali (nerium), odinjukuthi, alari, kannanthali, mathan poo (pumpkin flower), uzhinja, nilappana, kayambu, mukkutti, chembarathi (hibiscus), kumbalam poo (white guard flower), kalyanasougandhingam (Hedychium coronarium) etc. They are medicinal plants too. Now, most of them are very rare even to see around.
Atham competitions everywhere
Though athams in courtyard is seen decreasing as years pass by, atham competitions are held everywhere. Nowadays it’s a new trend to conduct Onam celebrations and atham competitions at schools, colleges and clubs. Students normally wear Kerala set sari or set dhoti during this occasion. Though competitions are not there, Onam celebrations are incomplete without Atham. When Onam feast is given and Onam sports are arranged, they prepare pookkalams too. It shows the co-operation and uniqueness of students or club members when they are making decorations as a group. Athams are made in temples and churches too.
Atham competitions follow some rules
Most significant entity for which a particular floral carpet to gain more marks is its colour combination, imagination, neatness, uniqueness, creativity and proportionality. If it’s a competition, its radius should never exceed 1metre and its shape should be more or less a circle, though minor deviations according to creativity are allowed. Only flowers can be used, no artificial colour or salt. But leaves and grasses are allowed to give green colours to pookkalam. Normally it’s given three hours. If designs are already prepared and decisions about colours and type of flowers are made, it’s not a difficult task to complete a pookkalam within desired time. Contestants should have a clear idea about time needed to fill each columns and it’s a good opportunity to exhibit artistic talents and creativity.
Neatness is equally important to other factors. These flower beds should have a regular pattern and floor should never be visible. i.e. Flowers should cover the whole design, without leaving a single void. Also note that flower layering should be uniform, no crests and troughs, not uneven or irregular edges. Next important factor is its shape and proportionality. Suppose your atham has six petals in its design, all its petals should have equal same and shape, exactly the same. Even the flowers arranged should show a uniform and regular pattern. It’s common to pray Ganapathi before starting pookkalam. So a small sphere is made of mud and cow dung and a thulsi stalk with some leaves are pierced in it. At last a deepam is also lightened. A few grains of aval-pori ( a form of fried rice), banana bunch, agarbathis, a bronze pot filled with rice can also be placed. Just place a coconut flower bud bunch on the top of the rice pot to give it a Kerala signature.
Those poovilikal (flower-calls) that we miss these days
Poove poli poove poli poove………
Earlier, years back, it’s common to hear ‘poovili’ marking the beginning of new season. It’s nothing, but songs of small children in search of flowers. They used to carry a small bag made of palm leaves to collect flowers from homes and fields. White Leucas flowers known as ‘thumbapoo’ was everyone’s hot favourite. Though it was seen everywhere in old Onam days, those symbols of purity have disappeared from fields. Same is the case of green fields too. Now, no one is spending time to go to fields and nearby homes to collect ixora and hibiscus. Earlier, at least one or two steps of atham belonged to hibiscus petals, red, pink or white. Kids used to fix them in the moisture of cow dung solution. Then just below the atham they used to draw different patterns and flowers in their collection determined the size and number of columns needed to be added later. Now those days have gone. Instead, by spending just 50 rupees, they can get a small bag full of nerium, marigold, chrysanthemum and bachelor's button. That’s the main change Onam has seen over the past few decades. Also, athams in courtyards are also slowly disappearing. That may be the reason why people are giving more importance to Onam celebrations of schools, colleges and associations.
Flower festivals, not a part of Kerala only
Not only Keralites, but many foreigners are also celebrating flower festivals in their own way. Italy, Belgium, Brazils are a few countries among those who celebrate their festivals with ‘pookkalams’. Old city Florence is now known as Rome, the capital of Italy. Its Latin alternative is Florentia and its Italian derivative is Firenze, which mean ‘City of flowers’. The city is filled with grass bed of daffodils and Italians celebrate their events by making flower decorations on roads. Surprisingly, their flower festival is celebrated exactly the same time of Onam – July and August. Such floral decorations are the main attractions of Belgium and Brazils festivals. Crosby flowers of Belgium are very beautiful, which were once imported from Indonesian forests. By preparing floral decorations on maidans and near road side, they are celebrating their festivals. Thailand people are also not far behind. They celebrate their new year by lovely ‘pookkalams’. Wearing new dress and preparing royal feast, they make their celebrations grand in their own ways.
Kovalam belt most famous for pookkalams
No doubt, Kovalam-Vizhinjam belt attracts tourists more. So, pookkalams are given great importance in Kovalam-Chappath-Vizhinjam belt. Usually clubs organize such pookkalams as competitions, winner will get a trophy and cash prize too. Resorts are also making attams where foreigners also participate. For the first eight days, people of this belt make small athams and on the ninth day early morning, they cover the whole place with tents and start working. They make idols of Hindu mythology out of clay, dry and later decorate them with flowers. Usually marigold, chrysanthemum and Bachelor's Button are used as they won’t dry easy and stay fresh for a few more days. They use leaves to add green colour too. It may take more than 30 hours of work of more than 25 people to complete a huge atham by Thiruvonam dawn break and it’s bit costly too. So, they used to collect contributions of people who come to view them on Thiruvonam, usually after the royal feast. Many skilled artists and architects are invited to curve those beautiful idols and the uniform pattern by which they arrange flowers in more than 1 cent land which make every viewer’s mouth open for a while. At least five or six such huge athams can be seen in that coastal belt though it’s also seen decreasing every year.
It ends with Thumbithullal and Kaduvakali.
Thumbithullal is a traditional art form of Kerala done during Onam days. But it’s also slowly disappearing from the front stage. ‘Thumbi’ means dragon fly and ‘thullal’ means an active play. So, one lady will be seated in centre as thumbi and around her, a group of girls, to form a circle. Girls wear Kerala set sari of off-white colour. They wear jasmine flowers and gold ornaments and will do good make up. Thumbi holds a bunch of thumba flowers in her hands. The leading performer sings a traditional song and girls around her accompany her. Slowly, her song increases its pace. They clap and sway to tunes and hence when it goes fast, their movements will be vigour. That’s why this art form is given the name ‘thullal’. Gradually the centre performer will appear as if she has lost her control, yet she will be seated. Everyone will be dancing, seated. That’s the peculiarity of this art form. Then gradually, tempo of the song decreases attaining the first position. This art form really uplifts the spirit of Onam festival where women enjoy the occasion in a jolly and carefree mood. Thumbithullal is conducted on Thiruvonam evening, just before the atham (made of mud) is detached. A few people disguised themselves as tigers also dance during this occasion. Of course, a hunter with gun will also follow them. This art form is still popular everywhere and it’s known as Kaduvakali or puilkali. Kummatty, another traditional art form of Kerala also displays their wild beauty during this celebration.
Such Onam plays are played in the evening of Thiruvonam after 4pm. Some other onam sports include Kalamadi, Kaikottikali, Sundarikku pottukuthu, Onathallu, Kayyankali, Talappanthukali, Kutukutu, Chess etc. Hoping I can present an article on ‘Onakkalikal’ very soon.
So, finally, its significance
It may be just a folk tale or story. Yet Keralites admire and respect their beloved king Mahabali a lot. Onam is that only festival that makes every Malayali feel, ‘We are one’. There lies the true sense of celebrating this festival. Through pookkalams, boat races, Onasadya and Onakkalikal(Onam sports), every Malayali, all over the world, irrespective of caste and religion are celebrating this festival in true spirit!
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