"Onam Unnan Bhagyam Veenam"
Onam is the biggest festival in the Indian state of Kerala. Onam Festival falls during the Malayali month of Chingam (Aug - Sep) and marks the homecoming of legendary King Mahabali. Carnival of Onam lasts for ten days and brings out the best of Kerala culture and tradition. Intricately decorated Pookalam, ambrosial Onasadya, breathtaking Snake Boat Race and exotic Kaikottikali dance are some of the most remarkable features of Onam - the harvest festival in Kerala.
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Some Onam Games
Onakalikal
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Onakalikal is a collective name for the numerous games played on the occasion of Onam. After a sumptuous Onasadhya meal, it's the ideal time to indulge in a little bit of merriment and sports and energetic people of Kerala make the most of it.
There are various kind of games devised for the occasion for people with different temperaments. While the old and the sober ones go in for indoor games like chess (Chathurangam), cards and dice, the young and energetic love to participate in the outdoor and robust games. These games are traditional ones and have only minor regional variation from what we see in other parts of the country.
Onakalikal also include combats, which are essentially a show of strength and physical might of the people of Kerala. Kayyankali and Attakalam are two such combats. Of the two, Kayyankali is more violent where people fight one to one with their fists.
For those who love shooting, there is a game of archery too, called Ambeyyal. It is an interesting event where bamboo bows and blunted arrows are used. People divide themselves into two teams and try to deprive each other of their stock of arrows. Though not meant to be violent, many a player get wounded in this.
The other two interesting games played on the occasion are a ball game called Talappanthukali and a variation of Kabaddi locally called Kutukutu.
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Talappanthukali
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The Ball Game
Talappanthukali is one of the major out-door games played on the occasion of Onam. The game is essentially a ball game and extremely popular one.
Preparing the Ball
There is a unique way in which the ball is prepared for Pantukali. Layers and layers of dried up plantain are wrapped in the shape of a ball. Some pebbles are also kept inside to give weight. Prepared mass is then covered with plantain fiber or coconut fiber and made into the size of a tennis ball.
The Game
To play this unique kind of foot-ball, players divide themselves into two groups. Talappanthukali is played in an open area. Natta (a stick) is planted at one end of ground and a line or boundary is drawn at the other end to mark the space beyond which the ball should not be thrown.
A player from the team playing from the side of natta serves the ball to the opposite team. Players of the opposite team try to catch the ball. If the opposite team is able to catch the ball, the player who served is considered 'out'. And, if the catch is missed the player who served, manages to get another chance. A player wins if he throws the ball at the stick and hits it.
Order of Service for the Play:
Talappantu - Turning towards the stick and serving the ball above the head
Otta - Holding the ball and then hitting it with the right hand itself
Eratta - Holding the ball in the left hand, throwing it and hitting with the right palm
Murukki - Gripping the right hand with the left, through the back of the body and hitting the ball with the right hand
Kalumkizhu - Throwing the ball with the right hand under the right leg by lifting the leg and hitting it with right hand
Indan - Hitting the ball with foot
Again the first item Talappantu
To celebrate the victory after hard labor, winning team make a circle round the planted stick. They dance with joy and sing in loud chorus.
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Kayyankali
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Kayyankali is a combat and an extremely violent one. Men of strength play it on the occasion of Onam. To play Kayyankali men fight one-to-one without using any weapon and the stronger man wins.
What differentiates Kayyankali from other type of combat called 'Attakamal' is that Kayyankali is played singly while Attakamal is played in batches and is relatively less dangerous.
A Game of Strength
An ancient style game, Kayyankali rewards strength and power. The game is a risky one even though use of any weapon or horses is strictly forbidden. Violence, blood and at times even death is part of a game in Kayyankali.
To play Kayyankali players divide themselves into two equal teams. Effort is made to keep the players of two teams well matched so that the competition is made stiff and challenging for each other. Spectators who assemble in large numbers to watch the ruthless match stand on both sides of the battle ground.
The Deadly Combat
When all preparations have been made, a player from one team goes upto middle of the field and pose a challenge to the opposite party. There is also a strategy involved in the way the player moves upto the field. Combatant moves in taking certain measured steps, in accordance with the technology he wishes to adopt. His match from the opposite team takes up the challenge and comes forward taking the same measured steps.
What follows is a deadly combat. Combatants as a rule are allowed to use only their fists for attack. Left elbow is used as a shield for the attack while right arm is used as a weapon for attack. A series of attacks and counter attacks take place amidst cheering from fans of both the teams.
Combat is considered to be good and interesting when a player manages to shield himself from all the attacks made by the other player. Fall of the opponent on the ground indicates a victory for the other player. It needs great expertise to play the game as novice and amateur player at times attack the vital organs of the body which even leads to the death of a player.
The game continues similarly with other players of the team amidst continuous applause from the spectators. The victorious team is rewarded with a big prize at the end of the game.
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Attakalam
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Attakalam is the second combat game played on the occasion of Onam. The first being 'Kayyankali'. Attakalam is less dangerous and aggressive of the two. The other difference between the two combats is that while Attakalam is played in batches, Kayyankali is played singly.
Attakalam requires strength, dexterity and a lot of practice. Players fight and dodge each other as they go on offensive and defensive in different rounds of the combat.
Preparations for the Combat
As Attakalam is played in batches, two teams of equal strength and match are needed. Battleground is prepared by drawing a large circle on a plain sand floor. One team stands inside this circle while the other takes its place outside it.
Struggle for Victory
Attakalam requires that team standing outside the circle make effort to pull players of inside team out of it. A player for the outside team moves inside the circle to look for his prey. This player is supposed to touch the body of an inside player. This is a risky job as the inside team make all efforts to stop him from doing so. They bully the challenging player and also beat him.
As soon as the challenging player manages to touch the body of a player in the inside team, the battle gets restricted between those two. No other player of the inside team is allowed to touch the challenger. The caught player is given the liberty to struggle for his defense and exit from the circle. He can even strike a blow to his challenger.
If the challenger succeeds in driving the caught player outside the circle, the latter is considered out of the game. The combat proceeds similarly with the other players till no player is left in the inside circle.
Game then moves for its second round and an exchange of places between the two teams takes place. If any player is left inside who cannot be driven out, his team is declared successful.
Applause from the audience and a prize from the organizers is awarded to the winning team.
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Ambeyyal
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Archery or Ambeyyal as it is popularly called in Kerala, is one of the many games played on the occasion of Onam. The game tests the skill and patience of a player and is played by men.
Rules of the Game
Two teams are formed to play Ambeyyal and each player is given a bow. These teams shoot arrow on each other. Though the game is played with blunted arrows, players from both teams get wounded and a lot of blood sheds as the game proceeds. This happens because the arrows are strong and are discharged with force.
The bow is 18-inch long and is prepared from bamboo. Arrow is a piece of the mid rib of the coconut palm leaf, roughly broken off, leaving a little bit of the leaf at one end which appears as a feather.
A semi-circular two-feet long Stop-Butt is placed in the highest parts, center and the slopes of the ground where the game takes place. Players take their position 25-30 yards before the concave side of the butt. In the centre of the stop-butt, a target is placed on the ground. Target is a piece of part of the plantain tree and is about 3 inches in diameter. It is pointed at the top, on which is stuck a small stick convenient for lifting the 'cheppu' or the mark which is the aim of the players.
Shooting the Arrows
Players shoot indiscriminately at the mark or cheppu. One who manages to hit it carries all the arrows lying on the ground for his team. Players of each team make efforts to secure all the arrows and deprive the other team of its stock.
Tension and excitement is palpable on the ground as players keep shouting and gesticulating during the game. There are some funny moments too that provokes laughter amongst players and onlookers.
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KutuKutu
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Kutukutu is a popular and entertaing game played during the festival of Onam. It is a fun game and very much like the popular game of Kabaddi played in several parts of India. Though simple in nature, the game is an extremely challenging one as it tests strength, speed, tact and the power of lungs of a player.
Rule of Kutukutu
To play the game, the court is divided into two equal halves by drawing a line in the middle. Players are also divided into two teams and are placed on either side of the line.
The game begins as a player from one team crosses the dividing line and enters the area of the opposite team. This player has to keep saying 'Kutu Kutu' aloud and clear in one continuous breath and at the same time try to touch a player of the opponent team. The challenging player or raider has to be smart enough to return to the central line without getting caught.
If the challenging player gets caught by the players of the opposite team and is out of breath before being able to touch the central line, he is out of the game. The game continues in a similar fashion with other players of the same team. When all players exhaust their chance, the game enters its second half and opposite team sends its players one by one.
Kutukutu is very much popular in Kerala and witnesses an enthusiastic participation of both players and onlookers.
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Some Onam Special Food Recipe
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Avial
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This is a semi-dry preparation which is a mixture of all sorts of vegetables.
Ingredients: (Serves 10
Yam sliced thinly into 11/2" length pieces
1cup Cucumber sliced lengthy into 11/2" thick pieces
1cup Snake gourd sliced into 11/2" length pieces
1cup Carrot sliced into into 11/2" length pieces
1/4cup Long runner-beans sliced into 11/2" length pieces
1/2cup Drumstick cut into 2" length pieces
2nos Raw bananas sliced into 11/2" length pieces
1no Mango pieces for sour Turmeric powder
� 1/2tsp Salt to taste Grated coconut
1/2quantity Green chillies 5nos Cumin seeds
1/2tsp Curry leaves 2sprigs Coconut oil 3 tbl spoon
Method:
- Coarsely grind the coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds. Keep it aside.
- Clean the vegetables.
- Heat 2tbs coconut oil in a thick bottom vessel. Add the vegetables and cook in a low flame. Do not add water. When it is done, add turmeric powder, salt and mix it well. Remove the vegetables from the middle and put sliced bananas and mango pieces and cover it with the other vegetables. When steam comes out, add the coconut paste and stir well. Remove from fire. Mix the remaining coconut oil and curry leaves in the avial.
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Banana Halwa
Nutmeg ground 1/2 tsp
Pure Ghee 1 tablespoon
Bananas (ripe, peeled and mashed) 3 (medium)
Sugar
Method:
- Heat ghee in a heavy pan. Add bananas and cook over low heat, stirring to prevent the mixture from sticking. Cook for 10 minutes, or until bananas have browned and resemble soft toffee. Add more ghee as necessary.
- Add sugar and continue stirring until dissolved.
- Add nutmeg and cardamom; remove from heat.
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Coconut Chutni
Coconut Grated 1 cup Red Chillies(dry)
2 nos Mustard seeds 1 tsp Urad dal
� 2 tsp Tamarind (dry) 1 small piece
Salt to taste
Sugar 1 tsp
Hing 1 tsp Oil
Method:
� Grate the Coconuts.
� In a pan heat the oil and add 1 tsp of urad dal and chillies. Fry for a minute. Let it cool completely. Add tamarind, sugar, hing and coconut and grind it to a fine past
� Do the seasoning with the other tsp of urad dal , mustard seeds in a tsp of oil.
Enjoy with steaming plain rice.
Regards,
MHO The Rocking Group
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