Athapookkalam-anecdote of Onam – Even when the joy and celebration patterns remain the same, there has been a lot changes in the way the Onam is being celebrated these days, when compared to the real traditional celebration of the past. This article is sure to give you the anecdote of Onam by bringing back one among those traditional methods in its purest form.
Athapookalam or pookalam, the floral design made of flowers is an important part of Onam celebration. These designs can be seen in front of most houses in Kerala, once the Atham day arrives (first day of Onam). But unlike the old times, flowers, these days have turned into a business and show of power. People these days buy flowers from the market which are at its highest prices during the festives due to their high demand, and use them for the Athapookalam.
But is this how real Onam is meant to be celebrated??
Here we are to take you for a journey of history of pookalam and the reason for making these floral designs during Onam.
Pookalam is designed in the courtyards during the onam as a way of giving a grant, beautiful welcome to the Mahabali, the ruler of suthala/paathala,( the belief of whose visit to earth is celebrated as onam). Pookalam is first designed on the day of Atham, which is why it also got the name “Athapookalam”. On the morning of the Atham day, courtyard is cleaned and a layer of cow dung is spread in the place were pookalam is planned to be designed. This gives a firm grip to the flowers and also a platform from the dirt below. Then, pookalam is designed in presence of Ganesha idol, as Ganesha is beleived to be the god of success and obstacle remover. The main difference, from most of the current day celebration comes at the next step.. For athapookalam, only one layer is added each day, or in other words only one flower or one coloured layer is added each day for ten days and thus in the tenth day of Onam, (the Uthradam day) forms the biggest, ten layered floral design. Mahabali and Vamana statues are installed in each homes were pookalam is designed and poojas are done to the statues among with other gods. On the eight day of onam (pooradam), the statues are taken around the house and placed at the centre of the pookalam. This is a symbolization to the beleif that Mahabali visits the house on that day.
When many different large, colourful pookalam are made in most places these days, no one notice or cares to even think about “which flowers can be used to make an athapookalam??”, mostly its because of the unawareness and also the unavailability of flowers that doesn’t even make people think about these questions.
Flowers that can be used in the pookalam are :
Thumba(Ceylon slitwort), Tulasi, kannanthali, hibiscus, thetti (Jungle geranium), mukkutti kolambi (golden trumpet), chelanni ( champak), krishna kireedam,shankupushpam (butterfly pea), mandaram, podichukuthi, hanuman kireedam, kakka poo (hibiscus surattensis) etc.
These were found in large number in courtyards and backyards in olden days, but with the cutting of greeneries, they are nowhere to be found and the traditions are slowly fading out and being moulded by the people according to the current availabilities and other commercial purposes.
