Thread by @govindraj70

#Happy_Onam: The Myths and the Truth

Ever since I came to Kerala in January 1995, I have been told, Onam is celebration of Mahabali, fondly called Maveli by Malayalees. It is my 26th Onam in Kerala and the Leftist distortion of Onam has gone to the levels of...
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online hooliganism against anyone celebrating or wishing Vamana Jayanti.

Go to any social media platform and check how "motivated" Malayalees attack anyone wishing Vamana Jayanti like a pack of rabid wolves...
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They say, "Onam is not about Vamana. It is about Dravidian King Mahabali and how Brahminical Vishnu cheated him because of jealousy." It is not very strange that over 60% of these online wolves are from minority communities, the rest being Marxists.
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This is an attempt to put a few myths to rest in peace. I know I cannot change the whole order in Kerala. But the "truth" has to be told to fight the "poison of hate" that has been spread by the Marxists...
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Myth No. 1: Mahabali or Maveli ruled Kerala.

Kerala didn't even exist during the times of Mahabali. Kerala also is believed to be created by Parashu Rama. Hence the chances of Mahabali ruling Kerala are nil...
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Even if we go by the geographical descriptions of Mahabali's kingdom, there are conflicting claims from different states in India. Ballia in Uttar Pradesh is believed to be his capital as the place derives name from Bali. The hill town of Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra...
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...is considered as his abode before he was sent to Sutala by Vishnu. But that too is contentious. Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu, where PM Modi hosted Xi Jinping too is believed to be his capital. But only Bharuch in Gujarat has any references in Purāna texts.
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This is mentioned in the Matsya Purāna chapter 114.

Myth No. 2: Onam is a Malayalee festival and has nothing to do with Hinduism.

Such a wicked distortion. Sangam literature has references to celebration of Onam as victory of Vishnu over the Asuras...
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So the present day Onam is a clear distortion insidiously brought into effect by the Marxists. Never doubt the ability of Marxists to distort history to suit their narrative. The celebrated Marxist writer M T Vasudevan Nair had distorted Mahabharat in his "Randaamoozham".
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He also reversed history with the more recent "Vadakkan Paattu" stories and turned "Chathiyan Chandu" (Cheat Chandu) into a magnanimous tragic hero in "Oru Vadakkan Veeragaatha".

We also know how the communal Malabar Moplah riots were turned into freedom struggle.
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So the progressive distortion of Onam is merely a seven to eight decade old phenomenon. Probably the Missionaries have a role in creating some of these modern myths but the aggressive propagation was done by Marxists. Today, apparently the Islamists have taken over...
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the responsibility of protecting the "secular nature" of the Non-Hindu, Malayalee festival Onam.

Myth No. 3: Mahabali was a Dravidian King.

It is already proven Mahabali was a North Indian. Several references establish him as a Brahmin by birth.
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He was from the Kashyapa dynasty. People became Sura or Asura by their deeds and not by birth. Hiranyāksha, Hiranya Kashyapa, Mahabali, Ravana and several other villains from the Purānas were either Brahmins or at least half Brahmins by lineage...
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Strangely, only Parashu Rama and Vamana are the only two Brahmin Avatars of Vishnu.

Myth No. 4: Onam has nothing to do with Vamana.

This is the biggest and silliest myth propounded by the Marxists and swallowed by the gullible masses...
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It will just need a little scratching to deconstruct this myth. Let us do it with some questions and answers.

1. What is Vamana Jayanti ?
It is celebrated on Bhādrapada Shukla Dwādashi (12th day of the full moon cycle of Lunar month of Bhādrapada) every year...
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Some references claim it falls on Shrāvana Shukla Dwādashi. But Bhādrapada Shukla Dwādashi is the most accepted day.

2. What was Vamana's Janma Nakshatra ?
Shravana Nakshatra. It is the 22nd out of 27 Nakshatras that are part of the Solar calendar in Indian systems...
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This Nakshatra has Vishnu as the deity and the symbols associated with Shravana Nakshatra are "three steps" and "ear".

3. What is the equivalent of Shravana Nakshatra in Malayalam calendar ?
Several of the Nakshatras get native Malayalam names while some retain...
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original names. Bharani, Rohini, Revati etc retain the original Sanskrit names in Malayalam. But Ashvini, the first Nakshatra becomes Ashwathi is Malayalam. Krittika becomes Kārthika, Punarvasu becomes Punartham, Poorvāshāda becomes Poorādam, Uttarashāda becomes Utradam...
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and Shatabhishak becomes Chathayam. So what is the Malayalam equivalent of Shravana ? The answer is Thiruvonam.

We can see how some names were adapted into native tongue. Shravana progressively went onto become Sharvanam to Shrivanam.
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At some stage, "Thiru" the Tamil equivalent replaced Shree and it became "Thiruvonam". Shravana and Thiruvonam, is it difficult to see the connection ? Ārdra Nakshatra becomes Thiruvāthira in Malayalam for reference...
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At some stage, "Thiru" the Tamil equivalent replaced Shree and it became "Thiruvonam". Shravana and Thiruvonam, is it difficult to see the connection ? Ārdra Nakshatra becomes Thiruvāthira in Malayalam for reference.
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Now the last part of this myth buster: Onam has nothing to do with Vamana.

Shravana is Thiruvonam, the Nakshatra or Naal of Vamana.

The symbol of the Naal is "Three steps". Does it take a lot of effort to connect ?
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Malayalees celebrate the birthdays of their Gods and Gurus according to the Nakshatras or Naal. Thus, Janmashtami is actually celebrated on Rohini Nakshatra and they call it Ashtami-Rohini. The revered Shree Narayana Guru's birth anniversary is celebrated as "Chathayam"...
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or the Shatabhishak Nakshatra following the Onam.

Thiruvonam, the day on which Onam is celebrated is actually the birth anniversary of Vamana in the Malayalam calendar. The "Naal" is unmistakable.
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It is neither the "Naal" of Mahabali nor is it connected to him in anyway other than through Vamana.

Howsoever hard the Marxists and Malayalee identity warriors might try, they cannot erase the footprints of those "three steps" of Vamana born on...
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Shravana Nakshatra that is celebrated as Thiruvonam.

"Na Bruyāt Satyam Apriyam". Don't speak the truth that isn't pleasant. Says "Manu Smriti", the book vilified to the maximum by Marxists. Hence I choose these lines from that very book.
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Satyam Brūyāt Priyam Brūyāt (Speak the truth, speak pleasant)
Na Brūyāt Satyam Apriyam (Don't speak the unpleasant truth)
Priyam Anritam Na brūyāt (Don't speak pleasant falsehood)
Ĕsha Dharmah Sanātanah (That is Sanātana Dharma)
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What I've told in this long article is "Unpleasant Truth" for the Marxists. Especially on this day of their "Secular, Non-Hindu festival". But Dharma says, when the choice is between "Unpleasant truth" and "Pleasant falsehood", the truth has to win.
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This is my humble effort to slay the "sugarcoated hate pill of falsehood" sold by Marxists to Malayalees. Here is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but truth. "Onam is Vamana Jayanti". Satyameva Jayate !
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Tail Piece: Finally, look at the image of a dark skinned short Vamana and a totally Brahmin looking Mahabali in the image associated. That should complete the procedure of myth bursting. #HappyOnam !
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