Thread by @Advaidism

Onam is not a Hindu festival. Onam is not a monolithic festival. It's a Malayali Harvest festival. #Thread

Onam belongs to everyone who was born or has links to Kerala. In the eyes of Asura King Maveli (Mahabali), all Keralites are the same regardless of caste & religion.

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TK Velu Pillai observes in 'Travancore State Manual (1940)', that the Onam celebration is part of the social amusement and Christians, Muslims and Hindus celebrate Onam.

William Logan in his book (Malabar Manual - 1887) mentions that Onam is about feast and harvest.

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An overwhelming percentage of ‘Onapattukal’ or Onam songs were related to harvest and sung by the subaltern castes.

The 1810–1821 survey of Kerala by Ward and Conner notes that Onam was a time of rest and enjoyment for the otherwise back-broken Dalit & Ezhava communities.

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The memory of Maveli was revived by Sahodaran Ayyappan in the early 20th century as an act of cultural resistance through the poem “Onapaattu” where he urges all everyone,

“Throw away the Vamana ideology - Brahmanism and to bring back the governance of MahaBali.”

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Every caste had its own way of celebrating Onam. The only uniting factor was the story of the benevolent Asura king arriving every year.

For the Avarnas, Mahabali & Onam was a symbol of hope in the Land of Caste infected Lunatic Asylum.

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Chakram Chavittu Pattu (Song of the wheel), Parunthu Pattu (Song of an Eagle) and Kala Kali (Ox dance) are folk art forms of Dalits and Ezhavas performed during Onam.

Chakram Chavittu Pattu is a folk song related to the agricultural harvest practices of lower Kuttanad.

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Even the food (Sadya) served during Onam in Kerala is not strictly vegetarian.

While in Travancore-Cochin regions, majority stick to vegetarian sadya, on the Malabar side, it's nearly mandatory for Dalits - Ezhavas (Thiyya) to have fish and chicken for Onam - Vishu Sadya.

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Onam = Hindu festival is a pure myth, which started in the last two decades. The same is happening with Theyyam.

The glorification of the Asura ruler Mahabali disrupts the attempt of the Sangh Parivar to imprison Kerala within the walls of a fictional Brahmin monolith.

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Every Harvest festival across South India was celebrated by people who toiled and worked hard on the land, especially the marginalized.

Later these festivals were Brahmanized or attempts are going on for the Brahmanization of Harvest festivals for the last few decades.

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The festival of Onam celebrates a socialist and egalitarian society. It honours the undying spirit of the battle of the oppressed under the aegis of Asura king Mahabali.

A King who unites all Malayalis irrespective of caste, creed and religion. #ThreadEnd

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