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Namaste,
Happy Onam festival to all Keralites.
Onam festival is celebrated as a remembrance day for the reappearance of King Mahabali who was sent to the netherworlds by Bhagwan Sri Vishnu's Vamanavatara.
Keralite women celebrate this day by wearing traditional attire and drawing grand floral rangolis. They also prepare traditional foods on this day.
http://festivals.iloveindia.com/onam...elebration.jpghttp://img1.dinamalar.com/kovilimage..._154055539.jpg
Namaste,
It also happens to be VAmana-dvAdashi (appearance of Shri VishNua as VAmandev) which overlaps with the corresponding Ekadashi this year. However, the ekadashi fast holds despite the dvadashi.
_/\_
Jai Vamanadeva!
Jai Sri Trivikramavadara!
Jai Sriman Narayana!
http://www.vaikhari.org/image/Trivikrama.png
Quote:
Originally Posted by Viraja
Dear Viraja,
The festive of fun, flowers and food maybe be confined to ‘keralites’ alone, but the message that it celebrates - of prosperity, peace and harmony- spreads for the entire human race.
The bloom-mat was pretty and the models were beautiful though. Thanks
Love:)
Thank you, Brahman! Yes, ofcourse, the messages from Onam span the entire populace, not just Keralites! :)
And here's a quote from SB on the auspicious Vamana Dwadashi:
Lord Vamana said:
"One should be satisfied with whatever he achieves by his previous destiny, for discontent can never bring happiness. A person who is not self-controlled will not be happy even with possessing the three worlds."~Srimad Bhagavatam 8.19.24
https://scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/...28493277_n.jpg
Are Onam and vAmana dvAdashi pretty much the same? The bhAgavatam seems to imply that His appearance as vAmana pretty much happened the same day as His initiation into the sacred thread and His arrival in the sacrifice of baLi mahArAja.
As far as the message that it connotes, I think it's more this: The Lord Himself will intervene to bless His devotee, even if that devotee is born into a dynasty that has historically been inimical to Him. When He punishes, it is no different than when He blesses. The bhAgavata purANa indicates that while vAmana took back from baLi the three worlds and all their opulences for indra, He nevertheless rewarded baLi with sovereignty over the planet sutaLa and a later birth as manu in the sAvarNi manvantara. And, He personally agreed to be the door-keeper for baLi during his tenure as the ruler of sutaLa.
What I find interesting is why this particular holiday is primarily celebrated in Kerala. Does anyone know the reason for it? Is there some connection in legend to baLi chakravarthi and the people of Kerala?
[/COLOR]Quote:
Originally Posted by Viraja
Dear Viraja,
This is an excellent quote when the word ‘self-control’ is understood in its widest ever meaning. Thanks.
Self control is not an act of restraining the sensual colorations and its psychic explanations into a frozen vacuum; adversely it is a process of precisely fitting the multitudinous of creation into the beatitude of Transcendence, because truth is Blissful and Beautiful at one.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by philosoraptor
Dear Phil,
I always had and still have this question in my mind: why is it so?
Perhaps, the then populate of this particular territory now called Kerala had been illiterates who could not understand the philosophical implications of this divine providence, so the wise had to illustrate the event as something that happens at a given place and time. And in the course of time, as with every other event, this too must have turned out to be a habitual practice of celebration and reverence.
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