Onam - Gods Own Country.

Onam brings a sense of joy and festivity in the minds of all malayalees around the world. This is celebrated as the harvest festival of Kerala and comes almost a fortnight after chingam (the New Year of Kerala). Onam has an interesting legend behind its origin. Here is an interesting legend associated with it, which says that, the festivity is basically dedicated to the king Mahabali. People believe that, the spirit of the king Mahabali gives an annual visit to this land which was once ruled by him. Each and every house in Kerala are cleaned and renovated to welcome the day of onam .The front porches of each homes display beautifully decorated flower arrangements known as the “pookalam”.
Every member of the family comes together on this colorful occasion of onam no mater how far they are.

A number of rituals are performed during the ten days of Onam, which starts on the Attam nakshatram of Chingam. Rituals such as Maveli Puja, Onathallu, and Onakazhcha are rooted in the ancient legends and are followed in many parts of the state, since a long time. Apart from the rituals, enthralling games are played during the ten days, wherein small children, men and women take part with equal enthusiasm. Games such as 'Thumbi Thullal (folk dance performed by women), Kaikotti Kali, Pulikkali form a prominent part of the celebrations of Onam. In addition to this, sporting events such as Uthratadhi Vallamkali (snake boat race) are organized with zeal.

Kerala is a land which is a blend of modernity yet is deep rooted to its culture and tradition. The untouched beauty of Kerala is churned out from its local customs and tradition that date back to historical times. Keralities tends to welcome changes and developments but they do not appreciate changes in their folklore which makes it standout from the rest of the regions.

Kerala Traditional wear.

The gods own country needs no introduction as it is the most sought after vocation destination for a lot of national and international tourists. The pristine beauty of the evergreen narrow strip of land glorifies the natural beauty of India. The people in Kerala are polite and always lend a helping hand irrespective of cast, religion and color. Their simple and down to earth behavior is depicted in their simple living. The traditional form of dress worn by the Keralites are `Mundu and Neriathu` (a piece of white cloth having borders of golden zari symbolizing royalty) for the men; and `sari` (a five to six meter long cloth which is embroidered with golden border) and jacket for women. The borders of the sarees are woven out of pure gold mixed in copper threads. Usually Keralites are less interested in ornamental wear they wear as simple as a gold chain around the neck and gold bangles. Kerala being rich in natural beauty the people of Kerala prefer to dress lightly so that the surroundings are not distracted. It reflects the preference of the people of the state for living a simple life. Gold is one of the most important parts of Keralas traditional ornamental wear. Gold is a powerful metal and have been scientifically proven to have positive energy when worn by humans.

Kerala house wives are mostly found in set mund it is a form of sari in two sets worn with a blouse. Sarees have always been a fascinating factor for women every where around the world. The recent change of trend in Kerala saree fashions have attracted a lot of world famous dress designers and fashion events to take place in Kerala. It has one of the finest productions of silk and kanchevaram that attracts a lot of saree lovers from all over. The exclusive designs and artistic skills that cannot be found anywhere adds to its vital features.

The traditional Kerala wear is made out of hand woven cotton. The white color symbolizes the calm and cool attitude of the people of Kerala. Kerala is basically a hot and humid climate. Garments of light shades are mostly used when the temperature rises high. To a large extent the geographical conditions of a region affects the native attire of its residents. Houses in Kerala are also build according to the general variations in climate and also its geographical circumstances.

Trichur – Keralas cultural centre

Kerala land is of pristine beauty and elegance. Trichur is the most beautiful district of Kerala where culture and Art are highly worshiped. Thichur is the Cultural Capital of the state and occupies a prominent place in the history and culture of Trichur. It was earlier known as "Thri-siva-perur" the meaning being the land of Lord Shiva. As it derives its glory for it is where the Vadakumnatha Temple is situated. The famous Thrissur pooram is one of the important festivals of this cultural paradise. Year after year the exceeding number of tourist visiting the pooram is the clear evidence of the popularity of Pooram. The Kerala Kalamandalam, the Kerala Sahitya Academy and Kerala Sangeetha Nadaka Academy are located here. All these are great institutions established way back in the early 19th century. They were established for the sole purpose of promoting and conservation of various performing art forms of Kerala. They were conceived to provide training to its students in the Gurukula Sampradaya, an ancient tradition of residential schooling where students stayed with the teachers, sharing the same atmosphere and learning from them the nuances of the arts. This tradition is still followed here at the Kerala Kalamandalam.

The evergreen beauty of Kerala begins from here at Trissur. The verdant hills, spiritual surroundings, less populated surroundings of the interiors, thickly populated coconut grooves and lush green paddy fields waving in the soft wind is a beautiful treat to the eyes. The cultural hub of Kerala, Thrissur maintains a harmonious balance between traditional arts and modern values. The ancient place of Thrissur houses several literary and cultural societies that are known for upholding the traditional ancestry and cultural legacy of the state of Kerala by giving proper training to the interested candidates in the field of drama, dance, music and theatre. Legends of Kerala Art and Literature have left behind a lot for the future generations to become a part of it.

Trichur also has a religious harmony in the state setting an example to the world out there which is on the verge of destruction and busy in the mad rat race for selfish fulfillments. Here the people are innocent and are never influenced by the outside world and have a selfless mind to spread out a helping hand to the needy and underprivileged. The Muslims, Hindus and Christians stay together giving respect to each others customs.