Now Reading: Onapottan brings North Malabar Onam tradition to Kozhikode city
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Onapottan brings North Malabar Onam tradition to Kozhikode city
The traditional Onapottan, a silent form of King Mahabali associated with Onam in North Malabar, is now appearing in Kozhikode city. The figure visits homes and shops during the season, ringing a…
The traditional Onapottan, a silent form of King Mahabali associated with Onam in North Malabar, is now appearing in Kozhikode city. The figure visits homes and shops during the season, ringing a bell to announce his arrival and offering blessings of prosperity.
Onapottan wears a distinctive crown, face paint, straw umbrella and beard. After an early bath on Uthradam day, he dresses in the full costume and observes silence until he returns home. People welcome him with rice and dakshina. Some performers follow the custom as part of cultural celebrations, while others dress as Onapottan to earn money. The appearance in urban areas gives residents a chance to experience a tradition that has survived across generations.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Onapottan is rooted in the myth of Mahabali, the demon king whom Vamana (an avatar of Vishnu) is said to have sent to the netherworld, granting him permission to visit his people once a year during Onam. The silent, bell-ringing figure is a variation more common in the Malabar region than in central or southern Kerala. For city residents, the performer’s appearance is often the first live encounter with a ritual that was once typical of agrarian homes. The tradition survives today partly through families that maintain the practice and partly through performers who use it as seasonal income. Whether it will spread further depends on demand from urban neighbourhoods and the willingness of a new generation to sustain the elaborate costume and strict silence.
Source: english.mathrubhumi.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
