This Kerala village celebrates Onam with Christmas-like carols: Here’s everything you need to know

The origin of Onam Carol: A celebration of togetherness

The idea of an ‘Onam carol’ was suggested first in 1985 by the members of the cultural community in the village. “The aim was to ensure the message of Onam reaches every household. With every passing year, the support and encouragement for conduction only grew,” said K K Gopalakrishnan, a theatre artist involved in the carol since its inception.

Today, 43 years later, the tradition continues, organised by a coalition of local groups—the Olympic Sports Club, V N Keshavanpilla Memorial Library, and Suvarna Theatres.

The carol kicks off each evening at 6:30 PM and concludes by 10 PM, with a dinner for the participants.

The carol procession: Eight days of joy and music

For eight days, starting from Atham, the Onam carol procession makes its way through different parts of the village. Led by a person dressed as Maveli (King Mahabali), a new person takes on the role each day. Accompanied by drummers and singers, the carol brings the village to life, visiting homes in eight regions, namely Karthavinpadi, Vimala South, Peruvani, Aalumchadu, Vaarikkadu, Puliyambulli, Vigwapuram and Kunnathusherry.

The carol kicks off each evening at 6:30 PM and concludes by 10 PM, with a dinner for the participants. N G Krishnankutty, an active member of Suvarna Theatres, readies the Mahabali each day.

To make the festivities more inclusive, women have also begun playing the role of Mahabali since last year.

N M Rajesh, former secretary of Suvarna Theatres, said, “Each day, we get up to Rs 8,000 in donations from the homes we visit. We use this money to organise a grand Uthradram-day (the day before Thiruvonam) procession, which also marks the end of Onam celebrations for us,” he said.

Women stepping into the role of Mahabali

To make the festivities more inclusive, women have also begun playing the role of Mahabali since last year. A dedicated day during the eight-day celebration is now reserved for women to take on the role of Mahabali. “Last year, however, two women became Mahabalis, and it was received very well,” said G Ajeena, a teacher and secretary of Suvarna Theatres.

What started as a local village affair has, over the years, become bigger. “People from our neighbouring villages like Rayamangalam, Pergola, Mazhuvannur come to join us in this tradition,” said P Rajan, secretary of the library.

Weeks before the event, Onam carol songs are shared via WhatsApp groups to help everyone prepare.

The younger generation keeps the tradition alive

The younger generation in Valayanchirangara is showing as much enthusiasm in celebrating the festival, and this particular tradition, as the old. Weeks before the event, Onam carol songs are shared via WhatsApp groups to help everyone prepare.

The only time the carol was paused was in 2018, during the devastating Kerala floods. However, the spirit of the village remained unbroken. “Despite challenges, we manage to conduct the carol every year without fail, thanks to the community’s cooperation,” said K V Cheriyan, former president of the sports club.

Every year, as the Onam carol concludes, the people of Valayanchirangara begin planning to make next year’s event bigger and better.