Onam Games | From snakeboats to Pulikali, uncover Kerala’s folk arts with jigsaw puzzles

The legend of King Mahabali

Now a cultural festival that cuts across religious lines, Onam’s origins lie in the Puranas. It has two backstories, of which the more well-known is of Lord Vishnu’s encounter with the Chiranjeevi demon king Mahabali. This meeting is what you will piece together in our first puzzle!

Story goes that in the constant tussle between the devas and daityas, Mahabali had defeated the gods, taking over the heavens, earth and the underworld as king. When the gods grew fearful of his might, Vishnu agreed to unseat him using non-violent means. He would then don his fifth avatar, Vamana — that of a small boy — and visit Mahabali, at a grand yajna (ceremony) where the benevolent king had promised to grant any and all wishes.

Here, Vamana ‘humbly’ sought three paces of land, which Mahabali agreed to. The small Vamana then grew enormous, covering all that the king ruled in two paces; for the third, Mahabali would offer his own head to be stepped on. Pleased at his devotion, Vishnu granted the king a boon while banishing him — that he could visit his beloved subjects and kingdom once a year. This return—ritually marked at the Thrikkakara Vamanamoorthy Temple in Ernakulam—is celebrated as the beginning of Onam. 

Making auspicious Pookalams

Floral designs at every doorstep are a hallmark of Onam. Made to welcome Mahabali, these ‘carpets’ are created using native flowers like thumba, mukkutti and hibiscus, but rose and assorted petals have become an easier choice for expats. Households are meant to refresh their pookalams daily, the designs growing larger and larger over 10 days. Try putting together the geometric pookalam below!

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Theyyam’s fiery trance

Kerala’s rare folk dances take centre stage during Onam. Perhaps the most striking of these is theyyam, a mesmerising ritual found in the Northern Malabar. Featuring some four hundred variations, theyyam is tied to ancestor worship by villages and their sacred forest groves, with men donning spectacular face paint, costumes, jewelry and headgear to perform the stories of local daivams (deities). Kathakali draws inspiration from theyyam, which you may notice from this jigsaw:

Shrines host theyyam artists as a channel to God (similar to the bhuta kola in Kantara), but a more grounded moment is the arrival of the Onapottan—young boys, bells and palm-leaf umbrellas in hand, walk door-to-door blessing households. They cannot speak (“pottan” meaning mute), and are thus accompanied by musicians who sing the lore of Mahabali while playing the chenda (drum) and illathalam (cymbal). You may spot this in villages during the last two festival days of Uthradam and Thiruvonam.

Apart from theyyam, Onam sees a statewide showcase of Kerala’s little-known folk dances, such as thirvathirakali, kummattikali, thumbi thullal and pulikali, the famous tiger dance. More on this at the end!

Snake boat racing, or Vallam Kali

“In Kuttanadu, the land of lakes and rivers, snake boat racing is something of cult, just as bull fighting is in Spain,” proclaims the Nehru Trophy Boat Race, perhaps the most well-known of these sporting events. Its 70th edition is slated for September 28 in Alappuzha. But what makes snakeboats special?

A snakeboat team strategises after one round at the Nehru Trophy Boat Race. (Photo by Amrita Kar/Flickr Commons)

In a region where many villages have an elevation below sea level, snakeboats have been the foundation of culture, used as pleasure vessels by travelling kings, for crucial agri/cargo transport, or as the base for parades during water festivals. But their origins lie in battle. Crafted by master architects, each snakeboat was scooped out from the trunk of a single tree (usually, anjili i.e. wild jack) under the patronage of kings, who sought warships. But today, local clubs or villages may pool funds to create a single boat. This joint ownership has strengthened community ties in an increasingly lonely world. 

The sleek, battle-ready power of snakeboats would eventually lend itself to racing, where spectators witness a thrilling sense of teamwork (and some very powerful upper body muscles!) In the jigsaw puzzle below, you will note the perfect sync required to win a race — one ill-timed rower can derail a team:

Pulikali, the rhythmic tiger dance

Shaking their bellies, roaring behind masks, pulikali artists train to mimic the ‘dance’ between a tiger (kaduva)/leopard (puli) and a hunter. Traditionally held on the fourth day of Onam, the focal point of pulikali performances is Thrissur, where colourful troupes conduct a roadshow, bouncing through the streets to entertain thousands of visitors. Here’s a closer look:

Vadyamelam, or native folk orchestras, supply the beats for pulikali artists. The dance is a reminder of Kerala’s profound connection and respect for forests — despite looking ‘wild’, there are careful rules when dressing up. “To resemble the Pullipuli or the cheetah, it is mandatory to start with big spots from the back of the body. The spots become smaller as they reach the front of the body till the belly,” explains Kerala Tourism. For tigers, artists can have “up to six types of stripes, from patta vara (stripe) to zebra vara”, with their fangs made by cutting and shaping rattan.

Accounts differ on the origins of pulikali — some say it was started by the royal family of Cochin, while others ascribe it to the oath-taking ceremony of Pattani Muslims in Thrissur. Regardless, pulikali has become one of the most accessible gateways into the indigenous customs of Kerala, the link between man and nature tying into the larger spirit of Onam. Would you consider a visit next year to watch this all unfold?

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