The 10-day Onam celebrations began in Kerala on Friday with the Athachamayam procession in Tripunithura. Kerala Assembly Speaker AN Shamseer hoisted the Atham flag ahead of the event. While referring to the recent natural disaster in Wayanad, the Speaker said that everything can be lost in a moment and therefore, we should be able to move forward together by showing love and respect to each other.
"A single rainfall is enough to end everything. We need to realise that everything can be lost in one moment. In Wayanad, in the space of a night, two villages vanished, they were swept away completely," he said. Shamseer also said that "lies and betrayal" were becoming stronger in the state, as people go to sleep at night thinking about whom they should cheat the next day.
"Therefore, as we celebrate Onam, we should lay emphasis on not cheating or blaming each other and instead focus on being united and showing love and respect to one another," he said.
He further said that, unlike other states of the country, Kerala still has communal harmony, love, and unity among the people.
"We should be able to maintain this as we move forward. Some may try to create divisions among us, but we should not permit it," he said.
The rally commenced from Atham Nagar in Tripunithura, once the capital of the erstwhile Royal Kingdom of Kochi. A colourful rally of caparisoned elephants, floats and folk-dance performances marked the celebrations. Due to the procession, traffic restrictions are in place in Tripunithura from 7 am to 4 pm on Friday.
Starting Friday, the flower carpet-making tradition, or ‘athappookkalam,’ a key part of Onam festivities, will take place at major locations such as Thrikkakara Vamanamoorthy Temple and Guruvayur Temple. Onam 2024 will start on September 6 and conclude on September 17, with Thiruvonam, the main day of celebrations, falling on Sunday, September 15. The Thiruvonam Nakshathram will begin at 8.32 pm on September 14 and end at 6.49 pm on September 15, 2024.
