Listen to some Onam music while you read: O nam, the principal festival of Kerala, is celebrated against a setting of lush green vegetation. This picturesque harvest festival brings with it ten days of colour, feasting, boat races, song and dance to the state. According to legend, Onam celebrates the golden age of King Mahabali, the mythical ruler of Kerala. The festival is celebrated to welcome the spirit of King Mahabali, and to assure him that his people are happy and wish him well. The myth goes like this: The Devas or gods were worried over the wise and good rule of Mahabali, the Asura king, thinking that he might become too powerful. They sought the help of Vishnu (the preserver in the Hindu trinity) to curb Mahabali's power. Vishnu, in the form of a dwarf called Vamana, approached him and was offered a boon by the king. Vamana asked for three paces of land and the king agreed to it. Soon the dwarf began to expand and with the first step, he covered the sky, blottin...
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