From the inner light of meditation to the outer expression of joyful dance, Amma and her children celebrated Thiruvonam in Amritapuri. The final day of Kerala’s grand 10-day harvest festival began in the morning with Amma’s words for a world where hearts awaken with childlike innocence.
“Ōṇam arrives with messages of joy, contentment, love, prosperity, unity, sharing, devotion and surrender to God,” shared Amma in her Onam message.
“Happiness, love for others and devotion all go hand in hand. Only where there is true devotion will there be love for all creatures. And only then can there be lasting peace and happiness.”
After her address, blissful devotional songs rang through the air and uplifted hearts. Amma’s voice brought the most joy when she sang a Malayalam bhajan with a tribal rhythmic chorus: “rarari rararika rarari rararo…”
About Kali Devi, it describes how the Divine Mother has appeared in Her terrifying form to destroy the sorrows of the world.
Devi holds a shining sword in Her hands, heavy anklets ringing on her feet. Let us chant Her mantra deep in our hearts and dance in step with Her. When enemies hear Her fierce laughter, they tremble in fear. Let us see it as Her grace and dance with her fearlessly.
It was an inspiring prelude for the next event. Hundreds of women gracefully performed Kerala’s traditional Thiruvathira dance to express their devotion to Amma. With open hearts, Malayalee instructors had spent more than a month teaching the complicated steps to students from across India and around the world.
Amma watched each dancer with immense care and a beautiful smile. When the women moved together in large concentric circles, it was a unity that cannot be explained. It was felt. A union with the rhythms, a union with the people watching, a union with the ancient call of Mother Nature—vasudhaiva kutumbakam, the whole Earth is one family.
And then, by tradition, Amma lovingly fed all with a prasad lunch, most of whom were people from the surrounding villages who arrived to express their love and gratitude to her. Of course, Ashramites also received Amma’s blessing in this form, including her largest child—Lakshmi, the Ashram elephant.
Lakshmi then returned the kindness with her usual sweet mischief of using her trunk to spray water on all those around. Well, everyone except Amma.
Amritapuri’s Onam festivities continued into the night with a captivating 80-minute Sanskrit drama, Parvati Parinayam, written and directed by the brahmacharinis. They precisely enacted each character of the ancient tale from the Śiva Purana.
With the help of modern stage technology and stunning costumes, they depicted Goddess Parvati’s tapas and her divine union with Lord Śiva, a symbolic portrayal of the seeker’s journey to the ultimate.
The drama included beautiful traditional dances by Ashram women and girls. Their graceful movements, subtle eye gestures, and colourful costumes brought a unifying rhythm into the hearts of the audience.
Amma and all others were completely enthralled by these majestic expressions of the mysterious eternal source of creation and liberation. A sharing of the pathway to eternal freedom—love, destruction, and grace.
Amma’s Message
The very word Ōṇam stirs a thousand sweet memories in the hearts of Malayalees all over the world. The heart becomes like a garden in full bloom. Like butterflies coming to drink honey from flowers, the mind flutters about in delight. Regardless of age, people become like little children again.
Grandparents, parents, other elders at home, neighbours and friends coming together, swinging on makeshift swings, singing songs, playing games, laughing and celebrating… That is what makes Ōṇam so special and joyful. Ōṇam is the season when the innocent childlike heart within each of us awakens.
Ōṇam carries many meanings and messages. One among them is a reminder to rediscover the innocence we have lost.
The story of Ōṇam and Mahābali also conveys this message of surrender. When we realise that what we cling to and claim as ours cannot save us—like Mahābali bowing before Vāmana—we too surrender with the attitude: “Let Thy will be done.” That is the true spirit of celebration.
Ōṇam arrives with messages of joy, contentment, love, prosperity, unity, sharing, devotion and surrender to God.
The true purpose of all Indian festivals is to uplift humankind to God-remembrance and devotion. Happiness, love for others and devotion all go hand in hand. Only where there is true devotion will there be love for all creatures. And only then can there be lasting peace and happiness. This is why, during Ōṇam, gift-giving, devotion and joyful celebration are all equally important.
Ōṇam is a call to return to our heritage—to a life free of hypocrisy, to the purity of nature. Just as trees and plants bloom during Ōṇam season to present to the world, let us also awaken the goodness within us. By giving space in our hearts for others, let us strive to make every day a Tiruvōṇam.
