In Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram, an Onam tradition that is centuries old, continues
The Vilayilveedu family makes the ritualistic Pallivillu, also known as the ‘Onavillu’, dedicated to the deity at the Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram every year on the occasion of Onam
‘Onavillu’ is a ceremonial bow, a boat-shaped flat piece of wood with hand-drawn miniature pictures of Lord Vishnu
The family observes a fast before beginning the work on six kinds of Onavillu.The work begins by procuring the right kind of wood, usually of kadambu (Bur) or mahogany, from Tamil Nadu.The wood is then cut into the required shape and dimension and planned to smoothen it
In the past, charcoal, white sand, red sand, turmeric powder and the juice of leaves and flowers were used to colour the planks. Now, the family uses powders that are used for kalamezhuthu, the art form of drawing deities and ritualistic shapes on the ground
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Published - September 18, 2024 05:13 pm IST
