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Onam: Significance and the Legend of Onam
Onam is a famous and widely celebrated annual harvest festival in the state of Kerala in India. It falls on the 22nd Nakshatra Thiruvonam according to Malayalam calendar month of Chingam, which in Gregorian calendar coincides with August–September. According to myths, the festival is celebrated to remember King Mahabali, whose spirit is believed to visit Kerala at the time of Onam.
Onam is a major annual affair for Malayali people living in and outside the state of Kerala. It is a harvest festival and is one of three major annual Hindu celebrations along with Thiruvathira and Vishu, and it is observed with numerous events. Onam celebrations include Vallam Kali (other name for boat races), Pulikali (also known as tiger dances), Pookkalam (competition of flower arrangement), Onathappan (worship of God), Onam Kali, activities like Tug of War, Thumbi Thullal (women dance competition), Kummattikali (mask dance), Onathallu (martial arts skills shown by professionals), Kazhchakkula (plantain offerings), Onapottan (costumes), Onavillu (music), Atthachamayam (folk songs and dance), and many other celebrations.
The state of Kerala celebrates Onam as the official state festival with public holidays that start four days from Uthradom (Onam eve). Major festivities take places in 30 venues in the city of Thiruvananthapuram which capital of Kerala. It is also celebrated by Malayali people all around the world. Though it is a Hindu festival, non-Hindu communities of Kerala also participate in Onam celebrations considering it as a cultural festival. This plays an important part in the bonding of people of all religions.
Onam Gifts for Friends
Kathakali Design Saree
When it comes to gifts for women, there is nothing better than an eye-catching beautiful saree and we have selected a special saree for this occasion. This Kathakali Design Saree is made of Kerala cotton and also hand-painted. It features a zari border as well. It comes in white colour and weighs approximately 500 gms, making it a lightweight one. It is available for Rs.1,400 and can be bought from paarijaatham.com.
Sweets
We Indians have a tradition of exchanging sweets on festivals. This Soft and Spongy Rasgulla container is a great sweet-dish to gift this Onam. The softness of this sweet dish that is made with cottage cheese and dipped in sugar syrup just gives you a heavenly sweet taste, enthralling your taste buds. Most amazing thing is that it can be directly sent to your loved ones. Buy this from fnp.com for Rs. 699.
A Special Pack for Someone Special
If you want to surprise your loved ones with a special gift on a festival like Onam or even any other occasions, you can present this Gift Hamper to show your love. The hamper we have selected contains a cute teddy bear (6 inches), white and red roses (6 each) and Cadbury dairy milk chocolates (10 chocolates of 12g each) in a cane basket. It is available for Rs.999 and you can send it directly to your near and dear friends and family members. Buy it from fnp.com.
Butterfly Bottle Hanger
Not everyone is good at keeping stuff in their appropriate places especially teenagers. And keys of vehicle or drawers can really give you a headache so a key hanger is always a great option to gift on the occasion of Onam. The Butterfly Bottle Key Hanger is an acrylic art on an upcycled beer bottle is sure to make your lives more interesting. Slip the keys or peg up with some random rubber bands and make it look chic. It is handcrafted and has a butterfly theme as well. It has 4 hooks and is easy to hang on the wall. This gift item is available for Rs. 649 on giftcart.com.
Chocolates Tabla Box Gift Set
If someone loves chocolates and also has an interest in music go for the Tabla Shaped Handmade Box that is filled with chocolates(Ferrero rocher - 8 pieces). It is gift packed and can be directly sent to anyone you wish to surprise. You music lover friend or the friend who is into classical dance is sure to love this gift item! The cost for the gift is Rs.899 and delivery option is also available on giftcart.com.
Wind Chimes
Wind chimes are said to have reduced stress, increase relaxation and bring about calmness. The sounds of chimes are considered to have a healing effect on the human body and mind. It is also believed that they relieve fatigue and encourage listening, creativity and positive feeling. The wind chime that we have chosen for you is a 7 Pipe Wind Chimes that produces a gentle tinkling sound. Wind chimes are also used as sound-cures to correct path of energy flow and to remove various blockages, thereby enhancing individuals' overall luck. Wind chimes make harmonious sounds when a gentle breeze blows. They have tones that reverberate and are believed to unblock emotional stress and in addition to that, it brings a feeling of inner peace and conscious awareness. This positive sound silver wind chime is available for Rs. 328 and would be an amazing and pocket-friendly piece for home décor. You can purchase it for your friend from amazon.in.
Mannarcraft Wooden Vadi Para
Keeping an attractive showpiece at home can be a beautiful décor. Keeping that in mind, we have chosen a great gift item that is also a showpiece. A Brass Decorated Wooden Vadipara, a traditional interior decoration item that takes you back in time to the festivities of the Indian state Kerala. It will add an old-world charm to anyone’s drawing or living room. Para has two types. The nirapara is used for auspicious occasions, while the other vadipara is used exclusively to measure. This is vadipara (para with a rod on top), weighs around 3.8 kg and comes in dimensions 24 cm x 28 cm x 22 cm. It is available at flipkart.com for Rs. 4,770.
Khakee Onam Name Theme Printed Coffee Mug
If you know someone who is a coffee addict then we have found the right coffee mug for you this Onam. This is Khakee Onam Name Theme Coffee Mug (325 ml). The material used is ceramic and it is available in multicolour. The mug is also dishwasher and microwave safe. Moreover, it is has a gloss finish and is digitally printed. The mug is available for Rs.325 and it is available on amazon.in.
A Mesmerising Decor Item
According to astrology if we keep running water scenery at home it is bound to bring prosperity at home. It is a Water Fountain with LED and Water Pump. Water flows in uni-direction that is top to bottom along with LED lighting effects and fountain that are fitted with a water pump & a 5 feet long and 2 pin power cord. The fountain water pump also has a water flow speed governor switch, with which you can easily slow & maximize the speed of water flow. The water fountain is made from fine grade poly fibre and a high-quality water pump. Besides, the water tank is easily cleanable. It comes in dimensions 41cm X 31cm X 23cm. Place it in your bedroom, living room or guest room, it's sure to take up the ambience of your home decor up a notch. The price of the water pump is Rs. 3,375 and can be purchased from amazon.in.
Budget Watch Combo for Him & Her
Watches are always a great gift and we have chosen a combo of 2 Designer Leather and Metal Strap Watches with a multicolour dial. These are casual wear watches and one of them has a metallic strap and other a leather one. The display of both is analogue and both have got a sleek design. If you're low on budget and want to surprise your favourite couple this Onam, this could be your go-to gift. The combo is available on flipkart.in for Rs. 270 only.
Wooden Engraved Notebook
There wouldn't be a better gift for your friend who still loves to go old-school and pen downs his or her everyday thoughts, loves to write poems or songs. For that friend of yours, get this quirky Wooden Notebook which can be personalised and you can write a beautiful message for him/her this Onam. There are three different wooden covers available to choose from. Get this unusual Onam gift from woodgeekstore.com for Rs. 799.
Handmade Wooden Coaster
Another gift item we have chosen is the Paper Plane Design Handmade Coaster made with wood almost 4 X 4 inches in size making it ideal for everything like oversize beer mugs, wine bottles and even large coffee cups. Every coaster has a soft cork back, making your tables free from scratch. In addition to that, each set comes with 4 square wooden coasters. Ideal for every kind of coffee table, dining tables and office desks, cleaning the coaster is also easy. You can just wipe the coasters down with a piece of dry cloth after use. These coasters come packed in a beautiful ready-to-gift box. That saves you time and effort. Excellent for those who get stuck last-minute gift situations. The price is quite light on the pocket that is Rs.225 for a set of four coasters. And as you can see from the pic, the twist lies in the printing of the coasters. You get four of your favourite childhood games printed on them, three of which can be played onboard (while you won't be able to play carrom, of course), and relive those childhood memories with your friends. It can be bought from amazon.in.
Rose Aroma Scented Heart Tealight Candles
A candle can light up your home in a great way. The Rose Aroma Candle has an evocative floral fragrance with rosy sweet notes. These scented heart-shaped tea light candles come packed in a beautiful romantic gift box and are readily available to be gifted to your partner or loved ones. Not only that, the cotton wicks used in these are lead-free so it is also environment-friendly. This gift item is available at amazon.in for Rs.549.
Go for Personalised Gifts
Personalised Rotating Cube Photo Frame
To relive some of the best moments of life once again, we have selected a gift for you. It is a Cube Photo Frame, with which you can make your friend relish six memories at the same time. What we mean by this, is that it can hold 6 photographs. The size that you can put up for each photo is 10 x 10 cm, and the stand rotates on its stand creating a beautiful vibe. It runs on AA battery (which you have to buy separately), which helps it rotate. It is recommended to place the cube on a flatter surface while displaying so that you can have a mesmerizing view of memories. This gift is available for Rs.699 and to upload photos and buy the gift, check out giftcart.com.
Personalised Message in Bottle
Back in time when there were no mobiles phones, sailors used to send messages through glass bottles. And we have the same kind of gift for you; Personalised Message in Bottle; A set of 7 glass bottles where each bottle contains a printed personalized message, is available at giftcart.com. for Rs.599. The message which you wish to send can be written on the links provided on the website where you can buy the gift. The size of the bottle is as small as 1.5 inch and looks beautiful when packed.
Bonus Idea: Onam Gold Coin
Silver and gold coins have been in the Indian festivals since ancient times. They are believed to be auspicious and bring positive spiritual vibes to our homes. For the occasion of Onam, present your special friends with an exquisite, auspicious gift in the form of a gold coin for which they would remember you always. Buy this authentic 5g Gold Coin by IBJA in the purest form i.e. 24kt. from ibjagold.com for Rs. 20,900.
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Make a List; It Makes Everything Much Easier.
Before buying Onam gifts for your friends, make a list. This might be the most stressed step and almost always skipped. But make a list once, you would understand how easy it is to complete the process. So, make a list of all your friends whom you are buying gifts for and also their interests. With these in hand, you can easily choose the Onam gifts for your friends. You need not look for the trendy gifts alone; Sometimes the traditional gifts do the magic.