Religion no bar, Onam for all

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Thiruvananthapuram: Onam is perhaps the one of the secular festivals in India which transcends religious and economic barriers.

And like every other Malayali who celebrates Onam, for the children at the Sri Chitra Poor Home in Thiruvananthapuram, it was an occasion they will cherish for a long time to come.

The children were given a surprise traditional meal on the occasion of Onam.

"The idea is to forget all the differences and come together just as King Mahabali would want," Pradeep says.

The festival of Onam is truly secular in nature. Even the church gears up to celebrate Onam and Malayali Christians in Kerala and across the globe take part in the festivities.

Though Onam is based on the story of the Hindu King Mahabali, what's cherished is the celebration of his return to see his people. Mahabali regarded everyone as equal.

"Onam is for all. It's a celebration of Kerala," Father Cletus Parambiloth, Priest St Xavier’s Church, Ernakulam says.

Like the Christians, for the Muslims from the Malabar districts of Kerala, Onam means a lot.

Perhaps this is the only Indian festival where one can see a Muslim girl lighting the lamp and passing it to her Hindu counterpart. They also sing songs with lyrics from Hindu texts.