Lok Sabha elections: PM Modi to address rallies in central and south Kerala today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to address public rallies in Kerala on Monday as part of the BJP's electoral campaign for the Lok Sabha elections.
Amid Coronavirus pandemic, it is an Onam like never before in Kerala. With COVID-19 cases on the rise in the state and with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan calling for indoor celebrations, it is a muted affair this year as no public events are being organised.
The 10-day festival highlight of Atham celebrations on the first day, is the grand procession that is held to commemorate the royal custom of the erstwhile princely state of Kochi when it was customary for the King to travel with his entourage to the Thripunithura Fort, near Kochi.
Usually, a big cultural display on Atham is being marked on Saturday. The grand opening to the festivities takes place at the Thrikkakara Temple near Tripunithura every year. But due to Covid-19, only flag-hoisting was allowed, signalling the start of celebrations for the harvest festival.
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The importance of Atham is that it is held 10 days before the most important Onam event- the ‘Thiru Onam’, which falls on August 31 this year.
According to legend, Kerala had its golden period during the reign of King Mahabali, and Onam marks the King’s annual visit to see his subjects. Over the years, people of Kerala, from all sections of society celebrate one single festival, Onam.
It falls in the month of “Chingam” which is the first month of the Malayalam Calendar. Though in the initial days of COVID-19, when the world was hit badly, Kerala managed to hold on, but things are grim in the state now with daily number of new cases close to 2,000. The total number of cases in the state has crossed 53,000.
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