According to tradition Onam marks the homecoming of the beloved and popular demon King Mahabali. He was the great-great-grandson of Sage Kashyapa, and the grandson of Vishnu devotee Prahlada. King Mahabali defeated the Gods and took charge of the three worlds. His reign was considered the golden age as there was no poverty and people lived without caste or religious discrimination. He is known for his generosity as one who fulfills all the wishes of his people. He was generous and kind, and his fame spread over the 3 worlds threatened the Gods. Lord Vishnu offers to help contain the Mahabali.

Vishnu takes on the avatar of a poor Brahmin dwarf called Vamana. This is the fifth avatar of Lord Vishnu. Vamana approaches the King Mahabali and askes for 3 paces of land. The King is baffled and lets the poor boy know that he can offer much more than that – gold, cows, food, villages. But Vamana says that one must not ask for more than ones needs – and that all that he needed was the 3 paces.

The generous king agrees. As he offers the 3 paces the dwarf Brahmin begins to grow into a huge giant. In 2 paces covers all the whole kingdom of the King. For the third pace there is no place was left. Then the King Mahabali offers his head for Vamana to place his third step. Lord Vishnu is impressed by the devotion of the King Mahabali and he grants him the wish to return to earth once a year. The beloved King returns to visit his people and his kingdom during Onam.

The highlight of the Onam festival is the huge vegetarian feast called Onam Sadya. This is served on the last day of the festival. It is served on plantain leaves and consists of 9 courses and can include up to 30 dishes!

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Sri Krishna Jayanti, Janmashtami, and Gokulashtami (which may fall on two different days) mark Bhagavan Krishna’s birth.  This festival is in the month of Sravana, which occurs during August or early September.  

Krishna is the eighth incarnation of Vishnu and is known as the Lord of Dharma.  There are many stories about the Supreme Being’s incarnation as Krishna on this earth. Once, Mother Earth became overly weighed down with the misdeeds of sinners, and her burden became unbearable. She approached Brahma, the creator, and appealed to him that she was suffering from extreme Adharma –the evil deeds of demons. She requested his intervention.  Brahma, in turn, prayed to Vishnu, who accepted Brahma’s prayers and assured him that he would take birth on the earth and rid her of evildoers. 

Krishna was born in Mathura (in present-day Uttar Pradesh, India) to Devaki and Vasudeva.   

At that time, King Ugrasena was the ruler of the kingdom of Mathura.  He had a son, Kamsa.  Ugrasena’s sister Devaka had a daughter Devaki.  Kamsa and Devaki grow up as brother and sister, very affectionate of each other.  Kamsa, became a tyrant, dethroned and threw his father in the palace dungeon.   At the recommendation of his ministers, he agreed to get Devaki married to Vasudeva, the son of King Shura of the Yadava clan.  After the wedding, Kamsa was preparing to take Devaki to Vasudeva’s palace in a royal chariot when a divine voice from the sky declared as follows.  “Hey fool!  You are taking this woman to her husband’s place.  The eighth child born to her will kill you”. 

Kamsa was deeply shaken and immediately moved to kill Devaki.  Vasudeva pleaded with Kamsa to spare his wife’s life and promised to bring all their children as soon as they were born to Kamsa so that the prophecy would not come true.  Kamsa reluctantly agreed but locked Devaki and her husband Vasudeva in the dungeon.  Over time, Kamsa killed seven of their children.  As their eighth child was about to be born, the parents were distressed.   

On the night of Krishna’s birth, precisely at midnight, heavy rains and strong winds came crashing down on the whole of Mathura.  The holy river Yamuna was raging like an ocean.  As the Divine baby was born, the dungeon was filled with bright light, which awakened Vasudeva.  He saw Devaki was in a deep sleep, and besides her lay a baby.  A divine voice spoke to him as follows. “Vasudeva, this is your newborn son. Take him to Gokula, where your friend Nanda, the chief of the cowherds, lives.  Leave your baby there.  He will be safe”.  The divine voice continued, “Yashoda, wife of Nanda, has given birth to a baby girl. Bring her back with you”. 

Vasudeva wondered how he could do all this since the dungeon doors were locked and guards stood at every doorway. Anyway, he put the baby Krishna in a basket and carried the basket on his head towards the door. Miraculously, the door got unlocked, and the guards were fast asleep.  When he stepped out, the divine multi-headed snake Adisesha appeared and accompanied him, serving as a dry carpet on the ground and an umbrella overhead.  They reached the river. When Vasudeva stepped in, the waters parted, allowing them to cross easily to the other side. Soon they arrived at Nanda’s palce at Gokula. 

Following the divine command, Vasudeva placed baby Krishna next to mother Yashoda. He brought Yashoda’s baby girl back to his dungeon and put her next to his wife, Devaki.  The baby started crying and woke everyone up.  Kamsa hurried to the jail to kill the baby.  Devaki pleaded with him not to do that since the baby was a girl. But Kamsa threw the baby up and drew his sword, but she flew right into the sky. This child was Divine Devi Durga.  She declared to him that the eighth child was born already and was safe elsewhere on this earth.  

Sri Krishna proclaimed whenever there was the dominance of evil, he would reincarnate in various forms to destroy it, show the path of righteousness, and teach.  We celebrate Krishna’s birth as the victory of good over evil. This festival also brings people together to show the principles of righteousness. 

How to celebrate 

Items required for Puja 

Purchase these items before the puja day. 

On the puja day, clean the stoop and draw Rangoli. Tie a string of mango leaves across the front entrance door of the house.  Take a bath, put on clean clothes and follow the steps of the Puja: 

• Picture or other icons of Krishna in the Pooja room 
• Swing for Krishna 
• A dupatta or sari to offer to the Deity 
• Plain water in Kalasha (a pitcher) 
• Milk, sugar, curds (yogurt), honey, and ghee 
• Fresh, washed mango leaves 
• Fresh tulsi 
• Sandalwood 
• One coconut 
• Kumkum 
• Turmeric 
• Red sacred thread 
• Rice 
• Betel leaves and betel nuts 
• Flowers and Fruits 

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In mythology, Lord Ganesh is the younger son of Goddess Gauri Devi (Goddess Parvati). Lord Siva, the consort of Goddess Gauri, is considered as the father of Lord Ganesh. It is said, Goddess Parvati, mother of Lord Ganesh created him from turmeric paste that she used for bathing. She breathes life into him and sends him to guard the entrance while she was having a bath. Unaware of this, Lord Shiva tries to enter his home but is stopped by Lord Ganesh. This enrages Shiva and he beheads the boy. When Goddess Parvati learns of this she is devastated and asks her husband to bring her son back. Lord Siva instructs his disciples to bring the head of the first creature lying with its head facing north. They find the head of an elephant that fits the instructions and bring it back to Shiva. Lord Siva fixes it on Lord Ganesh’s body and brings him back to life.

According to Hindu tradition, Lord Ganesh is considered as “one who removes obstacles” and a deity who grants knowledge, wealth, fortune, health, and other worldly benefits. Lord Ganesh is the Lord of New Beginnings as a remover of obstacles. He is worshipped at the initiation of all religious rites and projects.

How to celebrate

Here we expand on how to perform the 4 rituals – Pranapratishhtha, Shhodashopachara, Uttarpuja and Ganpati Visarjan.

Pranapratishhtha – Items required for Puja

The following items should be purchased prior to the puja day.

One the day of the puja clean the floor and draw Rangoli. If possible, tie a string of mango leaves by the front door. Take a bath, wear clean clothes.

• Clay Ganesh
• A dupatta or sari to offer to the deity
• Plain water in Kalash (pitcher)
• Fresh and washed mango leaves
• Sandalwood
• Vibhuti
• One coconut
• Kumkum
• Turmeric
• Yellow sacred thread
• Rice
• Betel leaves and betel nuts
• Druva grass blades (21)
• Flowers and fruits

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