Union Minister V. Muraleedharan's statement questioning Mahabali's association with Onam celebrations in Kerala has kicked up a row with the CPI(M) leader and Tourism Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas alleging that the remark was not an innocent one and was aimed at creating division in society.
A week after Keralites celebrated Onam with fervour, Mr. Muraleedharan claimed that there was no known history of Mahabali ruling Kerala and termed it as a myth.
Onam folklore
It is celebrated to mark the annual visit of the Asura (demon) King Mahabali, under whose rein everyone is believed to have lived with equality and happiness. The popular story is that envious Devas (Gods) who wanted to end his rule got the help of Lord Vishnu, who took the form of a brahmin, Vamana, to trick Mahabali into donating him three steps of land. As soon as Mahabali agreed to it, Vamana grew to the size of the universe and then conquered both earth and heaven with his first two steps. The story goes that Mahabali, being the charitable and honest King he was, asked Vamana to place the third foot on his head and push him down into the netherworld, thus securing the land he had promised. However, before it happened, he received a boon from Vishnu to visit his subjects once every year, which is celebrated as Thiruvonam day in Kerala.
