Mahabali Hugs, Biryani Invite: Keralam Celebrates Nabidinam, Onam Together
Nabidinam, or Eid-e-Milad, marks the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammed and the legend of Mahabali forms the basis for the Onam celebrations organised by the local Hindu community
Palakkad: Keralam witnessed a heartwarming display of religious and cultural harmony on Tuesday as Nabidinam coincided with Uthradam, the eve of Thiruvonam, with a person dressed as the mythical demon king Mahabali welcoming a Nabidinam rally at Vennakkara here. Nabidinam, or Eid-e-Milad, marks the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammed and the legend of Mahabali forms the basis for the Onam celebrations organised by the local Hindu community.
A person dressed as the mythical demon king Mahabali, who is loved by people, warmly shook hands with Muslim participants of the Nabidinam rally and distributed refreshments to children accompanying the procession.
Muslim men in traditional attire hugged the person dressed as Mahabali, creating a symbolic celebration of communal harmony.
'Mahabali' also distributed refreshments to Muslim children who performed Duff Muttu, a traditional folk art form popular among the Muslim community, as part of the Nabidinam celebrations.
When one of the children invited the "king" to have biryani, Mahabali graciously accepted the invitation and said, "I will definitely come."
"Nabidinam and Uthradam falling together is itself a great thing. It is an occasion of unity, so we decided to celebrate them together. The aim is to celebrate religious harmony and convey a message of unity to society and the world," one of the organisers said.
Across Keralam, believers observed Nabidinam with elaborate programmes, including prayer gatherings at mosques and madrassas from early morning.
Large rallies carrying the Prophet's messages were taken out at several places, accompanied by children's cultural performances.
Leaders from the religious, community and political spheres participated in Nabidinam message rallies at various locations.
Community feasts, distribution of sweets and other refreshments were also organised as part of the celebrations.
The coincidence of Nabidinam with Utradam, the first day of Onam celebrations, also led to heavy crowds in public places across the state.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan extended Nabidinam greetings to the people.
In a message, the former chief minister said Prophet Mohammed conveyed to the world the great message of love for humanity, brotherhood and equality.
"At a time when hatred and intolerance are on the rise, this universal message of humanity holds great relevance. May the Nabidinam celebrations help spread the message of love, brotherhood and peace to more people," he said.
