Chingam

(चिंगम)

Literal Meaning

The first month of the Malayalam calendar

Etymology & Sanskrit Root

Malayalam form of the Sanskrit simha, lion, the sign of the zodiac.

Spiritual Insight & Context

The first month of the Malayalam calendar, about August to September, in which Onam falls.

Where Chingam Comes Up

Onam and the Return of Mahabali

Kerala's grandest festival marks the yearly homecoming of King Mahabali, the generous asura ruler whom Vishnu as Vamana sent below, yet let return each year.

Topics

Vamana and King Mahabali: The Story Behind Onam

Vamana's three paces and King Bali's kept promise as the Bhagavata Purana tells it, and how Kerala's Onam tradition tells Mahabali's yearly return.

Katha