Onam celebrations take a devotional form at the Vamana Moorthy Temple at Thrikkakara in Ernakulam district till Onam is over. Thrikkakara has the unique feature of honouring Mahabali and Vamanan. It can be said the Malayali’s Onam celebrations begin from Thrikkakara. The Thrikkakara Onam Maholsavam begins with the flag being hoisted on Atham day in the month of Chingam and concludes with the arattu or procession on the day of Thiruvonam. Festivities are held for 10 days from the day the flag goes up.
The dashavatarachaarthu, featuring one avatar each from the Dasavatar, is held on each of the 10 days. The Vamanachaarthu, where the deity is dressed in the attire of Vamanan, sees large crowds thronging the temple for darshan. Pookalam is made on all 10 days. Everyone who visits the temple on the penultimate day of Uthradom and last day of Thiruvonam are served sadya which has been prepared at the temple. The sadya was first prepared in the early 90s to feed the temple employees, vendors and elephant mahouts present there. Later on, it was extended to devotees too. Many people from the region began to have their sadya at the temple on Thiruvonam. Numbers served now reach 20,000 plus for what started in mere 1,000s.
It now begins on the day of Uthradom with the feeding of the elephants at the temple, the ceremony being known as anayoottu. The lavish Uthradasadya follows. That evening is when the valiyavilakku and pallivetta are held. There is also the tradition of welcoming Mahabali on the day of Thiruvonam. This is followed by a pakalpooram by seven elephants in honour of Sribali with instruments such as the special nadaswaram, thakkil and the musical ensemble of Panchari Melam. The Thiruvonam special sadya begins after 10am. The Thiruvonam sadya comprises parippu, poppadom, a pinch of salt, sambar, erissery, kalan, avial, olan, pachadi, kichadi, pickles, ginger curry and palada pradhaman. This is finished with a serving of rasam. The injithairu (ginger in curd), considered the equivalent of 108 curries, is also served at the Thrikkakara Onam Sadya. People arrive by the dozen for the sadya. Moreover, a sadya is held on the Thiruvonam day of every month. On this day, either sambar, kalan, erissery, injithairu and chena (elephant foot yam) curry or potato curry, string beans thoran, pal payasam and the like are served at the temple.