Mahabali, the mythical king who is believed to visit Kerala during Onam every year, is the greatest socialist in the world for having said that all people should be seen as one, stated actor Mammootty, at the Atham celebration in Kerala’s Tripunithura on Sunday, August 20. Atham marks the first of the ten days that lead to Onam, the biggest festival of Kerala. “What Mahabali wanted – seeing all people as equal – has not happened anywhere in the world. People are not even created equally. But with our minds, love, and how we treat each other, we could all become one. Let these celebrations help usher that, and let us carry on with these thoughts for all 365 days of the year,” Mammootty said in his short and rousing speech, in the presence of several ministers of the state, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
Charming people with his lines about being part of Atham celebrations on the ground before becoming the [superstar] Mammootty they knew, the actor spoke about the old days when kings used to come down bejeweled, to see the subjects lined up on the streets. “But now we, the subjects, are the kings. We live in a democracy where the celebration fully belongs to the people. Atham is a celebration of our happiness, friendship, and love,” he said.
Mammootty also made a request to the ministers of the state to make Atham a celebration of literature, music, and culture too, and to include the performances and works of those who made huge contributions in these areas. “Let Atham, like Onam, be a tagline for Kerala. Let it attract tourists. We will be celebrating the message of love,” he said.
Every year, huge celebrations are held in Tripunithura for Atham, with a procession including floats and music, and people in costumes of various art forms of Kerala.