Watch: An Onam tradition that is centuries old

In Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, the Vilayilveedu family continues the ancient tradition of making the Pallivillu or ‘Onavillu’ for the deity at the Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple every Onam. The Onavillu is a ceremonial bow made of wood with hand-drawn pictures of Lord Vishnu. The family observes a fast before starting work on six different kinds of Onavillu, using wood from Tamil Nadu and traditional coloring methods. Today, they use powders for kalamezhuthu, an art form of drawing deities on the ground. This tradition has been passed down through generations and continues to be a sacred and important part of Onam celebrations in Thiruvananthapuram.