Today is the Fourth Day of Onam, a Hindu festival celebrated by the Malayali people of Kerala, India. Originally a harvest festival, it is the state festival of Kerala. The festival falls during the Malayalam month of Chingam (which usually falls in August or September) and marks the annual homecoming of the mythical King Mahabali who the Malayalees consider as their King.
The legend is that King Mahabali, also known as Bali was an Asura ruler during Hindu antiquity who was so powerful and adored by his subjects, that the followers of Hindu god Vishnu feared that Bali was getting more popular than their deity.
Vishnu disguised himself as a dwarf called Vamana. Vamana tricked Bali by asking for a piece of land he could cover in only three strides. When Bali agreed to this modest request by a dwarf, Vamana turned into a giant and his first step covered the earth and the second took him to heaven. With nowhere else to go, Bali offered his head as the third step. Vamana stepped on Bali pushing him down into to the underworld. Bali asked if he could be allowed to return once a year on Thiruvonam (the second day of Onam) to visit his people to make sure they were well, and Vamana agreed.
To welcome Bali home for his annual visit, the people of Kerala clean their homes and make elaborate floral displays called Pookkalam on the ground as a carpet to welcome Bali. They perform Kathakali, one of the major forms of classical Indian dance.
BADA BING!
That feeling you get when you’re the tech person in the family and you hear that grandma got a new phone.
I know it’s hard for some people to believe, but it’s entirely possible to have a fulfilling, rewarding life without owning an AR-15.
About to pull some steaks off the grill. It’s my neighbor’s grill, but he went inside and I don’t think he can see me.
If there’s watermelon, shouldn’t there be earthmelon, firemelon, and airmelon? The elemelons.
The leading cause of injury in old men is them thinking they are still young men.
Walmart thinks I want to put up my Christmas tree and eat turkey while wearing my Halloween costume.
The last time I danced like nobody was watching, someone stabbed me with an EpiPen.
Running feels great unless you compare it to not running.
The debate? Normally men have to pay to be dominated like that.
Them: She had special earrings that made her win.
Us: How would her earrings make him say incredibly stupid shit?
Her ability to stop herself from saying “this motherfucker” on national television requires the kind of willpower most of us could never dream of.
I set a new culinary milestone today. I set off the neighbor’s smoke alarm.
Most people don’t know that the opposite of a Croissant is actually a happy uncle.
I’m still amazed at how many people can confuse the term ‘…doing their research’ with the action ‘…conclusion-shopping their insane hypothesis’.
Today is the birthday, in 1923, of Hank Williams (born Hiram King Williams). The American singer-songwriter and musician is regarded as one of the most important country music artists of all time. Williams recorded 35 singles (five released posthumously) that would place in the Top 10 of the Billboard Country & Western Best Sellers chart, including 11 that ranked No.1. During his last years Williams’s consumption of alcohol, morphine and painkillers severely compromised his professional life. Williams died aged 29 on January 1, 1953. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjCoKslQOEs
