What is Onam ?

It is a harvest festival and is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm all over the state by people of all communities. According to a popular legend, the festival is celebrated to welcome King Mahabali, whose spirit is said to visit Kerala at the time of Onam.

Onam is celebrated in the beginning of the month of Chingam, the first month of Malayalam Calendar (Kollavarsham). This corresponds with the month of August-September according to Gregorian Calendar.

Why Onam festival ?

Part harvest festival, part new year celebration and part secular carnival, Onam is the pride & joy of the people of Kerala.

Onam is so multifaceted, it’s difficult to summarize in words. To get a true sense of the festival, it’s really just better to experience it in person. In short, Onam is, much like India itself, a colorful kaleidoscope of moving parts. Turned one way, it’s a harvest festival. Turned again, it’s a New Year celebration. Yet again, and it’s a cultural event filled with song, food, recipes and more. Any way you look at Onam, it’s a beautiful celebration of Keralan heritage.

What to Expect?

Plenty of crowds, elephants, noise, and processions. Music is an important part of the temple celebrations and the frenetic percussionists, of which there are plenty, manage to whip up quite a sound. Cultural programs, including classical music and dance performances, also take place.

Tips:

• Wall-to-wall carpets:  Don’t miss the elaborate floral rugs, called Onapookkalam, that are created each morning during Onam to welcome King Maveli. 

• Masked dancing Kummattikali: is the colorful mask-dance that is performed during Onam. Participants don heavily painted masks representing Hindu gods, and costumes made from woven grass and go door to door, dancing and collecting small gifts for their performance.

• Save room for dessert Payasams: a type of dessert similar to a rice pudding, are the highlight of the Onasadya. Although there are several variations on this dish, the classic payasam is made using boiled rice, milk and jaggery, a type of sugar. It can be flavored with any number of additional items, such as pistachios, raisins and cardamom.

• Snake boats:

   The beautiful Aranmula Snake Boat races take place at Punnamada Lake in the district of Alappuzha.