Onam is a vibrant harvest and cultural festival celebrated by the Hindu Malayali community in Kerala. This annual festival takes place during the Chingam month of the Malayalam Solar Calendar, which is also referred to as Simha month in some solar calendars and Avani month in the Tamil calendar. Onam festivities are held on the day of Nakshatra Thiruvonam within Chingam.
Onam 2024 will start on September 6 and end on September 17. The main celebration day, Thiruvonam, will be observed on September 15 (Sunday).
According to Hindu mythology, Mahabali, the grandson of the Brahmin sage Prahlada, conquered the three worlds by defeating the Gods. Although the gods sought help from Lord Vishnu, who initially refused to intervene due to Mahabali’s devotion and good rule, Vishnu decided to test Mahabali’s devotion. In the form of a dwarf boy named Vamana, Vishnu approached Mahabali, asking for only three paces of land. Mahabali, though surprised, agreed. Vamana then expanded to cover the entire land and sky with two paces and, to place the third foot, Mahabali offered himself. Vamana sent Mahabali to Pathala (hell) but granted him the boon to visit his land once a year. This annual visit of Mahabali is commemorated by the festival of Onam.
Onam, celebrated as Kerala’s rice harvest festival, spans ten days, each holding its own significance. One of the key traditions is creating ‘pookkalam,’ floral designs made on the ground by women to invite King Mahabali. The festival is marked by grand feasts known as ‘onam sadya,’ which include around 13 dishes served on banana leaves, featuring rice, various dishes, pickles, and papads. Another highlight of the celebration is the grand processions featuring elephants adorned with ornaments.
