Onam is a major annual harvest festival celebrated in the southern Indian state of Kerala. It usually takes place in the Hindu month of Chingam, which falls around August or September. The festival lasts for ten days and is celebrated by people of all religions in Kerala.

Onam commemorates the Vamana avatar of Lord Vishnu and the subsequent homecoming of the mythical King Mahabali, who is believed to return once every year from the netherworld. Legend has it that King Mahabali’s reign was a golden age of prosperity, truthfulness, and equality.

The festival is marked by numerous festivities, which include boat races (Vallam Kali), tiger dances (Pulikali), Pookkalam (the creation of intricate floral arrangements), music, dancing, and a grand feast known as Onasadya, served on a banana leaf and consisting of nine to thirteen traditional dishes.

Wearing new clothes (‘Onakkodi’), games, and other cultural events also form part of the celebrations. The final day, called ‘Thiruvonam’, is the most important, and it’s when the grand feast takes place.

Onam celebrates the agricultural bounty of Kerala, and it also symbolizes Kerala’s tradition of welcoming and embracing all religions and communities.