Onam is an annual Indian harvest festival celebrated predominantly by the people of Kerala. It is a 10-day festival that occurs at the beginning of the month of Chingam, which usually falls between August and September. The festival celebrates the homecoming of King Mahabali, the mythical ruler of ancient Kerala. The earliest known reference to the word Onam as a celebration is found in Maturaikkāñci, a Sangam era Tamil poem, which mentions a festival called Onam being celebrated in dedication to Maayon (Vishnu) in Madurai, when games and duels were held in temple premises, oblations were sent to the temples, people wore new clothes and feasted.
During the festival, families make floral decorations called pookkalam that are placed on the ground in front of their houses to welcome King Mahabali. The main food eaten during the celebration is the Onam Sadhya, a vegetarian meal comprising of many traditional dishes served on a banana leaf. The festival also features a street parade with various traditional art including music, dance, carnival floats, and decorated elephants, known as the Tripunithura Athachamayam Festival, which is held on the first day of Onam.
Onam is celebrated throughout the state of Kerala and is marked by happiness, excitement, and enjoyment among all sections of people. The celebrations for Onam are held for ten days, beginning with the atham asterism in the month of Chingam (August / September) as per the local calendar. The festival is a major annual event for Keralites and is the official festival of the state, including a spectrum of cultural events.
