Onam Festival 2025- Celebrations & The Legend Of Mahabali!

Onam Festival is the most famous festival celebrated in Kerala, India. This harvest festival of Kerala is a ten-day celebration held with great zeal! It’s celebrated during the Chingam month of the Malayalam calendar. It usually starts in mid-August and lasts till mid-September.

The Onam Festival organized in the 1st month (Chingam) of the Malayalam Calendar is celebrated with grand festivities which begin 10 days before Thiru Onam on Atham. Onam Festival 2025 festivities will commence on 26th August (Tuesday) and end on 4th September (Thursday).

Thiruvonam will be celebrated on September 4th 2025, Thursday.

It is said King Mahabali visits Kerala at the time of Onam every year. Malayalis, regardless of religion or caste, celebrate Onam all over the world to commemorate his homecoming!

During Onam, Kerala transforms into a colorful and joyous vision, offering an entirely new world for tourists to explore!

They find the rich cultural experiences, traditional meals, exquisite fragrances, and the enchanting beauty of Kerala during this festival worth experiencing! The celebrations of Onam are sure to compel you to join in the festivities and dance with the exciting beats of percussion music!

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What is Onam Festival?

Onam is a harvest festival that is celebrated with a Sadhya feast, cultural dance performances, flower rangolis, snake boat races, traditional music, and local games associated with the festival.

Echoes of traditional welcome songs for King Mahabali fill the air, and an amazing display of the culture and beauty of Kerala can be seen for the 10 days that Onam festivities last!

In addition to intricately designed Pookalam and sumptuous Onasadya feasts, spectacular Snake Boat Races and enticing Kaikottikali dance prominently dominate Onam festivities.

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History of Onam Festival & King Mahabali

There is an ancient Onam story associated with this vibrant festival of the south. The history of Onam is connected with King Mahabali, the golden era of his reign, and his connection to the Vamana Avatar.

Let us explain the story of King Mahabali, also called “Maveli” and “Onathappan”, and what makes this generous emperor an integral part of Onam celebrations!

Who was Mahabali?

Mahabali was originally born in a demon family and was a keen devotee of Lord Vishnu. Sensible and vigilant, King Mahabali was a popular Asura emperor who ruled ancient Kerala.

Under his monarchy, equality flourished in Kerala, financial and racial discrimination vanished completely, and corruption and crime ratio dropped to zero. People were happy and content.

Courtesy of his strength of character and courage, the public gave him the title of “Mahabali”, meaning the king of kings! Even his son, Bana, lived on to become a generous king following in his father’s footsteps.

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The envy of the gods

The gods were envious of Mahabali’s increasing fame and popularity. As a means to overpower Mahabali, Aditi, the mother of the gods, sought the help of Lord Vishnu himself.

Lord Vishnu decided to put the king’s generosity and kindness to test, masking himself as a needy dwarf brahmin named Vamana. He appeared before Mahabali right before the king’s daily ritual of donating aid to Brahmins.

Lord Vishnu in Vamana Avatar

Camouflaged as Vamana, Lord Vishnu pretended to be a pitiable Brahmin and requested for some portion of land from Mahabali.

He specifically requested for a piece of land that would be covered in three footsteps. The generous king was bewildered but agreed to give him his desired land.

Shukracharya, Mahabali’s wise advisor, cautioned the king against it. But the king was not one to break his promise!

In an instant, Vamana expanded his body to galactic proportions, covering the earth in the first step and the skies in the second, before asking the emperor where he should step next.

When Mahabali realized his next step would destroy the planet, he decided to sacrifice himself. He requested the brahmin, with folded hands and bowed head, to put his third step on his head instead.

Vamana stepped on the emperor’s head, driving him into ‘Patala’, or the underworld, before disclosing his true self as Lord Vishnu. He told Mahabali about his intention to simply test the king and offered to reward him for passing the test gracefully!

Mahabali’s annual visit

The kind ruler was extremely attached to his empire and his people, so he requested to be permitted to come to his kingdom once every year. Lord Vishnu was greatly moved by the king’s nobility and granted his wish.

Lord Vishnu blessed him and said he would be immortal in the hearts of Lord Vishnu as well as the people of his own kingdom.

So, it is said that every year without fail, King Mahabali visits the land of Kerala and the locals honor his presence with the grand festival of Onam!

Onam celebrations in modern Kerala

Onam is celebrated every year in honor of their favorite king’s arrival in Kerala. The festival, in fact, is celebrated to acknowledge the sacrifices of the king and reminisce about the good times during his reign.

People make huge efforts and arrangements to welcome the beloved king and please his spirit. The serene and calm facade of God’s Own Country turns into a vibrant riot of colors and music during the festival.

Each of the ten days of this harvest festival mark the progress of Mahabali’s journey back home. Out of these, Emperor Mahabali is believed to visit his people on Thiruvonam, the last and most significant day of the Onam festival!

During the ten-day Onam celebration, devotees bathe, offer prayers, wear traditional clothes, draw flower rangolis called Pookalam, and cook a traditional feast called Sadhya.

The festivities include:

• Sadhya– a traditional feast served on a banana leaf
• Thiruvathira Kali– a local Malayali group dance
• Pookalam– flower rangolis
• Ona-thallu, Pulikali, Vadam Vali– local Onam games
• Onavillu– a traditional musical instrument

Onam festival celebrations are grandest in Thrikkakara, a city located 10 km from Kochi on the Edappally-Pukkattupady road and that once served as the capital of King Mahabali’s kingdom. The city also has a temple dedicated to King Mahabali and the Vamana avatar of Lord Vishnu!

You will also find a divine ‘Thrikkakara Appan’ and an artistic portrayal of the captivating legend of King Mahabali and Vamana in the Suchindram Temple of Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu.

Onam festival 2025 details

The Onam festival is organized in the 1st month (Chingam) of the Malayalam Calendar. The festivities begin around 10 days before Thiru Onam on Atham.

Onam festival 2025 will begin on 26th August (Tuesday) and end on 4th September (Thursday). Thiruvonam will be celebrated on 4th September (Thursday).

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Some of the major aspects of Onam include:

Pookalam

Flower beds and floral decorations commonly known as Pookalam are the first to come to mind when talking about Onam & the legend of Mahabali. The traditional Ona-pookkalam consists of ten rings to symbolize the ten-day rituals performed during Onam.

“Onam Pookalam” stands out as a sign of secularism. It symbolizes the spirit of unity and teamwork as all the members of the family gather to make it. Several types of flowers are used to create this beautiful pattern.

Onasadhya

This eminent harvest festival of Kerala is celebrated with a colorful feast called Onam Sadhya served on a banana leaf featuring over 25 dishes. Onasadhya, or Onam Sadhya, is the most famous traditional meal of Kerala and is served on Thiruvonam, the last day of the Onam festival.

Onasadhya means Onam feast and is a symbol of prosperity that has existed since the rule of King Mahabali. The people of Kerala make sure that their emperor sees them with the grandest meal on this auspicious day. All the people, rich or poor, across all regions in Kerala, prepare grand Onasadhyas on the last day of the festival.

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Onasadhya is served on a washed banana leaf with a papadam on the left. Sarkaravaratti, banana wafers, salt, and fries are served on the right side of papadam next to which lie the ginger lime and mango pickles.

Vegetarian items like Pavakka, Vendakka Kichadi (a banana and coconut raita), Thoran (mixture of vegetable curries), and Payasam dessert are some of the most essential and delicious elements of an Onam Sadya feast.

Snake boat races

Another famous part of the Onam festivities are the Snake Boat Races which are held in ‘Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple’ as well as in Alleppey backwaters.

Other than Aranmula, you can head to Punnamada Lake in Alleppey Backwaters to witness the world famous Nehru Trophy Boat Race held during the festival of Onam in Kerala!

August and September are the best months to visit Kerala to experience the joyous Onam festival, enjoy the exotic taste of Onasadhya, participate in Pookalam decorations, and witness a grand Snake Boat Race in Aranmula or Alleppey!

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Pulikali

Like any other Indian festival, there is a lot of singing and dancing associated with Onam celebration as well.

Pulikali, aka Kaduvakali, is a beautiful folk-art which is skillfully performed by well-trained dancers to amuse and entertain onlookers. The artists paint their bodies and perform the traditional hunting dance of Kerala’s tribes in sync with the beats of traditional musical instruments.

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In Malayalam language, Pulikali means ‘play of the tigers’. On the 4th day (Nalaam Onam) of the Onam festival, performers paint themselves like hunters and tigers with yellow, black, and red paint and dance to the sound of thrilling music like Thakil and Udukku. The performance is based on the theme of ‘tiger hunting’.

This dance is mostly practiced in the Thrissur District of Kerala. The most suitable place to witness this dance is Swaraj Round in Thrissur, where Pulikali performing groups from the entire district gather to perform this vivid and energetic folk dance.

Pulikali is a major part of Onam festival which attracts a large number of tourists from around the world to the small town of Thrissur every year and leaves them in awe!

Plan ahead and enjoy the grand festivities of the Onam Festival 2025 in Kerala! Reach out to our team and they’ll brew you an experience-rich holiday in Kerala so that you don’t miss out on anything that God’s Own Country has to offer!

Frequently Asked Questions about Onam Festival 2025

When is Onam?

It is celebrated during Chingam (a month in Malayalam calendar) that usually starts between mid-August and lasts up to mid-September. The celebration typically lasts for 10 days, where Keralites indulge in numerous celebratory acts.

How is Onam celebrated?

Onam festival brings all the colours, history, culture, and beliefs of Kerala together. Flower rangolis called Pookalam, banquet lunches, boat races, Puli Kali, and the Kaikottikkali dance are some of the major attractions of the festival.

What is the special and traditional food we eat on Onam festival?

Most symbolic feast of the Onam festival is the Onam Sadhya, the traditional multi-course vegetarian meal served on this festive occasion on a banana leaf featuring over 25 dishes.

Which is the most important part of the Onam festival?

Onam is a 10-day festival and its most important day is Thiruvonam, the last day of the festival. it is believed that Thiruvonam is the Nakshatra of Lord Vishnu who sent King Mahabali to the underworld with his foot. Onam is celebrated to honor the homecoming of the mythical-demon king Mahabali.

What does Onam signify?

Onam is a festival celebrated by Malayalis in Kerala or in other parts of the world to mark the homecoming of the great King Mahabali. It is also said to mark the harvest season for Kerala. The festival lasts for ten days and is celebrated with a great zeal and enthusiasm.