What is Onam?
Onam celebrates the harvest and the memory of Mahabali, a generous king under whose rule, the story goes, everyone in Kerala was happy and equal. The god Vishnu, as the dwarf Vamana, sent him down to the underworld, but allowed him to visit his people once a year: at Onam.
The festival lasts ten days, from Atham to Thiruvonam, the main day, and it is celebrated by Keralites of every religion.
When is Onam? Dates for 2026 and 2027
2026
- Wednesday 26 August 2026Thiruvonam, the main day of Onam
2027
- Sunday 12 September 2027Thiruvonam, the main day of Onamexpected
Onam follows the Malayalam calendar: Thiruvonam is the day of the Thiruvonam star in the month of Chingam, so it moves between late August and mid-September. For 2027 most calendars give 12 September, and a few astrological calendars give 13 September; Kerala's government holiday list sets the public holidays.
How people celebrate
- Pookalam: carpets of flower petals in front of homes, made bigger each day from Atham.
- The Onam sadya, a vegetarian feast of rice with dishes such as sambar, avial and olan, and payasam for dessert, served on a banana leaf.
- Snake-boat races on the backwaters, and tiger dancers (pulikali) in the streets of Thrissur.
Good to know
- Eat the sadya with your right hand, and fold the leaf towards you when you finish, to say you enjoyed the meal.
- Onam comes at the end of the monsoon: carry an umbrella.
- The Nehru Trophy Boat Race at Alappuzha, held in August, is the most famous of the snake-boat races.