Onam 2026

All About the Onam Festival

Onam is celebrated across a period of 10 days in the state of Kerala, and it marks the return of King Mahabali every year. Apart from this, the festival also commemorates the incarnation of Lord Vishnu that came to be known as Vaman Avatar. The festival is celebrated annually, and this year, it will fall on August 26, which is also known as Thiruvonam.

According to the ancient traditions, the adage of "Atham 10 Onam" is very popular as this festival begins from Atham Nakshatra or Hasta Nakshatra, and the final day of the festival ends on Thiruvonam Nakshatram or Shravana Nakshatra.

It is a highly respected Hindu event performed with tremendous pomp and magnificence in Kerala. This 10-day celebration exemplifies the joyful attitude of Kerala's people, who enjoy the day with zeal and splendor.

How is Onam Celebrated?

This 10-day festival is celebrated with a lot of excitement, and each day marks a different activity that is organized to welcome the demon King Mahabali each year. Here is how Keralites celebrate this festival each year:

A grand feast known as Onam Sadhya is prepared on this occasion. Around eleven to thirteen delectable dishes are cooked for this feast by the womenfolk of the house. The following dishes are some of the popular dishes that are served on this festival on a banana leaf for all to savor-

1. Manga curry

2. Pulissery

3. Ellisheri

4. Olan

5. Inji Curry

6. Chenna Mezhkkupurrati

7. Parippu Curry

8. Sambhar

9. Pachadi

10. Avial

11. Rasam

12. Neyy

13. Thoran

14. Inji Thayir

15. Sharkara Varrati

• Payasam is a sweet dish that is necessary during these festivities. It is made out of rice, coconut, sugar, and milk.

• Snake boat races, also known as Vallamkali, are particularly associated with Onam dates and time. Hundreds of men get on these massive boats and compete for cash rewards.

• Processions with decorated elephants are a prominent part of the festivities.

• Idols of the Vaman avatar of Vishnu, also known as Thrikkakara appan, are brought and installed at home for worship.

• Dance and music are the highlights of the celebrations during all ten days of the festival.

• Classical dancers painted in black, and yellow, impersonating tigers performing Pulikali dance forms are common during these celebrations.

Astrological Significance of Onam Festival

This festival is a harvest festival that falls each year in the months of August or September as per the Gregorian calendar. However, according to the Malayali calendar, this festival falls in the month of Chingam, that is, the twenty-second Nakshatra. The first day of the festival starts on the day of Atham and comes to a finale on the tenth day that is called Thiru Onam. Apart from this, Thiru Onam marks the beginning of the Malayali calendar, which is also called Kolla Varsham.

Significance of Onam Festival

King Mahabali was a demon king. However, despite coming from the asura clan, he was a benevolent and kind king. Prosperity and abundance reigned supreme under his rule. It was for this reason precisely that his reign is often regarded as the golden rule in the state of Kerala. As a consequence, his homecoming every year is an occasion of celebration across Kerala.

This festival is also celebrated as a harvest festival in India. Rice being the primary crop cultivated in Kerala, this festival celebrates the first harvest of rice each year.

Onam Festival Rituals

The festivities associated with this day are traditionally centered around nature and its many blessings to us in our everyday life. Here are some of the prominent rituals of this festival:

• This festival is perhaps one of the most sacred festivals celebrated in South India. The day is marked by many beautiful and spell-binding rangolis that are made using flowers arranged in intricate patterns. This is known as Pookalam in the local language. These rangolis are designed with creativity within the courtyard of people's homes.

• Lamp or diyas are lighted all around the house to welcome King Mahabali into the house by the worshippers.

• After the devotees have made the rangolis, all the men and women of the house gather around it and sing and dance with fervor and zeal.

• The primary kind of Pookalam is small in size on the first day of the festival. However, with each passing day, an extra layer of flower petals is added to the rangoli, increasing the layers day by day during the festival.

• This process of adding a circle to the Pookalam is continued up until the last day or the tenth day of the festival.

• People gift each other new clothes known as Onakkodi during this festival.

Legend Associated with Onam

As per the scriptures, and especially the Vaishnava mythology, Mahabali was a demon who came to power by defeating the Gods. He took over the reigns of the three worlds by his power and might. As his popularity grew, it irked the Gods, who then sought help from the preserver of the universe, Lord Vishnu, to defeat Mahabali in battle. Lord Vishnu did not want to fight the demon since Mahabali was a staunch devotee of Vishnu. However, the God agreed to help the devtas.

Lord Vishnu incarnated himself as a dwarf Brahmin, who later came to be known as the Vaman avatar among his Dasavatars. He visited Mahabali and asked him to fulfill three of his wishes, given that Mahabali was believed to be so generous. He tricked the king into granting his wish of a piece of land that measured only "three paces."

The dwarf Brahmin then grew in size, covering all that the Mahabali owned in "two paces." Mahabali was a man of his word. With only one pace left, Mahabali offered his head since he no longer had anything to give other than himself. Impressed by the devotion shown by Mahabali, Lord Vishnu granted him the boon to visit the Earth each year once, and it is this annual homecoming of the King that is celebrated with extravagance in the name of the Onam festival.

Since this day has such a huge significance, it is celebrated with a lot of vigor and excitement. People look forward to spending this day to welcome the harvest season with a smile on their faces!