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Onam Festival - 5 To 15 Sep 2024

Onam - The Harvest Festival is celebrated from 05 to 15 September 2024 to honor King Mahabali who visits “Kerala” at the time of Onam. Kerala opens up with an entirely new world of an exotic taste, exquisite fragrances, and an enchanting display of beauty for the tourists when Onam is being celebrated. The festivities and celebration at the festivals make your soul and body dance with the exciting beats of music. Onam is celebrated as a harvest festival and celebrations in Kerala include Sadhya, Thiruvathira Kali, Pookalam, Ona-thallu, Pulikali, Onavillu, and welcome songs for King Mahabali. Onam festival lasts for ten days, and during these ten days, it represents a remarkable and amazing display of the culture and beauty of Kerala. Thiruvonam is celebrated on 15 September 2024. Intricately designed Pookalam, aromatic Onasadya, spectacular snake-boat race, and enticing Kaikottikali dance are the most prominent and remarkable festivities at Onam.

There is an ancient Onam story associated with this vibrant festival. King Mahabali was an Asura emperor who used to rule Kerala in ancient times and was the public's favorite as he was very sensible, vigilant, and extremely good with his people. Legend has it that, the sovereignty of King Mahabali was a golden era for Kerala.

Due to Mahabali's increasing fame and popularity, Gods got furious and envious. Their own supremacy was at stake, and they started thinking about the strategy to overpower Mahabali. As per folk tales, Mahabali was very kind and charitable. Anyone who asked him for help or anything was always helped out and granted. To test the generous king, Lord Vishnu masked himself as a needy dwarf brahmin named Vamana and requested for some portion of land from Mahabali.

The generous Mahabali agreed on giving him his desired land. The Brahmin demanded the only piece of the land that would be covered in Brahmin's three footsteps. Mahabali got surprised but agreed. As soon as Mahabali decided to fulfill his promise, Vamana expanded his body to gain the size of galactic proportions. He covered the entire earth in the first step, skies in the second step, and then inquired the emperor where to step up next. The emperor with folded hands, bowed his head before him and asked him to put the third foot on his head.

The Brahmin stepped on emperor's head, which thrusted him underworld (Patala).The kind ruler was extremely attached to his empire and his people, so he requested to be permitted to come to his empire once every year. Lord Vishnu was greatly moved by the king's nobility and granted the wish happily.