Onam falls in the month of Chingam in the Malayali calendar and between August to September in the Gregorian calendar. It is primarily celebrated in the Indian state of Kerala.

Onam is a harvest festival that takes place after the monsoons. It honours the homecoming of King Mahabali, who breathes life through the legends and myths. According to Hindu mythology, King Mahabali or Maveli (in Malayalam) was a part of the demon clan. Despite being from a prejudiced race, his character reflected kindness and admiration. During his rule, the state of Kerala is believed to have been prosperous and happy. He was rumoured to have ruled the heaven, earth, and nether world. The gods were displeased by his power and reign over the three worlds. This discontentment had compelled them to plead with Lord Vishnu to assist in dethroning the cherished King, Mahabali. Lord Vishnu, often referred to as Vamana in Kerala, in his fifth avatar called Vaman, descended the earth and tricked Mahabali into forfeiting his kingdom. However, Mahabali’s warm heart made Vamana bestow a boon upon him to visit his kingdom once a year. And as the legend has it, people celebrate onam to welcome their benevolent king in their homes.

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When is Onam Celebrated in 2024?

Onam 2024 date is set from 5 September, 2024, Thursday to 17 September, 2024, Tuesday. This ten-day festival encourages the state's citizens to embrace their culture and heritage. The entire state is adorned with floral decor and lights. Shipwrights are in business since boats are hyped for the boat-race competitions that are the major attraction of this festival. A state holiday issued by the government after the fourth or fifth day of the Onam festival shows its significance. “Thiruvonam” is regarded as an auspicious day highly anticipated by the native people of Kerala. People apply rice flour batter at the doorsteps as a traditional welcome sign for Thiru Onam. Having a shower, donning new clothes and distributing alms to the poor and needy is a part of their routine. 

Migrants of Keralite origin celebrate Onam in different parts of the world by decorating their houses with flowers and making a pookalam. Onam pookalam is simply a floral rangoli made by arranging flowers in a pattern. The people away from their state similarly celebrate Onam; however, they cannot participate in the exclusive social activities of their hometown. Onam is an occasion of gratitude towards nature’s bounty. They offer thanks and prayers for a good harvest and welcome King Mahabali to their exuberant state. Onam sadhya is mainly prepared on Thiruvonam. Thirteen types of different traditional dishes and four to five varieties of vegetables are prepared. Rice, pickle, papad etc., are served on a banana leaf. This nine-course meal is also served in the Thrikkara temple daily. ‘Payasam’ is a sweet dish cooked from rice, sugar, milk and coconut that is a must-have during the festival.

Don’t forget to send happy onam wishes to family and friends from anywhere around the world. Onam comes around the corner only once a year and brings joy to everyone who lives in Kerala.

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Here are 10 Heartfelt Happy Onam Wishes to Share with Your Loved Ones:

• Happy Onam to you and your family. May King Mahabali bless and fill your home with joy.
• This Onam, I wish you a bright and joyful life ahead. I hope you and your family had a great time. Happy Onam!
• May the spirit of Onam continue within you and make others around you lively and cheerful. Have a happy Onam.
• May this Onam bring you peace, joy, and love. I hope all the right things will find you at the right time. Happy Onam!
• This year, I wish that success follows you in everything you touch as joy lingers with your every move. Happy Onam to you and your family.
• Colourful pookalam, boat races and delicious meals. Here’s sending you my warm wishes and regards. Happy Onam to you and your family.
• It’s time to celebrate the good harvest and the return of King Mahabali. Let’s cook delicious meals and decorate the houses and the streets. Here’s wishing you and your family a happy Onam.
• I hope that this Onam washes away all your sorrows and pain. May you be blessed with happiness, good health, and wealth—a happy Onam, from our family to yours.
• I am sending my heartfelt wishes this Onam. I pray for your good health, happiness, and prosperity. Thank you for being there for me, and I hope to celebrate every Onam in your company. May this Onam bring joy and laughter.
• May your life be filled with immense joy, prosperity, and taste like the abundance of mouth-watering Onam sadhya. I wish you and your family a thrilled Onam.

You can use some of the above wishes to deliver your sincere wishes to family and friends. They can make a good story or caption for your social media accounts. Share your joy and wishes with the people you love. If you are in Kerala for the festival, you can simply engage with the natives and wish them “Onashamsakal”, which translates to ‘Happy Onam’ in Malayalam.

What Are the Terms/Names Used For the Onam Celebration?

Day 1 Atham: The day begins with the people showering early, offering prayers and creating a pookalam or floral decoration on the ground of the entrance to greet the almighty King Mahabali to their homes. Women focus on arranging the flowers into exquisite patterns while men collect the flowers for them. The pookalam made on this day is small and known as Athapoo. The design is kept simple and restricted to yellow flowers. The size of the pookalam grows, and the design becomes complex until the end of the ten-day festival. The grand event of the day has to be the annual procession held at Kochi called Tripunithra Athachamayan. This street parade exhibits traditional art forms of Kerala.

Day 2 Chithira: The second day of Onam is dedicated to cleaning the house and visiting temples. Two layers of orange and yellow flowers are added to the pookalam. Earthen mounds representing King Mahabali are stationed in the courtyards of the houses and public spaces with pookalams.

Day 3 Chodhi: Another layer of flowers is arranged into the pookalam. Markets are the most crowded this day since people indulge in shopping and buying gifts for each other. People can be seen wearing their traditional outfits on the streets. Women wear a Kasavu saree while men dress in mundu (lungi). Pattu Pavadai is worn by young girls setting them apart from married women.

Day 4 Vishakam: From this day, the main festival begins. Women of the house prepare Onam sadhya, which comprises about thirteen to fourteen dishes. It can even go up to 26, depending on the size of the family.

Day 5 Anizham: The traditional boat race called Vallamkali is often held on the fifth day. This competition takes place on the sacred Pampa River. Nehru Trophy Boat Race is one of the well-known races in Kerala.

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Day 6 Thriketa: This day brings families together. Migrant family members return to their ancestral house to celebrate Onam and exchange gifts. Some more fresh flowers are also added to the pookalam.

Day 7 Moolam: On the seventh day, families spend time together and visit each other. A small-sized version of Onam Sadhya is prepared and shared. This meal is regarded as religious and served in Hindu temples.

Day 8 Pooradam: devotees spend time sculpting clay idols in the shape of Ma. Since the sculptures of Mahabali and Vamana are created on Pooradam, they are called “Poorada Uttigal”. The pookalam also increases in dimensions. People clean their houses and visit others to give seasonal greetings.

Day 9 Uthradam: The Onam preparations for the main event are accomplished on this day. According to the legends, King Mahabali arrives in Kerala. People clean their houses and go on a final shopping spree.

Day 10 Thiruvonam: The final day of the festival, completes pookalam with the sculptures of King Mahabali and Vamana placed in the centre of the pookalam. People put on their new clothes and make donations to the unfortunate. When the blue sky slowly fades into the dark, people switch on their light decorations and enjoy fireworks. People perform folk dance and sing music in their mother tongue.

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The festival is celebrated throughout the state, but some regions are more festive than others. To get the best experience, you can visit places like Trivandrum, Palakkad and Ernakulam, where Onam is celebrated grandly. Many handicraft fairs, activities, and competitions are held during the ten days of the Onam festival. Above all, being grateful and wishing one another joy and happiness this onam should be a priority before engaging the worldly side of the festival.