What is onam?
Onam is the biggest and most important festival of Kerala. It is also a harvest festival and is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm by people of all communities. According to a legendary popularity, the festival is celebrated to welcome King Mahabali whose spirit is said to visit Kerala at the time of Onam. Onam is celebrated in the first month of chingam which is from August to September that is in the gregorian calender. Carnival of the festival is celebrated from 4 to 10 days. The first is Atham and the 10th is Thiruvonam. Elaborate feasts, folk songs, energetic dances, elephants, flowers and boats, all are part of onam. Government has taken due notice of the vibrant and colourful festival. Onam is internationally promoted in a big way and celebrates tourist week. Thousands of domestic tourists and foriegn tourists come to India to take part for onam. There is also a tradition to play games which we call onamkalli. On the ocassion of onam ladies draw a flower shaped ...