Onam 2024: Steps and rituals to celebrate the festival

Onam is a highly significant festival celebrated with great devotion by Malayalees, primarily in Kerala but also among the global Malayali community. This auspicious event is marked by a rich array of cultural activities such as boat races, dance performances, Rangoli creations, vibrant artwork, delicious feasts, and traditional attire. The festival is renowned for its lively and festive atmosphere. This year, Onam is celebrated on September 15, 2024.

Onam 2024: Celebration and Rituals

1. Women in Kerala adorn the east side of their homes with "Pookkalam," a traditional floral design created using fresh yellow flowers. This flower rangoli, or pookalam, is considered a symbol of good fortune.


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2. Vallamkali, or the Snake Boat Race, is one of Kerala’s most renowned traditions and a major attraction for tourists. It features long, narrow boats racing each other, showcasing the region's vibrant cultural heritage.

3. Pulikali is a unique tradition where men paint their bodies to resemble tigers and dance to the rhythm of drums. This colorful and lively performance takes place on the fourth day of Onam.

4. The Onam Sadya is a grand feast where families and friends gather to enjoy a sumptuous meal served on banana leaves. The feast includes thirteen dishes, such as rice, vegetable curry, curd, and the essential sweet dish, payasam. This elaborate meal is typically served on the third day of Onam and is considered incomplete without payasam, a sweet stew made from rice, coconut, milk, and sugar.

5. Kathakali, a classical dance-drama form, is performed during Onam, depicting stories from Hindu mythology. Predominantly performed by men in elaborate costumes, Kathakali is just one of several traditional dances celebrated during the festival, which also includes Thiruvathira, Pulikali, Kummattikali, Thumbi Thullal, and Onam Kali.

6. On the tenth day of the festival, various cultural events and celebrations occur at temples and other places of worship. Elephants are beautifully decorated, and a grand parade is held to mark the occasion.

7. The central event of Onam is Thiruvonam, with the festival also celebrating Avittom and Chatayam as part of the Onam festivities. As part of the celebrations, people prepare for King Mahabali’s departure by clearing the Pookalam and submerging Onathappan clay statues in a river or the sea.