Onam
| Onam | |
|---|---|
The pookkalam is an Onam tradition. | |
| Official name | Onam, Thiruvonam[3] |
| Observed by | Malayalis |
| Type | Harvest festival[1][2] |
| Observances |
|
| Begins | Chingam (siṃha) masam, Atham (hastā) nakshatram |
| Ends | Chingam (siṃha) masam, Thiruvonam (śrāvaṇa) nakshatram |
| Date | Multi-day |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Related to | Balipratipada |
Onam (IPA: [oːɳɐm]) is an annual harvest and cultural festival[4][5] celebrated mostly by the people of Kerala and is traditionally associated with the legend of the benevolent Asura King Mahabali, who once ruled Kerala, returning each year to visit his people.[6][7][8] A major annual event for Keralites, it is the official festival of the state[7][9] and includes a spectrum of cultural events.[10][11][7][12] Although rooted in Hindu mythology, it is harmoniously celebrated by people of all communities in Kerala.
In 1961, during the tenure of Chief Minister Pattom Thanu Pillai, Onam was officially declared the national festival of Kerala. However, in the following year, large-scale celebrations were curtailed due to the Indo–China War. Despite this interruption, the government’s declaration marked a turning point, and from then onwards Onam gradually developed into a grand public festival celebrated across the state and among the Malayali diaspora.[13]
- ^ Ann Morrill (2009). Thanksgiving and Other Harvest Festivals. Infobase Publishing. pp. 46, 49–50. ISBN 978-1-4381-2797-2.
- ^ Chopra, Prabha (1988). Encyclopaedia of India. p. 285.
Onam – Most important festival of Kerala; held in Chingam (August–September)
- ^ Government of Kerala Archived 8 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine, Official Holidays 2017
- ^ Singh, Mahendra (2006). Dalit's Inheritance in Hindu Religion. Delhi: Gyan Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-7835-517-7.
- ^ McLeod, John (15 November 2019). Modern India. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. ISBN 979-8-216-11861-9.
- ^ Kurup, A.M. (1977). "The Sociology of Onam". Indian Anthropologist. 7 (2): 95–110. ISSN 0970-0927. JSTOR 41919319.
- ^ a b c Cush, Denise; Robinson, Catherine; York, Michael (2012). Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Routledge. pp. 573–574. ISBN 978-1-135-18979-2.
- ^ Mahabali comes calling Archived 22 August 2023 at the Wayback Machine, The Hindu, Neeti Sarkar (5 September 2014)
- ^ Ali, Subhashini (31 August 2020). "Despite Sangh Efforts to Project it as 'Hindu' Festival, Story of Onam Prevails in Kerala". TheWire. Archived from the original on 12 August 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
- ^ M. Nazeer (10 August 2010). "The abiding lore and spirit of Onam". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 22 August 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
- ^ Peter J. Claus; Sarah Diamond; Margaret Ann Mills (2003). South Asian Folklore: An Encyclopedia. Taylor & Francis. p. 454. ISBN 978-0-415-93919-5.
- ^ Hospital, Clifford (1984). The Righteous Demon: A Study of Bali. University of British Columbia Press. ISBN 978-0-7748-0187-4.
- ^ "Onam Celebrations". Kerala Tourism (Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala). Retrieved 26 August 2025.