What are the 10 days of Onam and how is each day observed?

Onam, a harvest festival celebrated across the globe by Indians is coming soon on September 5th, 2025. The 10-day festival is celebrated in the month of Chingam to rejoice the return of King Mahabali through numerous traditional customs, performances and feasts.

Onam is rooted in the mythological legend of King Mahabali, a ruler who was renowned for his generosity and compassion. According to the story, Mahabali was so virtuous that he conquered the entire universe including the celestial realm, however, his excessive pride upon his victory led to him being banished to the underworld by Lord Vishnu. However, to appease the people of Kerala who were saddened by the loss of their king, Lord Vishnu granted Mahabali a boon, allowing him to visit the kingdom once a year to check on his subjects. This annual visit is celebrated as Onam.

Atham is the first day of the ten-day festivities. People begin the day with an early bath and prayers in the temple. A set breakfast is followed consisting of steamed bananas and fried papadam till the tenth day. Families install swings in their houses and begin making pookalam, an intricate floral mat in the front of their abodes in order to welcome King Mahabali. Athachamyam, a grand procession is also carried out on this day to commemorate the royal custom of the king travelling with his entourage to the Tripunithura Fort.

The pookalam whose creation had begun on the first day will be continued by the girls of the family. Additionally, planning and discussion about the big day of Onam also begins from the second day with children adding to the shopping lists, making the festival a time of fulfilment for all.

The third day involves another addition to the pookalam along with shopping trips to the market and the purchase of gifts for the near and dear ones. From clothes to accessories and home décor, people get a variety of things to rejoice the day.

Visakam, the fourth day is observed with women gearing up for preparing the big meal of Onam Sadya. The household joins hands to make various types of pickles and papadams along with other tasks. Girls of the household also add unique creations to the pookalam to elevate their chances of winning the neighbourhood pookalam competition.

Anizham is an exciting day during Onam as people from all around the world visit Kerala to experience the snake boat race event called Vallamkali. The race takes place on the banks of the river Pamba at Aranmula where each boat called a chundan vallam is decorated, with boatmen dressed in a dhoti and a turban.

The sixth day is when people engage in various cultural programmes and social gatherings. People living away from home come back for the festival that is celebrated as the National Festival of Kerala. Also, the size of the pookalam keeps on increasing.

With just two days left for Onam, the houses and streets of Kerala are bustling with exciting energy. On this day, pookalam is made with a new design with kondattam as Lord Mavelli is coming soon.

On Pooradam, devotees create clay idols in the shape of small pyramids called a Ma or Poorada Uttigal. Each idol is decorated with flowers. Also, people take up massive cleaning tasks to make the home neat and tidy for the arrival of the Onathappan.

Some regions of Kerala, begin the festivities of Onam on the ninth day itself. It is a public holiday on the day and people from large families bring produce from their farms to the eldest member of the family. The eldest member receives these gifts called Onakazhcha and treats the people with a grand feast the next day.

The day begins with people wishing a happy Onam "Onashamsakal" to each other. It is on the tenth day that people believe that King Mahabali will visit the house. They get up early, take a bath, make a pookalam and clay mounds in the shape of pyramids representing Lord Vishnu and Mahabali that are later placed in front of the pookalam. At noon, Onam sadya is prepared with 11-13 mandatory dishes, and the eldest member of the family presents others with gifts and new clothes. The day also includes various cultural performances and the bursting of firecrackers.