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Looking to witness the enchanting beauty of nature and culture? Searching for an answer to “Onam is celebrated in which state?” Both queries have one answer, which is Kerala. God’s Own Country, where your heart will find peace through beaches, greenery, and traditions. And during Onam, it comes alive like never before! This harvest festival is celebrated during August-September to welcome the spirit of King Mahabali and celebrate prosperity in Kerala.
The whole state gets truly abundant with colourful floral designs called ‘Pookalam,’ violent boat races, genuine dances, and delicious feasts. From the serene backwaters of Alleppey to the alleys of Thrissur, Onam sees the spilling out of fun from every niche. Onam is something no history lover, nature lover, or culture buff of Kerala would want to miss! Now, let’s unwrap some of the best places in Kerala during the Onam festival.
A festival full of delight, colour, and tradition, Onam fills the air with joy and togetherness. You will notice flower arrangements blooming everywhere, frantic dancing, and boat races. Everyone wears new clothes and eats together in jolly spirits, with lots of parades and music. The quiet beaches, green fields, and vibrant cities make the Onam festival of Kerala so memorable. So, below are the top places to visit during Onam if you want to truly stay in the spirit of Kerala.
Before discovering the key destinations where Keralities come together to celebrate, let's first discuss the Onam festival and its significance. The festival allows you to truly immerse yourself in the celebrations alongside locals. However, your mind may have stuck you with a question like: What is the Onam festival? and why is it celebrated? The simple answer to your query will be, Onam is a vibrant festival that allows locals to pay homage to their King Mahabali, celebrate Kerala’s rich cultural heritage, and bring families together for a joyous reunion. It is also the best time when people return to their homeland, reconnect with their loved ones, and create lasting memories through traditions and festivals.
After understanding the Soul of Onam, now, let’s discover the top destinations in Kerala that give you a more triumphant experience and how Onam is celebrated there.
Trivandrum is filled with deep history, spirituality, and art. The city blooms during the Onam period, with enormous temple festivals, elegant dance shows, and peaceful pujas at the famous Padmanabhaswamy Temple.
The streets come alive with floral decorations and cultural programs by evening, while the closeness to Kovalam Beach adds to the charm of the celebrations. The local bazaars promote traditional crafts and great Kerala cuisine. In the long run, you'll find a perfect expression of Onem in Trivandrum, united in spirituality and modernity.
A spot that lies between hills and lush greenery is Palakkad, famed for its vast rice fields and ancient forts. Traditionally, these built lands host folk dances, musical concerts, and collective feasting during Onam.
Agriculture-based culture finds numerous expressions in traditional rituals, bright clothing, and local cultural programs promoting Kerala folk arts. The majestic Western Ghats complement a peaceful ambience where one can relax in nature's embrace.
Being the cultural capital, the city of Thrissur is also famed for the legendary Athachamayam parade to mark the start of the Onam celebration in Kerala. The streets see elephants, folk dancers, musicians, and decorated floats parading in a riot of colours.
The air is electric as performances of traditional art forms such as Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, and Koodiyattam fill the ambience. The temples and public places are adorned with beautiful floral decorations, and the local markets are filled with festive delicacies. The vibrant festivities of Thrissur unfold the true spirit of Kerala's rich cultural traditions during Onam.
With enchanting backwaters, Alleppey offers a unique experience for Onam celebration ideas. Float atop a traditional houseboat on calm waters that are framed with coconut woods on one side and, on the other side, with vibrant green paddy fields.
During the festival, boat races, called Vallamkali, fill the calendar of events, where decorated boats compete with one another in a thrilling race. With tremendous energy, the villages on either side dance and sing while grand community feasts, all overshadowed by the picturesque lagoons of Kerala. The aura at Alleppey is fun yet peaceful, making it one of the great places in Kerala during the Onam Festival.
Onam opens the door to so many activities in Ernakulam, famous as a busy commercial centre of Kerala. The streets are decorated with colourful flower carpet designs called Pookkalam. The markets are brimming with traditional crafts, clothes, and delicacies. Cultural programmes comprising a plethora of dance styles are organised, along with concerts featuring traditional and contemporary music styles of Kerala.
Some temples and community halls hold Onam celebrations with giant feasts of tasty Kerala food. It is a lively place full of hope-buzzing life in the cosmopolitan ambience, providing the exhilaration of tradition set in modern comforts for immersing in the festival's spirit.
Well recognised for its deep-rooted traditions and art forms. Onam colours the air with grand Theyyam ceremonies and performances by the divine ritual dance that enchants colours, and with spiritual energy.
Kalaripayattu, the ancient martial art, is introduced to highlight Kerala's rich history. The folk music and dances are performed in the temples, public areas and social celebrations to glorify the joy of the celebration. So exploring Kannur-like places in Kerala during the Onam festival would give you an image of the real traditions that have been handed down through the generations.
Pakalpooram holds great importance for the temple celebration that occurs across temples, including the Thrikkakara Temple of Kerala, on the completion of the harvesting period. The devotees come and savour the great temple procession, where elaborately decorated elephants accompanied by folk dancers and musicians parade down the temple street.
There is a lovely fragrance in the air from the traditional cuisine. The devotees decorate the temple with flowers and pray to God. The festival displays community bonding, gratitude for the harvest, and spiritual devotion. The visit to Pakalpooram will allow you to uncover Kerala's deep-rooted religious traditions and the gathering of community spirit, rejoicing in nature's abundance.
Tripunithura holds a total of 10 days of events for the Onam festival and not to mention, Athachamayam is the most popular and favoured part of the celebration for the people. Tourists from multiple states come to witness the beauty and joy that flows in the city, along with the locals.
A grant feast is organised for 10 days and you even get to experience their traditional art forms. They have colourful floats, folk music like Pandimelam and Panchavadyam, classical dance forms, such as Kathakali and Mohiniyattam and lively arts like Pulikali, Theyyam, Kavadiyattam, etc, that make your trip to the Onam celebration in Kerala filled with memories.
If you wish to view Kerala's Onam special wrestling sport called Onathallu, this would be another good choice to visit during Onam in the Palakkad area. Onathallu, also known as Kayyamkali or Avittathallu, is a martial dance and a semi-contact combat sport that is practised in Kerala during the festival of Onam.
It is quite popular in the regions of central and North Kerala. This special wrestling event is generally carried out on Thiruvonam afternoon after the grand feast of Onasadya, with only two contestants wrestling with each other at a time. They wrestle and exchange blows in attempts to toss down their adversary, and when one is successful at it, he is declared the winner.
Aranmula is famous for the spectacular Snake Boat Races during Onam. These massive boats, known as "Chundan Vallams", race down the Pamba River, which stands for teamwork and the rich maritime history of Kerala. Sounds of traditional music and celebratory cheers beam life into the event from all directions, and boats are decorated with bright umbrellas and intricate designs-an absolute delight for the mesmerised eyes!
The event actually fosters community bonding and pride across the nation. Thus, witnessing the Snake Boat Races at Aranmula is indeed one of the grandest sights an individual can take away from the scenic lake and thrilling tradition of true Onam celebration, which stands as a highlight of Kerala's festival glories.
This year, let's celebrate the Onam festival of Kerala with a unique touch by not just witnessing but becoming a part of this living tapestry of fun and rituals. Ignite your spirit with heartfelt traditions, rhythmic beats and vibrant colours. Onam here in Kerala is not just a festival, it is more like an invitation to rediscover the culture, community and celebration in their purest form. So lock your curiosity, embrace the magic, and create lasting memories with your friends and family with these Onam celebration ideas. The festival has a lot to disclose before it's over.
