ONAM
Onam is a festival peculiar to Kerala, celebrated by people of all religion and caste. There are many beautiful stories about this festival. The most commonly believed among the Onam related legends is that of King Mahabali. According to legend, the state's most colourful festival, Onam celebrates the golden age of King Mahabali, the mythical ruler of Kerala. The festival is to welcome the spirit of King Mahabali, and to assure him that his people are happy and wish him well. The myth goes like this :

The famouse Kerala Snake-boat race

Drummers during Onam

It is believed that the people of the region were extremely happy and content during his rule. So much so, that the gods got envious of him and asked Lord Vishnu to take away his kingdom. Lord Vishnu disguised as a Brahmin dwarf Vamana, asked the King for three steps of land, which he readily granted. Vishnu then shed his disguise and covered the earth and heaven in two steps. For the third, King Mahabali offered his head. However, before putting his foot on Mahabali's head, Lord Vishnu granted the King's last wish, that he be able to visit his kingdom once every year. It is to welcome Mahabali back to his kingdom that Onam is celebrated with such joy.

After three months of heavy rains, the sky becomes a clear blue and the forests a deep green. The brooks and streams come alive, spouting a gentle white foam, the lakes and rivers overflow and lotuses and lilies are in full bloom as if to welcome the spirit of the King. It is time to reap the harvest, to celebrate and to rejoice.

Depending on the positioning of the stars and the moon, the festival is held at the end of August or beginning of September, less than a fortnight after the Malayalam New Year, Chingam begins. This is the biggest festival of the southern Indian state of Kerala.