Onam Festival is one of the most important festivals of Kerala or South India. It is a bright and colourful festival that celebrates the bounties of nature and a year of good harvest. The festival stretches on for ten days - days filled with feasting, boat racing, singing and dancing. Rituals along with new clothes, traditional cuisine, dance, and music mark this harvest festival.

Onam is celebrated in the honor of the ancient asura king Mahabali. The occasion also heralds the harvest season. The decorating of houses with carpets of flowers, a sumptuous lunch and songs in praise of the golden reign of Mahabali, mark the ten day long festivities. A major attraction of the Onam celebrations is famed snake boat races along the backwaters at Champakulam, Aranmula and Kottayam.

Celebrations of Onam Festival
River Pampa comes alive with decorated floats and water sports on the eve of Onam festival in kerala. In Trichur, an elaborate procession of artistically decorated and caparisoned elephants is taken out. A huge crowd gathers to watch the procession. Singing and merry-making mark the occasion. Women wear new saris and make elaborate rangolis, pookkalam, in front of their homes.. The celebrations begin 10 days before Thiruonam. The festivities end in a spectacular display of fireworks.

Boat Races
The bank of river Pampa at Aranmulla attracts large crowds for the annual snake boat races. The precincts of the Krishna temple on the river bank reverberate with the shouts of the cheering crowd. Every village along the river owns a boat and has a specialized crew to steer it. Dressed in white dhotis and turbans, they participate in the boat race. The boatmen row their boats with rhythmic movements to the accompaniment of drum beats and special boat songs.