page_title: Onam
section_title: Other customs
hierarchical_section_title: Onam / Celebrations, rituals and practices / Other customs
caption_attribution_description: `Onapottan' - a folk character seen during Onam season specially in North Malabar Region. With the face painted and crown ( Kireedam ) he has a bell in his hand and an umbrella made of Palm Leaves on the other.
context_page_description: Onam is an annual holiday and festival celebrated in Kerala, India. It is also a harvest festival celebrated by all keralates irrespective of religion, whose date is based on the Hindu Panchangam and falls on the 22nd nakshatra Thiruvonam in the Malayalam calendar month of Chingam, which in Gregorian calendar overlaps with August–September. According to legends, the festival is celebrated to commemorate King Mahabali, whose spirit is said to visit Kerala at the time of Onam.
  Onam is a major annual event for Malayali people in and outside Kerala. It is a harvest festival, one of three major Hindu celebrations along with Vishu and Thiruvathira, and it is observed with numerous festivities. Onam celebrations include Vallam Kali, Pulikali, Pookkalam, Onathappan, Onam Kali, Tug of War, Thumbi Thullal, Kummattikali, Onathallu, Onavillu, Kazhchakkula, Onapottan, Atthachamayam, and other celebrations. It is the New Year day for Malayalis.
  Onam is the official state festival of Kerala with public holidays that start four days from Uthradom. Major festivities take place across 30 venues in Thiruvananthapuram, capital of Kerala. It is also celebrated by Malayali diaspora around the world.
context_section_description: People buy and wear new clothes for the occasion of Onam, and this tradition is called the Onakkodi.
  During the Onam, Keralite Hindus install an image of Thrikkakara Appan or Onatthappan (Vishnu in the form of Vamana) in their home just as Hindus install images or murtis of Lord Ganesha on the Ganesha Chaturthi festival elsewhere.
  Many lamps are lit in Hindu temples of Kerala during this celebration. A palmyra tree is erected in front of temples and surrounded with a wooden balustrade and covered with dry palmyra leaves. It is lit with a torch and burned to ashes to signify that King Mahabali went to Patala as a sacrifice.
  The swing is another integral part of Onam, especially in rural areas. Young men and women, decked in their best, sing Onappaatt, or Onam songs, and rock one another on swings slung from high branches.
  Onam season is often associated with creativity as weavers and potters go for excess production to cater to increased demands for their products during the season, especially in North Kerala regions of Kannur and Kasargod. Handloom fairs are an integral part of the spirit of Onam festivities these days.
  In some parts of Kerala, people indulge in various games and dances during and post-Thiruvonam. These are known as Onakkalikal. These include competitions such as Ox races (Maramadimatsaram), Uriyady, food-eating competitions, Pookalam competitions etc.in a special month.
  Kuravans of Travancore use Onam as a day for offering thanks to their ancestral spirits. On Uthradam day, they offer liquor, rice cakes, flattened and parched rice, incense, camphor etc. to the spirits. The ritual ends with a request to the spirits to be satisfied with their offerings, and assured that the next attempt would be better. Then an appeal is made to protect the believers and to ward off evil spirits from their area. This ritual is locally known as kalayam vaikkal. A similar offering like this is done during Makaram harvest, known as Uchara.
caption: Onapottan in traditional costume is a custom in northern Kerala. Onapottan visits houses and gives blessings.[11]
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