Onam

Kerala with its multi-culture ethos is a land of colorful festivals. Much of the festivals have now assumed a tourism angle, catering to the visitors’ curiosity. Tourists to Kerala therefore are treated to numerous festivities both religious and social. As festivals reveal the collective cultural mind of a people, this season helps visitors get a peep into the socio-cultural mindset of this great land as no other occasion does.

Onam is the only national festival of Kerala that falls on different dates in August or September. The 10-day fest is also the only pan-kerala festival when all men of all faith participate. It’s essentially a harvest festival-- the days of rest and rejoice after a year-long hard labour.

But, it has, like all other festivals, got a mythical tag that says the just king Mahabali who ruled the land long ago comes visiting his people on Onam Day. Based on this belief, people put up the best of their appearance to make the King’s mind at peace on the wellbeing of his subjects. The festival in fact reveals the socialistic streak in a people who dream of an egalitarian society.

Onam brings out the folk arts in full bloom. Various folk arts, special to Kerala, are staged giving visitors a good chance to learn and enjoy the artistic talents of Kerala populace. Tourists present on Onam days can also witness the famous snake boat races of Kerala; a pageantry beyond words. It is essentially a backwater festival.

Hard labor and long preparations go into boat race fest. Scores of Singing traditional boat songs, the oarsmen, in traditional dress, splash their oars into the water like one man and cruise along like a fish sliding the water-sheets.

Boat Races

The boat festivals of Kerala hold great charm to tourists during Onam festival. This water sports give a visual delight to the visitors most of who return every year to see the unique festival.  Known as “Chundan Valloms” (Beaked boats), these boats are anywhere from 100 to 138 ft in length. With the rear portion towering to a height of about 20 ft. and a long tapering front portion, it resembles a snake with its hood raised.

The vibrant fiestas bring alive the tranquil Kerala backwaters. Today, to give tourists a dekko of Kerala cultural ethos, more than one boat race, known as “Vallom Kali are held during Onam days.

The most important, Aranmula vallom kali  is held in the Kuttanad backwaters. Today the game has brought in fierce competition holding the visitors spellbound for its beauty, pageantry, symmetry and symphony.

The Nehru Trophy Boat Race another great event. This also is held in backwaters of Alleppey district (Punnamada Lake).

The Champakulam Moolam Boat Race is the oldest among the popular snake boat races in Kerala, and is closely connected to the Sree Krishna Temple at Ambalappuzha. The race is held on the Champakulam Lake on Moolam star of Malayalam calendar.

Thrissur Pooram

Thrissur pooram is a Hindu temple festival of Thrissur district of Kerala. Held on the Pooram star day (a calendar day between mid-April and mid-May), this grand spectacle in which more than 50 caprisoned elephants take part and last 36 hours. At least 10 lakh people, and a sizeable number of tourists, assembly to drink in the splendor. The festival is as much to pageantry as to arts and culture, specially those skilled in percussion. At the end an extremely beautiful fireworks lit up the morning sky.
Vishu, Mahashivaratri, Navarathri, Ashtami Rohini, Trikarthika, Thiruvathira, are other Hindu festivals. Numerous local temple festivals are held throughout the year, and a visitor would never miss on them.

Of particular interests for guests would be snake worships held at Mannarassala in Alleppey district and several localized such festivals held in very many sacred groves spread over the state.

Of Christian festivals, the universal Christmas and Easter are of course at the forefront. Others of lesser importance are: St.George's Church, Edathwa - 27 April to 7th May
St.Sebastian's Church, Arathungal - 20th January to 31st January
St George's Church, Aruvithura - 22nd to 24th April
St Thomas Shrine, Malayattur - Last week of March or first week of April
St Mary's Orthodox Church, Manarcad - Sepember 1st to 9th
Maramon Convention.
Bakrid, Idul Fitr, Milad-e- Sherif, Moharrum, Bheemappally Chandanakudam, are major Muslim festivals.

Sabarimala festival

The Sabarimala temple, a famous hillsthrine conducts ist festival during the months of November-January. this is a pilgrimmage shrine where millions come to pay obeissance to Lord Ayyappa. The miraculous appearance of a "festival bird" on the last day of the festival (usually January 14) is an intriguing occurance many tourists capture in their camera.