Festivals

ONAM
Onam, the main festival of Kerala is a celebration lasting 10 days. You find every keralite in a rejoicing mood. Onam in August – September is a celebration of Kerala’s harvest and new year.

Traditional celebration includes the painting of homes, new clothes,the floral decoration of swing and courtyards and dancing to greet the idols of King mahabali, whose legendary rule signifies prosperity. The highlight of the festival is undoubtedly the snake boat races that are held at Kottayam, Aranmula and payipad in the backwaters.

POORAM
The most spectacular of these is Trichur Pooram, the annual temple festival in Trichur. Held in April – May, it includes as a spectacular procession of ten temple deities.
Some thirty caparisoned elephants of a uniform to lead the celebration. A top them sit Brahmin priests under silk pares rough out the day to the accompaniment of ritual music, while devotees make offering of rice and flowers. Following sunset, the spectacle is again enacted, this time accompanied by flaming torches and fireworks, and heralded by the roll of drums. For those who would like to participate in concerts, this the time and Carnatic music recitals.

Deepavali
Deepavali is the festival of Lights. The word 'Deepavali' is made up of two simple words. 'Deepa' means light and 'Avali' means a row. Hence 'Deepavali' means a row of lights. The festival is associated with many legends and beliefs. One of them is to commemorate the killing of Narakasura, a notorious demon, by Lord Krishna.  Narakasura, because of his previous store of virtue, had been granted a boon at the moment of his death. He asked that his death might ever be, commemorated as a day of feasting. Hence Deepavali is known as 'Naraka Chaturdasi'. The fireworks that are burst during Deepavali symbolize the use of fiery weapons used during the war that Krishna waged against the demon.  Amongst the North Indians it is believed that Deepavali is the day on which Sri Ram returned from His 14 years of exile in the forest, after having got rid of various demons who made life hell for the sages and common people. Deepavali symbolizes the victory of good over evil, and it celebrates the triumphant return of Sri Ram to His Kingdom. People rejoice by burning earthen oil lamps  to welcome Sri Ram back to His throne.