Onam 2024 - Kerala's harvest festival, Thiruvonam date and 10-day celebration.
| Day | Name (Star) | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atham | 06 Sep | Fri |
| 2 | Chithira | 07 Sep | Sat |
| 3 | Chodhi | 08 Sep | Sun |
| 4 | Vishakam | 09 Sep | Mon |
| 5 | Anizham | 10 Sep | Tue |
| 6 | Thriketa | 11 Sep | Wed |
| 7 | Moolam | 12 Sep | Thu |
| 8 | Pooradam | 13 Sep | Fri |
| 9 | Uthradom | 14 Sep | Sat |
| 10 | Thiruvonam ★ | 15 Sep | Sun |
Onam is Kerala's largest festival, celebrating the homecoming of the mythical King Mahabali (Maveli). It falls during Chingam (the first month of the Malayalam calendar) on the Thiruvonam nakshatra. The 10-day celebration features Pookalam (flower rangoli), Onam Sadya (feast), Vallam Kali (boat races), and Pulikali (tiger dance).
The grand Onam feast served on banana leaves consists of 26+ dishes including sambar, rasam, avial, thoran, payasam, and more. It is traditionally served to all guests and family members seated in rows on the floor.
| Year | Atham (Start) | Thiruvonam (Main) | Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 06 Sep 2024 | 15 Sep 2024 | Sun |
| 2025 | 27 Aug 2025 | 05 Sep 2025 | Fri |
| 2026 | 13 Sep 2026 | 22 Sep 2026 | Tue |
| 2027 | 03 Sep 2027 | 12 Sep 2027 | Sun |
| 2028 | 23 Aug 2028 | 01 Sep 2028 | Fri |
| 2029 | 11 Sep 2029 | 20 Sep 2029 | Thu |
| 2030 | 31 Aug 2030 | 09 Sep 2030 | Mon |
Onam is Kerala's most celebrated festival, observed over ten days from Atham to Thiruvonam in the Malayalam month of Chingam (August-September). It commemorates the mythical reign of King Mahabali, who is believed to return to Kerala during Onam. Thiruvonam, the main day, falls on the Thiruvonam nakshatra of Chingam. In 2025, Onam falls on September 5. The festival is declared a public holiday across Kerala and is observed by Malayali communities worldwide - from the Middle East to North America and Singapore.
Onam traditions include the elaborately laid Pookalam (flower carpet), the Onasadya (a vegetarian feast served on banana leaf with 26 or more dishes), Vallamkali (snake boat races held in backwaters of Alappuzha and Kottayam), and performances of Thiruvathirakali and Pulikali. The Kerala government promotes Onam as "Kerala Tourism Week," attracting over 2 million tourists annually. The festival has been celebrated for over 1,000 years and finds mention in Sangam literature dating back to the 3rd century AD.
This tool lists verified Thiruvonam dates from 2024 through 2028 based on the traditional Malayalam calendar. Planning ahead for Onam travel or family gatherings is easy with accurate multi-year date listings - useful for Keralites residing outside the state who rely on online tools for festival planning.