Kerala Festivals: Onam, Vishu, Thrissur Pooram, Theyyam, Boat Races

Kerala’s festivals reflect its diverse cultural and religious traditions. Kerala PSC asks 3-5 questions on festivals, especially Onam, Vishu, and temple festivals. This note covers each major festival with the detail required for Graduate Level exams.

1. Onam (National Festival of Kerala)

Overview

Aspect	Details
Month	Chingam (August-September in Gregorian calendar)
Star/Day	Thiruvonam star (most important day)
Duration	10 days (Atham to Thiruvonam)
Significance	Celebrates the return of King Mahabali (Maveli)
Status	Official state festival of Kerala; harvest festival

The 10 Days of Onam

Day	Star Name	Activities
Day 1	Atham	Pookalam (flower carpet) begins; small design with 4-5 flowers
Day 2	Chithira	Pookalam gets bigger
Day 3	Chodhi	Pookalam continues growing
Day 4	Vishakham	Shopping begins; preparations intensify
Day 5	Anizham	Snake boat races (Vallam Kali) begin traditionally
Day 6	Thriketta	Preparations peak
Day 7	Moolam	Celebrations begin in earnest
Day 8	Pooradam	Preparations for Uthradom; clay pyramid “Onathappan” placed in Pookalam
Day 9	Uthradom (First Onam)	Maveli arrives; major shopping day; eve of grand celebrations
Day 10	Thiruvonam (Second Onam)	Main day; Onasadya, Pookalam, games; Maveli visits his people

Onam Celebrations

Element	Description
Onasadya	Grand vegetarian feast served on banana leaf; traditionally 26 dishes (can go up to 64)
Pookalam	Flower carpet/rangoli made in front of houses
Vallam Kali	Snake boat race (most famous: Nehru Trophy Boat Race)
Pulikali	Tiger dance (painted performers); famous in Thrissur
Onakalikal	Traditional games — Talappanthukali, Ambeyyal, Kutukutu
Kaikottikali (Thiruvathira)	Women’s clapping dance in a circle
Onavillu	Musical bow instrument played during Onam
Thumbi Thullal	Women’s dance form
Athachamayam	Grand procession in Tripunithura (marks Onam season opening)

The Legend of Mahabali

• Mahabali (Maveli) was a benevolent Asura king who ruled Kerala
• His reign was a golden age — no poverty, no crime, no inequality
• The gods became jealous; Vishnu took the Vamana (dwarf) avatar
• Vamana asked for three steps of land; grew to cosmic size
• Covered earth and sky in two steps; Mahabali offered his head for the third
• Vishnu pushed him to Patala (netherworld) but granted him permission to visit his people once a year
• Onam celebrates this annual visit of Mahabali

2. Vishu (Kerala New Year)

Aspect	Details
Month	Medam (mid-April in Gregorian calendar)
Date (Gregorian)	Usually April 14 or 15
Significance	Astronomical new year; first day of Medam; spring equinox celebration
Key ritual	Vishukkani (auspicious first sight)

Vishu Rituals

Ritual	Description
Vishukkani	Arrangement of auspicious items (rice, fruits, gold, flowers, mirror, holy text, lighted lamp) seen first thing in the morning
Vishukkaineettam	Elders give money (coins/notes) to younger family members
Vishu Sadya	Special feast
Vishuppada	Firecrackers; one of the first fireworks festivals
Kani items	Golden cucumber (Kanikkonna/Cassia fistula flowers), rice, coconut, betel leaves, coins, mirror, Bhagavad Gita/Ramayana, lighted nilavilakku

Key Facts for PSC

• Kanikkonna (Cassia fistula / Golden Shower tree) is the state flower of Kerala and blooms during Vishu
• Vishukkani must be arranged the previous night by the eldest woman of the house
• The first sight of the day determines the fortune for the year — hence the elaborate arrangement
• Vishu is similar to Ugadi (Karnataka/AP), Gudi Padwa (Maharashtra), Bihu (Assam) — all spring harvest festivals

3. Thrissur Pooram

Aspect	Details
Location	Vadakkunnathan Temple, Thrissur
Month	Medam (April-May)
Star	Pooram star in the Malayalam month of Medam
Started by	Sakthan Thampuran (Rama Varma, ruler of Cochin) in 1798
Called	”Mother of all Poorams” / “Festival of festivals”
Duration	36 hours of continuous celebration

Key Elements

Element	Description
Kudamattam	Umbrella display competition — colourful parasols changed rapidly; signature event
Elanjithara Melam	Percussion ensemble at the Elanjithara (tree); peak of Pooram
Ilanjithara Melam	Over 200 musicians playing Panchavadyam/Panchari melam
Caparisoned elephants	Decorated elephants carrying deity (traditionally 15 per side)
Vedikkettu	Fireworks display — competitive between Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi sides
Two competing sides	Paramekkavu Bhagavathy Temple vs Thiruvambadi Sri Krishna Temple
Processions	Both groups enter and exit Vadakkunnathan Temple grounds

Important Facts

• Sakthan Thampuran unified 10 smaller temple festivals into one grand Pooram
• The participating temples send their deities to “pay respects” to Lord Shiva at Vadakkunnathan
• Thrissur Pooram is NOT a government-managed festival — it is managed by the Cochin Devaswom Board and temple committees
• It attracts over 1 million visitors
• Considered one of the grandest temple festivals in India

4. Theyyam

Aspect	Details
Region	North Kerala (Kannur, Kasaragod districts)
Season	October to May (main season)
Nature	Ritual art form; performer becomes the deity
Number of forms	Over 400 different Theyyam forms
Performed by	Traditionally by people from scheduled castes and other backward communities
Setting	Kavus (sacred groves), temples, ancestral homes

Key Theyyam Forms

Theyyam	Description
Muthappan	Most popular; Lord Shiva-Vishnu combined; accepts all castes
Vishnumoorthi	Fierce form; elaborate costume
Gulikan	Dark-complexioned form
Pottan	Based on the story of Shankaracharya being tested
Muchilottu Bhagavathi	Fierce goddess form
Kathivanoor Veeran	Heroic ancestor Theyyam
Rak tha Chamundi	Blood-red fierce goddess

Unique Features

Feature	Details
Social significance	Lower-caste performers become “gods” — upper-caste devotees bow before them
Costumes	Elaborate face painting (mukhathezhuthu), tall headgear, breast plates
Music	Chenda, Elathalam, Kurumkuzhal
Offerings	Toddy, meat, and blood offerings (unlike most Hindu rituals)
Duration	Some Theyyams last for several hours
No script	Transmitted orally through Theyyam families (hereditary)

5. Boat Races (Vallam Kali)

Major Boat Races

Race	Location	Month	Key Fact
Nehru Trophy Boat Race	Punnamada Lake, Alappuzha	August (2nd Saturday)	Most famous; started 1952; named after Nehru’s visit
Aranmula Boat Race	River Pamba, Aranmula	August-September (Onam)	Oldest; connected to Aranmula Parthasarathy Temple
Champakulam Moolam Boat Race	Champakulam, Alappuzha	Moolam day in Midhunam month	Oldest competitive race (predates Nehru Trophy)
President’s Trophy Boat Race	Ashtamudi Lake, Kollam	November	Started 1952
Payippad Jalotsavam	Payippad Lake, Haripad	Three days in Onam season	Connected to Subramanya Temple

Types of Boats

Boat Type	Description
Chundan Vallam (Snake boat)	100-120 feet long; 100+ rowers; raised stern like a cobra hood
Odi Vallam	Smaller racing boat
Veppu Vallam	Cargo boat adapted for racing
Churulan Vallam	Smaller snake boat variant
Iruttukuthi	Boat with covered area

Nehru Trophy Boat Race

Aspect	Details
Started	1952
Location	Punnamada Lake, Alappuzha (Alleppey)
Named after	Jawaharlal Nehru (who witnessed the race in 1952 and donated a silver trophy)
Main event	Chundan Vallam (snake boat) race
Teams	Various villages/clubs from Kuttanad region
Rolling Trophy	The Nehru Trophy itself

6. Other Important Kerala Festivals

Temple Festivals

Festival	Location	Key Feature
Makaravilakku	Sabarimala	Makara Jyothi sighting; Makaravilakku ceremony on Makar Sankranti
Navaratri / Saraswati Puja	All Kerala (especially palaces)	Books and instruments worshipped; Vijayadashami = start of learning
Arattu	Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Thiruvananthapuram	Grand procession to Shankhumukham Beach
Uthralikavu Pooram	Vadakkancherry, Palakkad	Famous for fireworks
Chettikulangara Bharani	Chettikulangara, Alappuzha	Kuthiyottam ritual (children pierce skin)
Attukal Pongala	Attukal Temple, Thiruvananthapuram	Largest gathering of women for a religious event (Guinness Record)

Non-Hindu Festivals

Festival	Community	Key Feature
Christmas	Christians	Kerala has large Christian population; grand celebrations
Easter	Christians	Church services; special foods
Eid ul-Fitr	Muslims	End of Ramadan; special foods; community prayers
Eid ul-Adha (Bakrid)	Muslims	Festival of sacrifice
Milad-un-Nabi	Muslims	Prophet Muhammad’s birthday

Art Forms Associated with Festivals

Art Form	Festival/Context	Key Feature
Kathakali	Temple festivals	Classical dance-drama; elaborate make-up
Mohiniyattam	Temple and cultural events	Classical dance; feminine grace
Koodiyattam	Temple ritual	UNESCO-recognised Sanskrit drama
Panchavadyam	Pooram festivals	Five-instrument temple orchestra
Chenda Melam	Temple festivals	Percussion ensemble
Ottamthullal	Temple festivals	Created by Kunchan Nambiar; satirical
Padayani	Bhadrakali temples (Central Kerala)	Ritual art with large colourful masks

7. Festival Calendar Summary

Month (Malayalam)	Gregorian Approx.	Major Festival
Chingam	Aug-Sep	Onam, Nehru Trophy
Kanni	Sep-Oct	Navaratri
Thulam	Oct-Nov	Deepavali (minor in Kerala)
Vrischikam	Nov-Dec	Mandala Pooja (Sabarimala season begins)
Dhanu	Dec-Jan	Sabarimala peak; Christmas
Makaram	Jan-Feb	Makaravilakku (Sabarimala)
Kumbham	Feb-Mar	Maha Shivaratri
Meenam	Mar-Apr	Meena Bharani (Kodungallur)
Medam	Apr-May	Vishu, Thrissur Pooram
Edavam	May-Jun	—
Midhunam	Jun-Jul	Champakulam Boat Race
Karkidakam	Jul-Aug	Ramayana month; Karkidaka Vavu

8. Key Points for PSC

• Onam falls on Thiruvonam star in the month of Chingam
• Onam celebrates the return of King Mahabali (not any god)
• Thrissur Pooram was started by Sakthan Thampuran in 1798
• Nehru Trophy Boat Race is held at Punnamada Lake, Alappuzha
• Theyyam is performed in North Kerala (Kannur, Kasaragod)
• Vishukkani is the first sight on Vishu morning
• Kanikkonna (Cassia fistula) is Kerala’s state flower and blooms during Vishu
• Attukal Pongala holds a Guinness Record for largest gathering of women
• Aranmula Boat Race is the oldest traditional boat race in Kerala
• The snake boat (Chundan Vallam) can be 100-120 feet long with over 100 rowers
• Thrissur Pooram’s signature event is Kudamattam (umbrella changing ceremony)
• Theyyam has over 400 different forms
• Pulikali (tiger dance) is associated with Thrissur during Onam