Onam is a festival that is celebrated in Kerala in the Malayalam month of Chingam every year. The festival celebrates the annual visit of the noble demon king Mahabali from Pathalam (the underworld).
According to legend, the reign of King Mahabali was considered a golden era for Kerala. The people were happy and the land was prosperous. The king was loved and respected by one and all. This lead to the Gods becoming jealous of him. They took their complaint to Maha Vishnu and claimed that Mahabali was being revered almost as much as Indra.
Since a world with two Indras represents imbalance, Mahavishnu assumed the form of a dwarf: the Vamana avatar and visited Mahabali. Lord Vishnu asked King Mahabali the land that would be covered by three of his steps. The king accepted only to have the dwarf grow so tall as to one step covered the earth, the second the heaven. For the third step, Mahabali humbly bowed his head and asked Maha Vishnu to place it on his head.
However, Mahabali, through his generosity gained Maha Vishnu's blessings and gets to visit his people on an annual basis. Mahavishnu serves Mahabali as a gatekeeper in the world of Pathalam as the Lord himself serves his greatest devotees.
It is this visit of Mahabali that is celebrated as Onam every year.
The celebrations of Onam start on Atham day, 10 days before Thiruvonam. The 10 days are part of the traditional Onam celebrations and each day has its own importance in various rituals and traditions.The ten days of celebration are known as:
1. Atham
2. Chithira
3. Chodi
4. Vishakam
5. Anizham
6. Thriketa
7. Moolam
8. Pooradam
9. Uthradom
10. Thirvuonam
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