When is Onam 2026?
Thiruvonam — the main Onam day — falls on Thursday, 27 August 2026. The ten-day festival opens on Atham (Monday, 17 August 2026), the Hasta Nakshatra day. In 2026 this beginning is especially auspicious: Atham coincides with Chingam 1, the Malayalam New Year (Kolla Varsham 1202), so the Onam season starts on the very first day of the Malayalam year.
What is Onam?
Onam is Kerala's grandest festival — a harvest celebration that marks the mythical homecoming of King Mahabali, the just and beloved ruler whose reign is remembered as a golden age of equality and prosperity. Celebrated by Malayalis across faiths and around the world, Onam blends thanksgiving for the harvest with elaborate flower art, feasting, boat races and folk performance.
The ten days of Onam
Onam unfolds over ten nakshatra days, from Atham to Thiruvonam. Each day the Pookalam (flower carpet) grows larger and more intricate.
- Day 1Atham
- Day 2Chithira
- Day 3Chodhi
- Day 4Vishakam
- Day 5Anizham
- Day 6Thriketa
- Day 7Moolam
- Day 8Pooradam
- Day 9Uthradom
- Day 10Thiruvonam
Onam rituals & traditions
- Pookalam — intricate floral carpets laid at the doorstep, growing bigger each day.
- Onasadya — a grand vegetarian feast of 20+ dishes served on a banana leaf.
- Vallam Kali — the famous snake-boat races on Kerala's backwaters.
- Pulikali — the vibrant tiger dance through the streets.
- Thiruvathira & folk arts — traditional dances performed by women in the Onam season.
Onam in the Malayalam Calendar
Onam opens the month of Chingam, the first month of the Malayalam year. See every festival, masam and nakshatram for the year on the Malayalam Calendar 2026 — including Vishu, Karkidaka Vavu and all Ekadashi dates.
Frequently asked questions
When is Onam 2026?
Thiruvonam, the main Onam day, falls on Thursday, 27 August 2026. The ten-day festival begins on Atham on 17 August 2026 — the same day as the Malayalam New Year (Chingam 1).
What is Onam?
Kerala's biggest harvest festival, celebrating the annual homecoming of the legendary King Mahabali — marked by flower carpets (Pookalam), the Onasadya feast, boat races and folk dances.
How many days is Onam celebrated?
Ten days, from Atham to Thiruvonam. In 2026 that runs from 17 August (Atham) to 27 August (Thiruvonam).
What is Onasadya?
The elaborate vegetarian feast served on a banana leaf on Thiruvonam day, traditionally with more than two dozen dishes.