Onam, the grand harvest festival of Kerala, peaks on its most important day — Thiruvonam — which falls on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. The ten-day celebration begins on Atham (August 17, 2026) and builds to Thiruvonam. Watch the time tick down on our live Onam countdown.
When is Onam 2026?
Onam follows the Malayalam calendar and is set by the Thiruvonam star (nakshatram) in the month of Chingam, which usually lands in late August or early September. In 2026 Thiruvonam is August 26. The festival runs across ten days — from Atham to Thiruvonam — with the final days the most elaborate.
The story of King Mahabali
Onam celebrates the yearly homecoming of the mythical King Mahabali, a benevolent ruler whose reign is remembered as a golden age of prosperity and equality in Kerala. According to legend, Lord Vishnu in his Vamana avatar sent Mahabali to the netherworld but granted him a boon to return and visit his people once a year — and Onam is that joyful welcome.
How Onam is celebrated
- Pookalam — intricate flower carpets laid at doorways, growing larger each day.
- Onam Sadya — a lavish vegetarian feast of many dishes served on a banana leaf.
- Vallam Kali — the famous snake-boat races on Kerala's backwaters.
- Pulikali — the colourful tiger dance through the streets.
Count down to Onam
Open the live Onam 2026 countdown for the exact days and hours to Thiruvonam, browse more festival countdowns, or create your own countdown to share with family.