Onam celebrations run for ten days starting with the day of
‘Attam Nakshatram’in the month of chingam which comes between august and
September on the English calendar. Traditionally breakfast for all ten days
consist of steamed bananas and fried pappads. Swings decked with flowers are
hung from high tree branches for children to play on. The flower bed or the
traditional atha-pookalam is started on this day. More circular rows of flowers
are added on the following days of onam. Particular flowers are selected on
each day for specific deities. ‘attachamayam’ is the grand procession that
marks the beginning of onam. This is in remembrance of the former royal
processions and is carried out in full majestic pomp with decorated elephants,
folk art presentations, music and dance. Snake boat races are held on the fifth
day. Thiruvonam is the most important and the final tenth day on which the
legendary king of Kerala is believed to visit his beloved kingdom and the
elaborate onam feasts called ona-sadya are served on banana leaves.
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