Kerala Celebrates Onam with Joy and Celebration

• Kerala people gather at homes to celebrate Onam, a secular festival evoking a utopian pastoral past.
• Activities include gifts, group games, new clothes, floral decorations, fireworks, house visits, and traditional spread served on banana leaves.
• Clubs and resident associations revive conventional games and organize feats of strength competitions.
• In Thiruvananthapuram, the historic Kanakakunnu Palace hosts flashy and modern Onam celebrations.
• The festival temporarily erases the blues of the Wayanad landslides that shocked Kerala in July.
• Onam has evolved into a secular national festival and cultural holiday for Kerala people.
• The festival has helped the Malayali diaspora establish their cultural identity in foreign lands.
• Expats use the occasion to showcase their linguistic, culinary, and societal uniqueness.