Fourth Onam

Onam is one of the elaborate and grand festival celebrated in Kerala. The festival begins on Atham nakshatra and ends on Thiruvonam nakshatra. This Thiruvonam star of Chingam month is celebrated as Onam and the two days of nakshatras Avittam and Sadhayam following Thiruvonam are also celebrated as Third and Fourth Onam. Third Onam and fourth Onam marks the preparations for King Mahabali or Maveli to return to his heavenly glory. It also involves similar celebrations like Onam.

Fourth Onam Date 2023

When people begin the ritual of Pookalam they install statue of Onathappan- Vishnu in the form of Vamana avatar and King Mahabali in the middle of the pookolam. After Thiruvonam these statues are taken with respect and immersed in the nearby water bodies or sea. Pookolam is cleaned and cleared only after the immersion ritual of statues. This immersion is aimed at King Mahabali's ascension to the heaven.

The swing is another integral part of post Onam celebrations, especially in the rural regions of Kerala. Young men and women, dressed their best, sing Onappaattu, or play traditional music, and rock one another on swings slung from high branches of the valleys.

In the Hindu temples of Kerala huge number of lamps are lit during the last day of this celebration, Onam. A palmyra tree is erected on the Atham day in the entrance of the temples, the tree is surrounded with a wooden balustrade and covered with dry palmyra leaves. After 10 days, on the fourth Onam it is lit with a torch lighted from the inner sanctum of the temple after pooja and burned to ashes to symbolise King Mahabali’s return to heaven. There is also a common belief that King Maveli went to Patala as a sacrifice during his encounter with Vamanamoorthy.

In some parts of Kerala, people organise various games and dances during and third&fourth Onam events. These events are called Onakkalikal. These include group competitions such as food eating competitions, Ox races -Maramadimatsaram, Uriyady, and Pookalam competitions

Fourth Onam festival dates between 2019 & 2029

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