Onam - (Festivals in India)

Bakri-Id - Festival of Sacrifice - Muslim
Buddha Jayanti - Buddha's Birthday - Buddhist/Hindu
Diwali - Festival of Light - Hindu
Dussehra or Dusshera - Lord Ram - Hindu
Guru Nanaks Birthday
Holi - Festival of Colour - Hindu
Kumbh Mela - Festival of the Pot -Hindu
Meelad-Id - The prophet Muhammed's birth and death - Muslim
Onam - South Indian celebration of good over evil - Hindu
Rakhi - Sibling closenes - Hindu/Many

Onam

One of the best known regional festivals of Kerala, Onam is celebrated by all Keralites irrespective of their religion to celebrate the return of King Mahabali, the kind demon king who once ruled the land. According to the legend, Lord Vishnu decided to test King Mahabali's charitable nature and presented Himself as a poor child Brahmin known as 'Vamana' to the King and requested for three feet of land to live. The kind king was surprised but agreed to give the land from wherever he wishes. Vamana then began to grow and covered the whole earth by one foot and the heaven with his other foot. King Mahabali readily offered his head as a place for the third foot. This won him the favor of Vishnu, who gave him the kingdom of Pathala and the honour of visiting his kingdom, Kerala, once a year to see his people at Onam.

The festival is ten-day long and falls in the month of Chingam (according to the Malayalam calendar) and is celebrated with much pomp and gaiety. People decorate their homes with fresh flower mats known as 'Pookalam' to welcome the King Mahabali. They wear new dresses; visit the temples to offer their prayers to the Gods and performing traditional dances such as Thiruvathirakali and Thumbi Tullal. There is a grand lunch called 'Sandhya' on the Thiuruvonam, the fourth day of Onam, which is considered very important and absolutely essential. The ten days are meant for feasting, boat races, songs, dances and elephant processions to welcome their king.