Onam is the most popular festival in the state of Kerala, India. Onam is the official state festival of Kerala. It is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm all over the state by Malayalees regardless of religion, caste or creed. According to a popular legend, the festival is celebrated to welcome King Mahabali, whose spirit is said to visit Kerala in the time of Onam. It also is hindu festival but there is no inequality among cast all cast celebrate it together
Onam is a 10 day long festival celebrated in the beginning of the month of Chingam, the first month of the Malayalam Calendar (Kollavarsham). This corresponds with the month of August to September according to the Gregorian Calendar. Of the 10 days, the first day, Atham and tenth day, Thiruvonam are most important of all.