Onam 2023, 2024 and 2025
Onam, more fully “thiruvonam,” is a Hindu rice harvest festival primarily kept by Hindus of Malayalam descent.
| Year | Date | Day | Holiday | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 28 Aug | Mon | First Onam | KL |
| 29 Aug | Tue | Thiruvonam | KL | |
| 2024 | 14 Sep | Sat | First Onam | KL |
| 15 Sep | Sun | Thiruvonam | KL | |
| 2025 | 4 Sep | Thu | First Onam | KL |
| 5 Sep | Fri | Thiruvonam | KL | |
| 2026 | 25 Aug | Tue | First Onam | KL |
| 27 Aug | Thu | Thiruvonam | KL | |
| Please scroll down to end of page for previous years' dates. | ||||
The date of Onam Festival varies on the Gregorian Calendar, but it falls sometime in either August or September. On the Malayalam Calendar, it is considered New Year’s Day.
In Kerala state, many Christians celebrate Onam as well, and the festival takes places in churches and with a “Christian spin” put on it. Muslims living in Kerala are told by their leaders that Onam is sacrilegious, but many Muslims keep it in spite of the warnings. To many, it is seen as a cultural event rather than as specifically religious, though it is based on Hindu myths of gods and demons.
Events to look for, should you be in Kerala for Onam, include: “pookkalam” flower arrangements, boat races, tiger dances, cultural women’s dances, traditional music, donning of colourful masks and costumes, martial arts contests, and religious offerings and worship.
Previous Years
| Year | Date | Day | Holiday | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 7 Sep | Wed | First Onam | KL |
| 8 Sep | Thu | Thiruvonam | KL | |
| 2021 | 20 Aug | Fri | First Onam | KL |
| 21 Aug | Sat | Thiruvonam | KL | |
| 2020 | 30 Aug | Sun | First Onam | KL |
| 31 Aug | Mon | Thiruvonam | KL | |
| 2019 | 10 Sep | Tue | First Onam | KL |
| 11 Sep | Wed | Thiruvonam | KL | |
| 2018 | 24 Aug | Fri | First Onam | KL |
| 25 Aug | Sat | Thiruvonam | KL | |
| 2017 | 3 Sep | Sun | First Onam | KL |
| 4 Sep | Mon | Thiruvonam | KL |