Onam is the most important national festival of Kerala, falls in the month of Chingam. It is the harvest festival of Kerala. There are several legends regarding its origin. The most popular legend is that Mahabali, the legendary king who ruled over Kerala in an age of plenty and was pushed down to the infernal regions by Lord Vishnu in the form of Vamana, returns to see his people once a year. The celebration of Onam as a national festival was taken up on Government initiative in Kerala in 1961.The celebrations start formally on the day of Atham asterism. Onam has certain social aspects. It provides an occasion for the family get-together for the Keralites. The head of the family presents clothes as gift (Onapudava) to the junior members, servants and tenants. There are certain recreational and other aspects associates with the festival. Karadikali, pulikali, Kuttiyum kolum are some of the major recreational events performed by the people on the Onam occasion.
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