Kathakali dancers performing in Kerala, India

© Sunil P.S/Shutterstoc

The festival of joy and happiness. Onam festival

Onam, the most revered and celebrated festival of Kerala, is celebrated every year by the Malayali community across the world. The 10-day long festival marks the beginning of harvest season as well as the appearance of the Vaman avatar of Lord Vishnu along with the homecoming of King Mahabali. This year, the harvest festival began on August 30 and will conclude on September 8.

The festival witnesses the performance of unique and unparalleled Kathakali dance, wherein dancers enact characters from various ancient Indian legends. 'Katha' means story and 'Kali' means dance. As the name suggests, Kathakali is a beautiful amalgamation of dance and drama. More precisely, Kathakali is a harmonious blend of five forms of art namely, Sahithyam (literature), Sangeetham (music), Chithram (painting), Natyam (acting), and Nritham (dance).

Kerala opens up with an entirely new world of an exotic taste, exquisite fragrances, and an enchanting display of beauty for the tourists when Onam is being celebrated. The festivities and celebrations at the festivals make your soul and body dance with the exciting beats of music.