Onam Festival:

Onam A harvest celebration
Onam is an annual Hindu festival that takes place between August and September and lasts ten days. Onam is celebrated as the state festival in Kerala, India's southernmost state. It celebrates New Year's Day and is also known as a harvest celebration. While it is primarily a Kerala holiday, localities in other states such as Uttar Pradesh (Balia and Baway), Gujarat (Bharuch), and Maharashtra recognise its significance, and Malayalis or Keralites around the world celebrate from a distance. As with many other Hindu holidays, there are numerous legends about why a certain event happens and what its religious significance is. The most common story is about King Mahabali's dedication and sacrifice.

King Mahabali and the Three Steps
For many, Onam marks the entrance of King Mahabali, a young boy who was Prahalad's grandson, a devout follower of Lord Vishnu, and one of the inspirations for Holi. King Mahabali acquired power and control by battling the gods and conquering the three worlds (heaven, earth, and sky). When the gods were beaten, they asked Lord Vishnu to help them fight King Mahabali, but Lord Vishnu declined because the King was a faithful devotee and a fair leader to his people.
While King Mahabali was a wise and informed ruler who valued education and was known for his benevolence, Lord Vishnu decided to test the King's devotion at an appropriate time. One day, as King Mahabali was doing a yagna (a kind of Hindu ritual), a youthful, joyful, and little kid named Vamana approached him and asked for land that would span three of his steps. Sage Shukrachayra, King Mahabali's teacher, informed him that the young boy was Lord Vishnu in disguise and advised him against making the request, but King Mahabali ignored him and granted the youngster's wish.
As soon as King Mahabali agreed to Varmana's request, Lord Vishnu transformed into the giant form known as Trivikarma (Sanskrit translation, "having three steps") and amassed the entire world, including King Mahabali's realm, with the first stride of his foot. With the second stride, he accumulated the entire sky. Lord Vishnu then asked King Mahabali where he should lay his foot at the third step. The King happily donated his head, demonstrating his complete love, surrender, and allegiance to Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu honoured King Mahabali and sent him to a separate loka (planet), acknowledging his selflessness and generosity.
At the request of King Mahabali's people, Lord Vishnu granted him permission to return to his country once a year to be among

Symbolism of Onam
Many joyful parts of Onam provide lasting images of the ten-day festivities.

POOKALAM
Pookalam are complex floral displays comparable to rangolis, but are generally more elaborate and grander in size as they build layer by layer.over eleven days. Most pookalams have ten rings of flowers, with the centre made out of yellow flowers to represent King Mahabali. When finished, a miniature umbrella is sometimes put over it to protect it from the elements.

VALLAMKALI BOAT RACES
The Vallamkali Boat Races are also known as the Snake Boat Race. According to legend, the boats were intended to safeguard food being transported to the temple from river pirates, and they are now a famous Onam attraction since the boat riding competitions feature stunning decorations with diverse patterns.

ONATHALLU
Onathallu is a benign martial technique practiced with bare hands that originated in Kerala. During Onam, an Onathallu is performed to commemorate the war against treachery and power.

PULIKALI
Pulikali refers to artists dressed up in body paint as tigers or leopards and dancing around the streets to the beat of traditional instruments. The dancers, who usually wear masks, imitate tigers and leopards while the crowd cheers them on. This folk painting depicts the hunter hunting the tiger, who is agile, aggressive, and combative.