Happy Onam to my brothers and sisters in Kerala! Well, now tell me what is it all about?

Asura King Mahabali was ruling Kerala and during his period everyone was happy. There was no cheating, no stealing, no lying, no poverty every body were equal, and his subjects were so happy. He arranged for Aswametha Yaaga. Then the Devas got jealous on him and reported the matter to Lord Vishnu. Vishnu took the avatar of Vamana, one of ten avatars, and approached King Mahabali and asked him 3 feet of land as free (daanam, generally giives to brahmins by Kings). Mahabali agreed and asked him to take 3 feet of land from wherever he wanted to. Then Lord Vishnu grown gigantically and measured the upper world as one foot, the earth as another foot and he find no place to measure as third feet. Then King Mahabali bowed before him and asked to measure his head as third feet. Vamana kept his feet on the head of King Mahabali and pushed him Paathala world (The world below earth). The King Mahabali requested Vamana to give him chance to visit his subjects once in an year and Vamana agreed and permitted King Mahabali to visit his subjects on Thiruvonam day of Chingam Month ( A Malayalam month). Accordingly, it is believed that Mahabali visits his subjects every year on Onam day.

Onam is the Harvest festival of Kerala. and many believes it is the homecoming of King Mahabali

The story behind onam is also as told by Sasi.

further readings of celebration can be in the links below.

Pon onam to you.