Kerala during Onam

Nacozari

Hi any and all Kerala lovers!:

Well, we have decided to take the plunge and go to India, flying into Mumbai at the very end of August, and then to head straight south to Kerala (maybe even flying down, then to work our way up from the bottom by train). We have discovered that we are fortunate enough to be coinciding with the big celebration of Onam in Kerala, which sounds like a special treat! The problem, though, is our lack of knowledge, and the information on the web is not as easy to decipher as one would think. Because we would love to enjoy this celebration as much as possible, any and all advice would be wonderful, please!

First of all, I am not clear on the actual dates and when each event is celebrated. The day of Onam is listed as September 12, but then I see that Onam lasts 10 days in all and that certain boat races are after the 12th.
-When does it actually begin and end?
-Are there certain towns where one should absolutely be on certain days of Onam to get the best experience? (perhaps due to a special event)
-Are there one or two towns in particular which would be good to use as "Onam headquarters" to see all the festivities? (I see many celebrations are in small towns, but many may be close to one larger town and visitable from there)
-What activities are most recommended? (I see everything from boat races to adorned elephants, kathakali festivals, flower decorations, tiger dances, special meals and more)
-Would Keralans be welcoming of foreign tourists during this time? Might anyone invite us to join in the fun with them?
-Does Onam create travel troubles? Such as having all stores closed, restaurants closed, hotels booked up, transportation packed, etc.?

Thanks for any and all help, since it is a lot to figure out and I had never even heard of Onam one week ago. It sounds like a wonderful season in Kerala!

mazha

Think of Onam as kinda like Christmas, with an advent. So you are right about the 10 days and the one day. Onam day is 12th, the day before and after are usually holidays.

The Aranmula snake boat race (big one) is on 16.09.2008.
See here

There is info there about the Payippad race as well, the two venuse are not that far off. The boat race is worth seeing. Alappuzha may be a good central place to stay to attend one of them. The elephant march and Pulikali is in Thrissur, which is further north, not sure when that is.

Onam is a time of family get together, if you know someone personally, they will invite you for the Onam feast.

Most shops would be closed on Onam day, but you should be able to get food and stuff.