SSC
Onam, the harvest festival of Kerala, is celebrated for how many days?
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Answer: Option D — 10 days
Detailed Solution
Onam, the state festival of Kerala, is celebrated for ten days in the Malayalam month of Chingam (August-September). The celebrations begin on the day of Atham and reach their peak on the tenth day, Thiruvonam, which is the most important day.
The ten days of Onam are named after the stars (nakshatras) of the Malayalam calendar: Atham, Chithira, Chodhi, Vishakam, Anizham, Thriketa, Moolam, Pooradam, Uthradam and Thiruvonam. Each day has its own customs. On Atham, the celebrations begin with the Athachamayam, a grand procession at Thrippunithura, near Kochi. The pookalam (floral carpet) laid in front of homes starts small on the first day and grows larger and more elaborate each day. On Uthradam, the ninth day, people buy fresh vegetables and prepare for the feast. On Thiruvonam, families wear new clothes (Onakodi), prepare the grand vegetarian feast called the Onasadya, with more than 20 dishes served on a banana leaf, and believe that King Mahabali visits their homes.
Onam celebrates the homecoming of King Mahabali, the legendary just and generous king of Kerala, who was sent to the underworld by Lord Vishnu in the form of Vamana, but was allowed to visit his people once a year. It is also a harvest festival, celebrating the end of the monsoon and the rice harvest.
The festival includes many cultural events, such as the Vallam Kali (snake boat races), Pulikali (the tiger dance in Thrissur), Kaikottikali or Thiruvathirakali (a dance by women), Kummattikali (a mask dance) and Onakalikal (games). Celebrations often continue for a few days after Thiruvonam.
Why not the other options?
- ✗3 days is the length of festivals such as Raja Parba of Odisha.
- ✗7 days is not the length of Onam.
- ✗15 days is not the length of Onam.
Quick tip
Remember: Onam = ten days from Atham to Thiruvonam, the month of Chingam, the pookalam and the Onasadya.
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Festivals & Fairs of India — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Festivals & Fairs of India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the religious, harvest, tribal and cultural festivals of India, the fairs (melas) held across the country, and the states, communities and seasons linked to them. It also includes festivals listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, such as Kumbh Mela and Durga Puja in Kolkata. Most questions ask which state celebrates a festival, which tribe it belongs to, or what event it marks. Harvest festivals are especially common: Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Onam (Kerala), Bihu (Assam), Lohri and Baisakhi (Punjab) and Nuakhai (Odisha). Fairs such as the Pushkar camel fair (Rajasthan) and the Sonepur cattle fair (Bihar) are also frequently tested. Revise festivals state by state. Practise the festivals and fairs questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.