Onam is often described as Kerala’s festival of equality and abundance. But beneath the popular narrative of Onam, lies a festival that’s shaped by diverse communities, rituals, cultural heritage and memories of the past.

Travel across Kerala, and Onam takes different forms. In North Malabar, it arrives at the doorstep as Onapottan, a silent ritual figure associated with Mahabali who visits households during Uthradam and Thiruvonam. Apart from the famous song ‘Maveli Nadu Vaneedum Kaalam’, the festival is marked by the sound of Onavillu. It’s a stringed folk musical instrument from Kerala. In other regions, Thuyilunarthupattu brings Onam into the home through song and percussion, while Onathallu turns the festival into a martial arts contest. The festival also lives through craft traditions: from Kasavu weaving and the handloom clothing associated with Onam, to the many local practices of making, performing and remembering the festival. 

These are not simply lesser-known customs surrounding a single, uniform festival. They point to the different ways in which Onam has been understood and carried forward.

Even the story of Mahabali has travelled through different cultural contexts, acquiring new meanings along the way. What is remembered as a story of prosperity and equality can also open questions about caste, community, power and whose histories are represented in the telling of Onam.

Perhaps, then, the more interesting question is not what Onam is, but:

Whose Onam are we talking about?

Pathonam is an exploration of this diversity. Moving beyond the most familiar narrative, this special project produced under ARPO, looks at the cultural practices and histories that often remain outside the popular imagination of Onam.

The documentary will be released on YouTube on 25th August, 2026!