Onam 2020 image: Onam is a ten-day harvest festival in Kerala
Onam 2020: Onam, the harvest festival, is being celebrated in Kerala. The ten-day festival began on August 22 and will conclude on September 2. The main celebrations are on August 31, the Thiru Onam day. This year celebrations in Kerala are low-key due to the coronavirus pandemic and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said, people should celebrate Onam at home and use locally available flowers for the traditional floral carpet in view of the COVID-19 situation.
Mr Vijayan also gave directions to the police to strictly implement the protocols. "Police should ensure that social distancing is maintained by the people who go out for Onam shopping. No public celebrations should be allowed," Mr Vijayan said.
On Onam, people in Kerala decorate their houses with pookalams - an arrangement of flowers; wear new clothes and of course have a special meal called the Onam Sadya, which includes 20-25 items, traditionally served on a banana leaf.
Onam 2020 date: The 10-day festival is from August 22 - September 2. Here is a pookalam (flower) design
Onam commemorates the return of mythical demon King Mahabali to see his subjects at the beginning of Chingam, the first month of the Malayalam calendar.
King Mahabali is traditionally welcomed with a carpet of flowers, or the pookalam, in front of houses, On Thiru Onam, it is believed that King Mahabali visits to people's homes.
The Kerala government on Thursday began distribution of special Onam food kits to ration card holders. These food kits will be distributed until August 29. It includes a total of 11 items including sugar, jaggery, green gram, coconut oil, chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, sambar powder, etc, " a shop owner in Thiruvananthapuram told news agency ANI.
Wish you safe and Happy Onam 2020!