Onam is an annual harvest festival celebrated mainly in the south Indian state of Kerala. A popular festival among the Malayalees, Onam falls during the month of Chingam (Leo) and celebrated by people of all religions. Associated with so many traditions, Onam festival is linked with most popular rituals

Day 01 :ARRIVE COCHIN

Welcome to India, Today you will arrive at Cochin International airport. Meet/Assist on arrival and transfer to hotel for check in
At Optional cost: On arrival at the hotel the guest will be welcomed with jasmine garlands and a choice of tropical fruit juices will be served as welcome drink.
Cochin (Kochi) is spread across islands and promontories in a stunning location between the Arabian Sea and the Backwaters. The city was founded in 1341 when a flood created a natural safe port, which became the principal harbour for Malabar Coast’s spice trade. Cochin was on the main trade route between Europe and China. The rulers invited people of various religions to settle here, attracting the Jews and the Christians who built places of worship and their own communities.
Afternoon, proceed for a half day sightseeing tour of Cochin, visiting the Jew Street which is famous for the Jewish Synagogue and Jew Town. Visit St. Francis Church, first European church built in India in the early 16th century and the famed Vasco Da Gama was buried in this courtyard. Thereafter visit the Dutch Palace in Mattancherry. (Jewish Synagogue - Open: 10.00 am –12.00pm, 3.00pm –5.00pm. Closed on Friday /Saturday & Jewish holidays) (Dutch Palace - Open: 10.00am – 5.00pm. Closed on Fridays) Free time in the Jew Street. It is fascinating & vibrant Narrow Street with many shops selling handicrafts, souvenirs, Antiques & Ethnic Garments. Later proceed to Fort Kochi and visit Famous Chinese fishing nets.

At Optional cost: See Fort Cochin on a TUK – TUK ride.

Another element of Cochin’s history that you’ll experience today is an evening Kathakali dance performance. Accompanied by a gong, drums and cymbals, Kathakali performers combine dance and theatre in a ritualistic portrayal of gods and demons. Extravagant costumes, make-up and painted masks make Kathakali visually spectacular, however full performances are not for the faint hearted, usually starting at around 10pm and ending around dawn the next day. We’ll visit an abbreviated performance, which although adapted for tourists – Indian and international alike – still offers real drama and excitement
Return back to the hotel for overnight stay

Day 02 :(Atham):- COCHIN

Breakfast at the hotel
Full day at leisure to enjoy the starting day of Onam Celebrations
Overnight stay at the hotel
Atham is the first day of Onam festivities in the ten-day-long carnival. The day of Atham comes ten days before the asterism Onam or Thiru Onam hence Atham is regarded holy and auspicious by the traditional people of Kerala. To complete the rituals of Atham people take early bath and offer prayers in the local temple. There is also a set breakfast for Atham consisting of steamed bananas and fried pappadam (pappad). This breakfast remains the same till the tenth and the last day of Thiru Onam. A swing decked with flowers is also slung from a high branch and youngsters take great delight in swinging and singing Oonjal (swing) songs. Major highlight of Atham is that people start making pookalam from this day. Pookalam, also called Athapoo, is an intricate floral mat laid in the front courtyard by maidens of the house. This is done to welcome the holy spirit of legendary King Mahabali whose spirit is said to visit Kerala at the time of Onam. In subsequent days more flowers and new designs are added to this pookalam. Selection of flower is also an important matter as a particular flower is selected for each day for a specific deity. Great deal of thought and creativity is employed in the making of Pookalam as girls vie with each other for the best design. A grand procession called Athachamyam is also carried on the day of Atham to mark the beginning of the grand carnival of Onam. The procession is carried out to commemorate the royal custom of the erstwhile state of Kochi when it was customary for the King to travel with his entire entourage to the Thripunithura Fort. Even in the absence of King today, the custom still retains its majestic charm. Elephant processions, folk art presentations, music and dancing make Athachamyam a spectacular event. The procession of Athachamyam is of marked importance at Thripunithura, Kochi.
Enjoy the atmosphere of joy and jubilations in best possible manner

Day 03 : (Chithira):- COCHIN - ALLEPPEY

After breakfast, check out from the hotel and drive to Alleppey.
On arrival, check in at the hotel
Rest of the day at leisure
Overnight stay at the hotel
Chithira is the second day of celebrations in the ten-day-long Onam festivities. There are not any marked rituals for the day but people offer their prayers to evoke divine blessings. For girls the importance of the day lies in the fact they will add new flowers to Pookalam which they started on the day of Atham. So they have to unleash their creativity and think of the most innovative and creative design. Boys of the house will get the job of arranging flowers for the girls. After all everybody wishes to invite Lord Maveli in their own house by making the best Pookalam in the neighborhood. Planning and intense discussions for the big day of Onam begins from this day. Each event is discussed in detail so that nothing remains undone or incomplete. A long shopping list is prepared and children get the opportunity of putting in their long pending demands in the elaborate list. A time for wish fulfillment for everyone!

Day 04 : (Choti):- ALLEPPEY BACKWATER CRUISE

Breakfast at the hotel
Morning at leisure
Later in the afternoon, check out from the hotel and board the houseboat for a cruise
Lunch and Dinner will be served on board
Overnight stay in the houseboat
Third day of the ten-day-long carnival of Onam is called Chothi or Chodi. The day is marked by buzz and lot of activities. Frenzied shopping can be witnessed in the market place all over the state as everybody buys new clothes and accompanying accessories for the grand festival of Onam. Gifts are also procured for everyone in the house including the servants. Some shopping is also done for closed relatives. With the increasing hype for the festival, thanks to the media, shopkeepers too come up with innovative incentives to lure the customers who are in the mood to spend. These days’ even electronic good keepers offer attractive discounts to cash in on the bullish mood of the festivities. Well, there are no set rituals for Chothi. Specific flowers are added to Pookalam on this day too. It may be noted that different types of flowers are added to Pookalam on each day as each flower is devoted to a particular deity. As a result Pookalam increases in diameter on this day and gets a refreshing new design

Day 05 : (Vishakham):- ALLEPPEY - THIRUVALLA

After a leisurely breakfast at the houseboat, disembark from the houseboat and drive to Thiruvalla.
On arrival, check in at the hotel
Afternoon visit the School of Traditional Art “Vijnana Kala Vedi” Providing foreign artists, researchers and culturally oriented tourists with opportunities to become acquainted with the culture and art of India, particularly of Kerala, preserving the traditional arts and crafts of Kerala in their and spiritual context & fostering the artistic education of youngsters in Kerala. It imparts training in the traditional arts like Kathakali, classical dances, classical music, as well as Kalaripayattu. Visit the village famous for the handmade metal alloy mirror “Aranmula Kannadi”. Overnight stay at Thiruvalla
Overnight stay at the hotel
Vishakham or Visakam is the fourth day of the Onam festivities. As the number of days left for the big days are very few now, excitement becomes palpable amongst the people of Kerala. Brisk activities in the market and households can be witnessed on the day of Visakam. Women who have to prepare the elaborate meal of Onasadya on Thiruvonam, gets engaged in the prior preparations on Visakam. Making of various types of pickles and pappadams (papad) besides various other things begins now. Girls engage themselves in making new designs for Pookalam with flowers of different colours and shapes. It is an endearing sight to watch women dressed in their traditional attire working on the Pookalam. They sing and make merry as and at the same time give shape to their creativity. Pookalam designingcompetitions are also organized at various places. These are extremely popular in Kerala and witness a participation of large number of designers and onlookers

Day 06 : (Anizham):- THIRUVALLA

Breakfast at the hotel
Rest of the day at leisure; enjoy the boat race at Aranmula in the Holy River Pampa
Overnight stay at the hotel
Anizham is the fifth day of Onam celebrations. High point of the day is the grand Snake Boat Race event called Vallamkali, which takes place on the fifth day of the Onam. The hugely popular competition happens on the banks of the river Pamba at Aranmulla. A multitude of domestic and international tourists come to witness the colorful spectacle of the race. A large number of long snakes like boats called chundan vallams participate in Vallamkali. Each picturesquely decorated boat is oared by hundreds of oarsmen dressed in the traditional dhoti and turban. Boats are oared on the rhythm of vanchipattu or boat songs. Vallamkali is essentially a team event as a single mistake by an oarsman can lead to overturning of the boat. On the home front, more flowers are added to the Pookalam laid in the front courtyard of the house. Women become extremely busy making preparations for Thiru Onam and a general atmosphere of excitement prevail at this time in Kerala.

Day 07 : (Thriketta):- THIRUVALLA - KOLLAM

After breakfast at the hotel, check out from the hotel and drive to Kollam
En-route, visit a temple without deity
Further, continue drive to Kollam.
On arrival, check in at the hotel. Overnight stay at the hotel
Triketta or Thriketa is the sixth day of the carnival of Onam. A feeling of joy and jubilation can be felt amongst the people of Kerala at this time. Cultural programmes and social gatherings are organised by various cultural societies all over the state. People of all religions caste and creed participate in these events as the festival of Onam has come to be seen as a secular festival. Government of India too celebrates Onam as the National Festival of Kerala. There are no set rituals marked for the day of Triketta. It marks the time for home coming for people staying away from their families for various reasons; Onam is the time for family get together and nobody likes to be away from family and dear ones. Joys of festivities doubles in the company of family members and close friends. On this happy note, Pookalam gets a more beautiful design and fresh flowers

Day 08 : (Moolam):- KOLLAM

Breakfast at the hotel
Rest of the day at leisure or to explore the Kollam beaches
Overnight stay at the resort

Optional cost:-

Full afternoon, try the ancient healing therapies of Ayurveda at own cost
Ancient remedies had been popular and were in widespread use during the period of Vedas in India. We won't get involved in the historical controversy of determining the period of Vedic literature. Vedic literature is undoubtedly regarded as the oldest literature in all over the world. Get familiar with medicinal herbs, natural herbal remedies and various pharmaceutical preparations and dietary items of the old.

AYURVEDA ~ A NATURAL WAY TO PERFECT HEALTH
Ayurveda is a perfect ancient science of life; the word Ayur literally means life and Veda the science or knowledge. Ayurveda briefly explains the knowledge of the do’s and don’ts one has to follow, which favours the well being of each individual to lead a healthy, happy, comfortable and advantageous life both physically, mentally and socially. Ayurveda also emphasizes that prevention is better than cure.
Rejuvenate your body, mind and soul by taking Ayurveda treatment at least once in your lifetime.
Visit the Ayurveda Centre at your hotel for an Ayurveda massage combined with 'Avagham'. 'Avagham' is a half an hour soak in a Copper Tub mixed with various herbs and oils. Ladies have the option of trying out a 'mukha lepam' (Ayurveda face mask with herbs/oils) instead of an Avagham.
The term ‘Ayurveda’ means the knowledge of life. This age-old art not only course diseases but also heals the individual as a whole. It is a holistic natural therapy to prevent diseases, arrest premature ageing & regain good health. No wonder thousands of urbanities visit Kerala’s Ayurvedic Health centers to revive their battered senses.
Moolam is the seventh day of the festival of Onam which continues for ten days. With just two days left for the festival now, enthusiasm grips the state of Kerala. Bright colours of the festivities can be seen in commercial areas of the state where the shops are loaded with goods and people are jostling for a space. There is hustle and bustle everywhere as excited people do their last bit of shipping. What is even more apparent on the faces of millions of people of Kerala is the spirit of joy and happiness. People get the feel that the time to meet their Onathappan has just come. A year long wait is going to be over and there will be celebrations all around. Pookalam is made in a new design with kondattam (gaiety) on this day with the most beautiful flowers. For Maveli is coming and there is mirth all over.

Day 09 : (Pooradam):- KOLLAM - TRIVANDRUM

After a refreshing breakfast at the resort, check out from the hotel and drive to Trivandrum.
On arrival, check in at the hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay at the hotel
Pooradam is the eighth day of the ten-day-long carnival of Onam. The day holds significance in Onam festivities. Devotees create clay idols in the shape of small pyramids called a Ma. As the idol is created on the day of Pooradam, it is also called Poorada Uttigal. Each Ma is decorated with flowers. On Pooradam size of the Attha Poo gets further increased due to an addition of design with a different flower. Hectic last minute shopping takes place at this time as people strives to give shape to their creative plans. Massive house cleaning operation starts as people ensure that everything looks neat and tidy when the Onathappan arrives. People also visit friends and relatives and exchange warm greetings of the festive occasion

Day 10 : (Uthradam):- TRIVANDRUM

Breakfast at the hotel
Later, proceed for a sightseeing tour of Thiruvananthapuram literally means 'the abode of Anantha', the snake God. The main attraction of the city is the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple dedicated to Vishnu (also known as Padmanabha) reclining on the snake Anantha. The imposing gopuram (gateway tower) and intricate sculptures of the temple make it a very popular tourist attraction.
Later visit Napier Museum, an art and natural history museum which houses a collection of archaeological and historic artifacts, bronze idols, ancient ornaments, a temple chariot and ivory carvings. Sri Chitra Art Gallery (Closed on Mondays & Wednesday forenoons) displays the original paintings of Raja Ravi Varma which houses a collection of paintings from the Rajput, Mughal and Thanjore schools. The collection also includes unique copies of Indian mural paintings from pre-historic times down to the 18th century.
Return back to the hotel for overnight stay
Utradam or Uthradam is the ninth and the penultimate day of the festival of Onam. There is jubilation all around as people prepare to welcome the spirit of King Mahabali. In some regions of Kerala festivities of Onam starts in a full fledged way from Utradam itself. It is a public holiday on that day. Some people also call Utradam as the first Onam and the next day Thiru Onam as the second Onam. On the day of Utradam tenants and dependents of Nayar Tarawads (traditional large joint families sharing a common kitchen) bring produce of their farms or the product of their toil to the Karanavar (eldest member of the Tarawad). These gifts from the tenants to the Karanavar are called Onakazhcha. Karanavar greets these people warmly and treats them with a sumptuous meal on Thiru Onam. Village artisans also bring their handicrafts to the Karanavar and are graciously rewarded. Houses are cleaned up on this day and people get charged up to participate in the events to take place on the following day. Pookalam is given a nice design with new and special flowers on this day

Day 11 : (Thiruvonam):- TRIVANDRUM

Breakfast at the hotel
You are at leisure on this day to enjoy the Onam feast & cultural procession with colorful pageantry, caparisoned elephants, percussions, folk and art forms
Overnight stay at Trivandrum
Thiruvonam Aashamsakal ! The enchanting state of Kerala reverberates with the chants of Onaashmsakal, "To everyone, Onam Wishes" as people exchange warm greetings of the occasion on the tenth and the most important day of the carnival of Onam. People believe that it is on Thiru Onam that the spirit of legendary King Mahabali visits the state of Kerala. Activities begin early in the morning. People clean their house, take early bath, wear new clothes and participate in special prayers organized in individual homes and then in local temples. Later a very special and the biggest of all days Pookalam is prepared to welcome Maveli. Clay mounds in the shape of pyramids representing Lord Vishnu and Mahabali are prepared and placed in front of the Pookalam.
In the noon the grand feast of Onam called Onasadya is prepared. The strictly vegetarian meal consists of 11 - 13 mandatory dishes and is served on a banana leaf. The eldest member of the family presents gifts and new clothes to the family members. Various cultural events are organized all over the state to mark the day. Dances, games, shows and get together are the other highlights of the day. Patassu (fire crackers) are also burnt to celebrate the occasion. There are some rituals also marked for the eleventh and twelfth day called Avittom and Chatayam or Chathayam respectively. But the major celebrations get over on the tenth and the most important day of Thiruvonam

Day 12 : DEPART TRIVANDRUM

Breakfast at the hotel
Later in time, you will be transferred to the Cochin International Airport.
Board the flight to your onward destination feeling contented about a wonderful holiday you spent in the “God’s Own Country”.
Note: Our group will be taken where these activities are happening and they can also participate in the same.