From Rituals to Rhythms – The Role of Music in Onam Celebrations

Onam is Kerala’s biggest harvest festival - ten days of ritual, food, and public celebration that usually falls in Chingam (Aug–Sep). It opens with the Athachamayam procession and culminates on Thiruvonam, when homes are decked with pookalam (flower carpets) and families gather for the Onasadya feast. Music and rhythm run through every stage - at home, in temples, and on the streets - turning Onam into a living soundscape.



The core sound of Onam: Kerala’s percussion and song traditions

Panchavadyam: five instruments, one heartbeat

A classic temple ensemble, Panchavadyam blends five instruments—timila, maddalam, ilathalam (cymbals), idakka/edakka, and kombu—into a rising, mathematically structured crescendo. You’ll hear it at temple courtyards and public stages through the season.

  • Maddalam: barrel drum that powers the bass layer.
  • Ilathalam: hand cymbals that lock the pulse.
  • Edakka (idakka): pressure drum capable of melody-like inflections.
  • Kombu: curved natural brass horn that calls and answers the drums.

Chenda Melam: thunder in motion

Chenda, the cylindrical drum held vertically and struck with sticks, drives Kerala’s most iconic percussion orchestras (melam). Large chenda ensembles are a staple across festival grounds during Onam, powering processions and cultural shows.

Thiruvathira pattu: women’s voices around the lamp

In homes and community halls, women perform Thiruvathirakali in a circular formation, singing Thiruvathira pattu—songs of devotion and grace—often around a nilavilakku (traditional lamp). The form is closely linked with Onam festivities and Kerala’s cultural memory.

Onappattu: songs of Maveli and homecoming

From classics like “Maveli Naadu Vaanidum Kaalam” to curated playlists, Onappattukal score pookalam-making, feasts, and friendly competitions, keeping the festival mood alive in homes and public programmes.

Where rituals meet rhythm during Onam

1) Athachamayam: the opening parade

On Day 1, Athachamayam in Thripunithura launches the season with a grand procession of folk art forms, musicians, and traditional pageantry—an instant masterclass in Kerala’s visual and sonic culture.

2) Pookalam & Onasadya at home

Families create floral carpets to the backdrop of Onappattu and light percussion, turning living rooms into intimate stages of song and storytelling.

3) Pulikali: the tiger dance of Thrissur

A bold street spectacle where performers painted as tigers dance to pounding drums—Pulikali shows how rhythm organizes crowd energy and movement during Onam week.

4) Thiruvathirakali evenings

Community stages host Thiruvathirakali performances with live or choral singing. The claps, steps, and lilting refrains create a gentle counterpoint to the thunder of the melams.

5) Vallamkali & Vanchipattu

Boat races are the kinetic face of Onam, and Aranmula Vallamkali is among the most revered. Crews row long snake boats in perfect unison to Vanchipattu (boat songs), where the lead singer sets tempo and emotion while hundreds answer in chorus—an unforgettable fusion of muscle, melody, and faith.

Onam in today’s sound: folk roots, fresh voices

Kerala’s rhythms continue to inspire new work across film, indie, and stage. Contemporary releases often blend chenda, edakka, and kombu with modern production, taking festival energy to headphones and global playlists. A recent example is “THUZHA – Aranmula Malayalam Onam Song (2025)”, a creative homage to boat-race cadence and Onam’s community spirit.



How to experience the music of Onam (practical tips)

1. Arrive early for Athachamayam in Thripunithura to hear live melams and folk troupes from close quarters.

2. Plan a Vallamkali day—Aranmula’s race is devotional in tone; listen for the call-and-response of Vanchipattu as boats take the bend.

3. Seek temple and cultural venues hosting Panchavadyam and Chenda Melam programmes during Onam Week.

4. Catch a Thiruvathirakali evening—community auditoriums and public stages schedule performances through the festival.

Glossary: quick guide to key sounds

  • Chenda: stick-struck drum central to Kerala processions and melams.
  • Panchavadyam: five-instrument temple ensemble—timila, maddalam, ilathalam, idakka, kombu.
  • Thiruvathirakali / Thiruvathira pattu: women’s circle dance and songs performed during Onam season.
  • Vanchipattu: boat songs that set stroke and spirit for snake-boat crews.

RAAHEIN Gharana is an initiative by Shefali Khanna x Dear Sunshine Foundation dedicated to the dignity, equity, preservation, and evolution of 100+ Indian native and folk heritage instruments. Since 2020, the platform has walked with urban, rural, and tribal musicians to revive livelihoods and pride in regional legacies—upskilling 200+ musicians across India and creating audio-visual-digital assets that showcase their talent. The catalogue is available on Spotify, Apple Music, and Gaana under RAAHEIN GHARANA.

Listen with context, not just ears. Onam’s music is a bridge—from home rituals to river regattas, from ancient ensembles to new-age reinterpretations—keeping Kerala’s festival heart beating in time.

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