Onam 2026 in Kollam: Events, Puja & Where to Celebrate

TL;DR 🌸

• Onam season in Kollam runs through August and into September, with a packed calendar of ritual observances 📅
• Major temples like Puttingal Devi Temple and Sree Saravana Temple anchor the festival puja circuit 🪔
• Purnima on August 28, Krishna Janmashtami on September 4, and Ganesh Chaturthi on September 14 form key markers in the seasonal calendar 🐘
• Thiruvonam celebrations are community-wide events — sadya, pookkalam, and vallamkali are all part of the season 🎊

Onam Season: The Rhythm of the Festival

Onam is not a single day — it is a season. In Kollam, as across Kerala, the ten days leading up to Thiruvonam transform the pace and texture of daily life. Markets fill with fresh flowers for pookalams, homes are swept and decorated, and temple footfall rises steadily through the final days of Chingam.

In 2026, the Onam season overlaps with an unusually rich run of observances. Nag Panchami falls on August 17, a day when serpent deities are venerated across temples. Purnima arrives on August 28, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan — a double auspicious marker. Sankashti Chaturthi on September 1 and Krishna Janmashtami on September 4 follow in quick succession. Ganesh Chaturthi on September 14 closes this extraordinary cluster, making the weeks from mid-August through mid-September one of the busiest ritual periods in the annual calendar.

Ekadashi observances on August 9 and August 23 punctuate the early and middle portions of the season, with Pradosh Vrat on August 26 adding another Shiva-centred day of fasting for observant families. Amavasya on August 12 is the day set aside for ancestral rites, with offerings made at river banks and ponds.

Temples for Onam Puja in Kollam

Kollam's temple landscape covers an enormous geographic range, from the coast at Eravipuram to the waterways of Munroe Island. For Onam puja specifically, families tend to visit the temple most associated with their kula devam — family deity — as well as the larger temples that organize public festivities.

Puttingal Devi Temple is one of the most significant in the district. Dedicated to the goddess and drawing large crowds during festival periods, this temple is deeply embedded in local religious life. Any Onam celebration in the area will be oriented around its puja schedule.

Sree Saravana Temple (Murugan Temple), located on Eravipuram - Pallimukku Road, is a major destination for Murugan devotees. The Onam season typically sees expanded puja schedules and special abishekam at temples of this stature, and footfall builds steadily through the ten days of Onam.

Thamarakkulam Ganapathy Temple on Thamarakkulam Road holds particular relevance as Ganesh Chaturthi approaches on September 14. In the weeks around Onam and heading toward Chaturthi, Ganapathy temples in Kollam see a significant uptick in puja bookings and daily aarti attendance.

Siva Parvathi Temple on Kappil HS Road and Koduvila Mahadeva Temple on MUNROEISLAND-CHITTUMALA RD offer Shiva-centred observances that align with the Pradosh Vrat dates — August 26 and September 9 in 2026 — making these important stops in the seasonal puja circuit.

For devotees of Vishnu, Sree Mahavishnu Temple at Umayanaloor Gurumandiram Road in Kottiyam and Mukhathala sree krishnaswamy temple in Mukhathala both hold special pujas through the Ekadashi observances that punctuate the season. Families following strict Ekadashi fasting will visit Vaishnava temples on August 9, August 23, September 7, and September 22.

PuthanKulagara Temple in Puthankulagara, reachable at +918129902991, serves its local community and can be contacted directly for festival-period puja timings. Along the Munroe Island waterways, mulachanthara devi temple and bhuvaneshwari temple in mundrothuruth offer quieter settings for those who prefer less crowded observances.

Sadya, Pookkalam, and the Community Dimension

Beyond temple visits, Onam in Kollam plays out in homes, school grounds, and public spaces. The pookkalam — the flower carpet arranged in concentric rings — is assembled over the ten days of Onam, with a fresh layer added each morning. Families compete informally with neighbours to produce the most elaborate designs, and schools organize formal competitions that draw entries from every class.

The Onam sadya is the centrepiece of the domestic celebration: a multi-course vegetarian meal served on a banana leaf, with payasam in at least two or three varieties. Families in Kollam take the sadya seriously. The number of dishes, the sequence in which they are served, and the specific payasam recipes are all points of family pride and local tradition passed from one generation to the next.

Thiruvonam day itself is the culmination. In Kollam district, vallamkali — snake boat races — are among the most spectacular expressions of the festival. Public spaces along the backwaters fill with spectators, and the atmosphere in the city on Thiruvonam morning carries a collective energy unlike any other day in the year. Families who have not attended a snake boat race should put it on the list for 2026.

The Supporting Calendar: Ekadashi, Pradosh, and Amavasya

For families who observe the full ritual calendar, the weeks around Onam are particularly demanding of time and planning. The Ekadashi fasts — on August 9 and August 23 — require temple visits and specific food observances. Pradosh Vrat on August 26 is dedicated to Shiva and draws devotees to Shiva temples like Siva Parvathi Temple and Koduvila Mahadeva Temple in the early evening hours.

Amavasya on August 12 is observed as a day for ancestral rites. Families make offerings at river banks, ponds, or specific temples associated with pitru worship. In Kollam's coastal and backwater geography, this often means early morning visits to the shore before the heat of the day.

Managing these observances while also preparing for Onam — buying new clothes, organizing sadya ingredients, arranging for pookkalam flowers — is the practical challenge of the season. Flower vendors begin filling the markets well before the ten-day stretch begins, and by the time Atham arrives, the best varieties are already commanding premium prices.

Insider Tip: For Thiruvonam sadya, book a table at a reputed hotel or Kudumbasree collective in advance — the best sadya venues in Kollam fill up days before the festival. If you are making sadya at home, buy your raw banana and yam at least two days before Thiruvonam, as market supplies tighten dramatically in the final 48 hours before the feast day.

FAQ

What is the date of Thiruvonam in 2026? The precise date of Thiruvonam is determined by the Malayalam almanac and the position of the Thiruvonam nakshatra in the month of Chingam. Consult the current panchangam for the confirmed date in 2026.

Which temples in Kollam are most important for Onam puja? Puttingal Devi Temple, Thamarakkulam Ganapathy Temple, and Sree Saravana Temple are among the most significant for festival-season puja. The temple associated with your family deity is the primary destination.

Is Onam a religious or cultural festival? In Kerala, Onam occupies both spaces simultaneously. It is the state harvest festival and marks the mythological return of Mahabali, observed by Keralites of all faiths with cultural enthusiasm. The temple-centred puja dimension is observed by Hindu families specifically.

What are the main activities during the ten days of Onam? Pookkalam assembly each morning, daily temple visits, cultural programs in schools and community spaces, and the grand Thiruvonam sadya are the core activities. In coastal and backwater areas, snake boat races are a major additional spectacle that draws crowds from across the district and beyond.

Bottom Line

Onam in Kollam in 2026 falls within a remarkably concentrated festival window, with Nag Panchami, Purnima, Krishna Janmashtami, and Ganesh Chaturthi all within a few weeks of Thiruvonam. Planning your temple circuit in advance — particularly around Puttingal Devi Temple, Thamarakkulam Ganapathy Temple, and Sree Saravana Temple — and booking sadya arrangements early will let you move through the season without the last-minute scramble that catches many families off guard each year.