Fifth Day Of Onam 2025: Anizham Marks Kerala’s Iconic Vallamkali Festival With Music And Community Pride

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The ten days of Onam unfold like a grand story, each day carrying its own meaning and traditions. By the time the fifth day arrives, the atmosphere is charged with anticipation. Known as Anizham, this day holds a special place in Kerala's cultural calendar, for it is closely tied to one of the most thrilling spectacles of the festival - the Vallamkali, or snake boat race.

Photo Credit: https://www.instagram.com/harshalnikale

What Is Anizham?

Anizham is the fifth day of the Onam festival, coming after Atham, Chithira, Chodhi, and Vishakam. Like all days of Onam, families continue to decorate their courtyards with pookalam (floral carpets), which grow in size and detail as the days progress. Yet, Anizham stands out because it goes beyond flowers and home rituals, spilling into the riversides of Kerala with the grandeur of the snake boat race.

The Vallamkali Tradition

The word Vallamkali translates to "boat game," but the name hardly does justice to its scale and spirit. These are not ordinary boats but long, narrow, and beautifully crafted wooden vessels, sometimes stretching over 100 feet, known as chundan vallams (snake boats). With raised sterns that resemble a snake's hood, they can carry over a hundred oarsmen at once.

Anizham is the day when the practice sessions and trial races officially begin, paving the way for the grand boat races that follow in the Onam season. Rivers, especially the Pamba near Aranmula, come alive with the rhythmic splash of oars as men row in perfect harmony, guided by the beats of traditional songs. At Anizham, while practice sessions and trial races bring excitement to rivers across Kerala, nothing captures the public imagination quite like the Nehru Trophy Boat Race.

The 71st Nehru Trophy Boat Race

Among the many snake boat races that animate Kerala's rivers during Onam, the Nehru Trophy Boat Race in Alappuzha holds a special place. This year, the 71st edition of the race brought together 21 chundan vallams, each gliding across Punnamada Lake in a dazzling display of skill, rhythm, and teamwork. The tradition of Vallamkali dates back centuries, originally held to honour local kings and deities, and has evolved into a vibrant celebration of community pride. More than a competition, the race embodies Kerala's communal spirit, with villages cheering from the banks, rhythmic Vanchipattu filling the air, and the energy of the festival flowing from river to river. It is a vivid reminder that Onam's celebrations extend far beyond homes, reaching the heart of Kerala's waterways.

Songs That Guide The Oars

The energy of Vallamkali is not just in the physical power of the oarsmen but in their rhythm, maintained by the Vanchipattu - traditional boat songs sung during the race. These songs, performed by a group leader and echoed by the rowers, serve as both a unifying chant and a source of motivation. The sound of hundreds of voices rising and falling together merges with the river's splash, creating a spectacle that is as musical as it is athletic.

Community, Celebration, And Unity

While Vallamkali is a competition, it is much more than a race. It is a celebration of teamwork and community spirit. Entire villages come together to support their boats, cheer from the riverbanks, and prepare festive meals for participants. Men who row often consider it a matter of honour, representing not just themselves but their community's pride.

The sight of decorated boats gliding across the river, accompanied by cheering crowds and traditional percussion instruments, transforms Anizham into a festival within a festival. It captures Kerala's cultural essence - vibrant, collective, and deeply rooted in tradition.

Pookalam And Festive Build-Up

Even as Vallamkali dominates the day, homes continue with their Onam traditions. The pookalam, which began modestly on Atham, becomes more intricate by Anizham. Families add new layers of flowers, symbolising prosperity and the welcome for King Mahabali, whose visit Onam commemorates. The day also sees gatherings, music, and dance, reflecting the festival's growing momentum as Thiruvonam approaches.

Why Anizham Matters

Anizham marks the shift from quiet anticipation to collective celebration, when the energy of Onam bursts into the public sphere. The Vallamkali that begins on this day has become a cultural symbol of Kerala, drawing spectators from around the world.

The unity of oarsmen rowing in synchrony represents harmony, resilience, and Kerala's bond with its rivers. It is a reminder that Onam is not only about rituals at home but also about shared experiences that bind communities together.

As the oars slice through Kerala's rivers on Anizham, the festival of Onam gains a new pulse. The snake boat race embodies the collective strength and cultural pride of Kerala, turning rivers into stages of tradition, music, and festivity. Alongside the growing floral carpets and feasts at home, Anizham ensures that the festival's heart beats both within families and across entire communities.

This fifth day is where Onam truly begins to flow outward, carrying the joy of the season along the waterways of Kerala.