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What is Onam and why is it celebrated?

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Onam is a Hindu harvest festival that marks the Malayali New Year and is primarily observed in the southwestern Indian state of Kerala. It is observed in the Malayali month of Chingam, which falls in August and September. Onam celebrates the brief annual return of King Mahabali, the legendary asura king of Kerala. It is also a holiday of thankfulness for the harvest.

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