Kerala celebrates Onam with cultural events and early pension payouts

Kerala is celebrating the Thiruvonam climax of the ten-day Onam harvest festival. Despite yellow alerts from the India Meteorological Department forecasting heavy rain in several districts, festive preparations continue. Communities are engaging in traditional customs such as buying 'Onakkodi' (new clothes) and preparing the 'Onam Sadya' feast.

In Thiruvananthapuram, the Department of Tourism is hosting celebrations at Kanakakkunnu Palace. The event integrates traditional arts with modern elements, including a startup exhibition curated by the Kerala Startup Mission. The festivities are scheduled to culminate on August 30 with a grand procession of over 100 folk art forms.

To support the festivities, the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) released August pensions early for 440,901 beneficiaries in the Kerala zone. This early disbursement via the Centralised Pension Payment System aims to assist families with the increased financial demands of the holiday season.