Kerala September 2025 Holidays: 10-Day Onam Celebration for Schools

Kerala, not so fondly referred to as God's Own Country, is entering September 2025 with a festive mood and a holiday calendar that resembles one entire celebration. For the residents, the first week of the month is more about rest and less about routine, food, and festivities.

A String of Holidays

If you’ve got official paperwork or bank errands lined up for the week, it’s better to pause those plans until next Monday. Between Onam and Milad-i-Sherif, the state is all set for a rare holiday streak.

September 4 – First Onam (Thursday): The celebrations start here. With government offices and banks closed, households will be busy creating floral carpets, or pookalams, to welcome the festival.

September 5 – Thiruvonam and Milad-i-Sherif (Friday): The largest day of the week. Thiruvonam, the most sacred day of the Onam festival, coincides with Milad-i-Sherif, which is the Prophet Muhammad's birthday. Virtually the whole state will close down for the day. Families will come together for the traditional Onasadya, the elaborate vegetarian meal on banana leaves, while others mark prayers and contemplation.

September 6 – Third Onam (Avittom, Saturday): Two holidays on the trot weren't enough, it seems. Avittom extends the festive spirit into the weekend. Banks and government offices will be closed, providing one more day of leisure for all after the feast and celebrations.

By all appearances, official business in Kerala will basically come to a halt after Wednesday night, leaving citizens to bask in the long weekend atmosphere.

Students Rejoice

While adults are relishing a long weekend, school children are the actual beneficiaries. Students finished their exams on August 27 and stepped directly into a 10-day break. The state government, led by Education Minister V. Sivankutty, has assured that there will not be any cut or alteration in the holiday calendar.

This leaves children free until Monday, September 8. That's ten whole days of sleeping in late, playing in the monsoon rains, going to see family members, or simply having unstructured time at home—much to the pleasure (and mild aggravation) of their parents.

A Season of Celebration

With this unusual coincidence of holidays, Kerala is entering a season of unity, celebration, and cultural identity. As official work remains on the back burner, homes, temples, and neighborhoods come alive with merriment. Whether it's the grand pookalams, the grand feasts, or the family reunions, the Onam spirit makes the early days of September all about community and minimal routine. In short, Kerala is completely in festive spirit, and the rest of the state can wait until the festivities subside.

Also read: Bank Holidays This Week Sep 1-7: Check Statewise Closures!