August 25, 2026

🌼 Common Onam Games in Kerala – Traditional Games, Rules & How to Organize Them

Onam games, traditionally known as Onakalikal (ഓണക്കളികൾ), are an important part of Kerala’s Onam celebrations. They bring together children, young people, adults, families and communities through fun, teamwork, friendly competition and cultural traditions.

Some games are played mainly by men, some traditionally by women, while many modern Onam games are suitable for everyone. Traditional village games have also been adapted for schools, colleges, offices, clubs, parishes, resident associations and Malayali communities abroad.

This resource can be used for an Onam celebration programme, school Onam event, college festival, office Onam celebration or community Onam gathering.

🌸 1. Vallam Kali – Snake Boat Race

Vallam Kali (വള്ളംകളി) is one of Kerala’s most spectacular traditional Onam-related events.

The most famous form involves long, narrow chundan vallams (snake boats) carrying large teams of rowers.

How it is played

Teams assemble their boats.
Rowers sit in organized rows.
A traditional boat-song rhythm helps coordinate the rowing.
The team rows together at maximum speed.
Boats race along a marked watercourse.
The first boat to reach the finish line wins.

Participants

Usually large teams of trained rowers.

Venue

Rivers, backwaters and specially prepared watercourses.

Special attraction

The synchronized rowing accompanied by Vallappattu (boat songs) creates one of Kerala’s most spectacular cultural sights.

Onam connection

Several famous boat races are held during the Onam season.

🌺 2. Uriyadi – Pot Breaking Game

Uriyadi (ഉറിയടി) is a popular festive game involving a suspended clay pot.

How to play

A clay pot is filled with water or small prizes.
The pot is suspended from a rope.
A participant is blindfolded.
The participant is given a stick.
Other players may distract or guide the participant.
The participant tries to locate and break the pot.

Winner

The person who successfully breaks the pot wins.

Safety

Use a lightweight pot or a safe substitute such as a paper or plastic container for children’s events.

🌿 3. Vadam Vali – Tug of War

Vadam Vali (വടംവലി) is probably the most widely recognized Onam game.

It is especially popular at:

Schools
Colleges
Offices
Churches
Clubs
Villages
Residential communities

How to play

Divide participants into two teams.
Give both teams a strong rope.
Mark a centre line.
Each team pulls the rope toward its side.
The team that pulls the opposing team beyond the designated line wins.

Recommended team size

Usually 6–12 players per team, depending on the available space.

What it develops

Teamwork
Strength
Coordination
Strategy
Team spirit

Safety tip

Use a strong, undamaged rope and conduct the game on a non-slippery surface.

🥄 4. Lemon and Spoon Race

A simple and entertaining game suitable for children and adults.

Equipment

Spoons
Lemons
Starting and finishing lines

Rules

Each player places a lemon on a spoon.
The spoon is held in the hand or, for a harder version, in the mouth.
Players race toward the finishing line.
If the lemon falls, the player must stop and replace it before continuing.
The first person to finish wins.

Best for

Children’s Onam celebrations and family events.

🌼 5. Musical Chairs

Musical Chairs is not uniquely Kerala, but it has become a very popular modern Onam programme game.

How to play

Arrange chairs in a circle.
Keep one fewer chair than the number of participants.
Play music.
Participants walk around the chairs.
Stop the music suddenly.
Everyone tries to sit.
The person without a chair is eliminated.
Remove another chair.
Continue until only two participants remain.
The final person seated wins.

Onam version

Use traditional Malayalam songs, Onam songs or festive instrumental music.

🌸 6. Malayali Musical Chairs

This is a fun variation of Musical Chairs designed specifically for an Onam celebration.

Instead of ordinary music, play:

Onam songs
Malayalam film songs
Folk songs
Chenda rhythms

Participants can also be asked to dance while moving around the chairs.

🌴 7. Thiruvathira Kali

Although Thiruvathira Kali is more accurately a traditional dance than a competitive game, it is an important part of many Kerala festive programmes.

Women traditionally perform the dance in a circle around a nilavilakku.

How it works

Participants stand in a circle.
Traditional songs are sung.
Dancers move rhythmically around the lamp.
Coordinated hand movements and steps accompany the songs.
The performance may continue through several songs.

Onam programmes

It is especially suitable for:

Women’s groups
Schools
Colleges
Cultural programmes
Community celebrations

🌺 8. Kummattikali

Kummattikali is a colorful traditional folk performance associated particularly with parts of Kerala.

Performers wear distinctive masks and costumes and move through communities.

Features

Colorful masks
Folk music
Dancing
Processions
Humorous performances

It can be incorporated into a modern Onam programme as a cultural performance or children’s costume activity.

🏃 9. Running Race

A simple running competition can easily be included in an Onam sports programme.

Rules

Mark a starting line.
Mark a finishing line.
Participants line up.
Give a clear starting signal.
The first participant to cross the finish line wins.

Tip

Separate age groups to make the competition fair and safe.

🥥 10. Coconut Race

A fun Onam-themed race using coconuts.

Version 1 – Coconut Rolling

Participants roll a coconut toward a marked target.

The person whose coconut reaches closest to the target wins.

Version 2 – Coconut Carrying

Participants carry a coconut from one point to another and return.

Version 3 – Coconut Balancing

Players balance a coconut on a plate or other safe surface while walking toward the finish line.

🍌 11. Banana Eating Competition

Bananas are strongly associated with Kerala cuisine, making this an easy festive game.

How to organize

Give each participant an equal-sized banana.
Announce a starting signal.
Participants eat their banana.
The first person to finish wins.

Important

Set clear rules about choking hazards and do not encourage participants to eat excessively quickly.

For children, a slower and supervised version is preferable.

🪣 12. Water-Filling Race

A highly entertaining team game for outdoor celebrations.

Equipment

Two buckets
Small cups
Water
Empty containers

How to play

Place a water-filled bucket at the starting point.
Place an empty bucket at the finishing point.
Players carry water using a small cup.
They transfer the water into the empty bucket.
They run back and pass the cup to the next teammate.
The team that fills its bucket first wins.

Best for

Outdoor Onam celebrations
Children
Youth groups
Family events

🥔 13. Potato Race

A simple individual race.

Equipment

Potatoes
Spoons
Marked race course

Rules

Participants place a potato on a spoon and race to the finish line without dropping it.

It can be adapted from the lemon-and-spoon race.

🎈 14. Balloon Bursting Competition

A lively modern Onam party game.

How to play

Give each participant a balloon.
Players must burst the balloon according to the announced rule.
The first participant to complete the task wins.

Variations

Sit on the balloon.
Burst balloons using hands.
Race to burst a specified number of balloons.
Team relay.

Safety

Do not use this game around very young children because broken balloons can present a choking hazard.

🥥 15. Coconut Shell Race

This is a traditional-style balance game that can be adapted for modern events.

Participants place their feet or objects on coconut-shell halves and attempt to move forward.

For public events, use safe wooden or plastic substitutes rather than sharp or unstable coconut shells.

🏺 16. Pot Balancing Race

Participants carry a lightweight pot while walking or running along a marked course.

Difficult version

Balance the pot on the head.

Safer children’s version

Carry the pot using both hands.

Winner

The first participant to reach the finish line without dropping the pot wins.

🏃 17. Sack Race

A classic group activity suitable for school and family Onam celebrations.

Rules

Each participant stands inside a sack.
Participants hold the top of the sack.
On the signal, they hop toward the finish line.
The first person to cross the line wins.

Safety

Use a flat grassy surface and avoid hard concrete.

🤝 18. Three-Legged Race

A fun teamwork game.

How to play

Pair participants.
Tie the left leg of one participant to the right leg of the other.
The pair must move together toward the finish line.
The first pair to finish wins.

Skills

Coordination
Communication
Cooperation
Balance

🎯 19. Ring Toss

A simple game suitable for all age groups.

Equipment

Rings
Bottles, cones or poles as targets

Rules

Players stand behind a marked line and throw rings toward targets.

Points can be awarded based on distance or target difficulty.

Example

Target	Points
Near	5
Medium	10
Far	20

The highest score wins.

🎯 20. Ball-in-the-Bucket

Place a bucket at a suitable distance.

Participants throw small balls into it.

Scoring

1 successful throw = 1 point
5 attempts per player
Highest score wins

This is particularly good for younger children.

🎈 21. Balloon Between the Knees Race

Participants place a balloon between their knees and move toward the finish line without dropping it.

Rules

No holding the balloon with hands.
If it falls, replace it before continuing.
First to finish wins.

A hilarious game for youth and adults.

🥄 22. Blindfold Treasure Hunt

A fun adaptation for school or family events.

How to play

Blindfold one participant.
Place safe objects around a defined area.
A teammate gives verbal instructions.
The blindfolded participant searches for the designated object.
The fastest successful team wins.

Safety

Use a controlled area without steps, vehicles, sharp objects or obstacles.

🧺 23. Treasure Hunt – Onam Edition

Create an Onam-themed treasure hunt.

Possible clues

Find a flower used for Pookkalam.
Find a banana leaf.
Find a coconut.
Find an Onam greeting card.
Find an item associated with Mahabali.
Find a traditional Kerala utensil.

Winner

The individual or team that completes all clues first.

🌺 24. Pookkalam Competition

Although primarily an art competition rather than a game, Pookkalam competition is one of the most popular Onam activities.

How to organize

Divide participants into teams.
Give each team a designated area.
Provide flowers or allow teams to collect them.
Give a fixed time, such as 60–90 minutes.
Teams create floral designs.
Judges evaluate the designs.

Judging criteria

Creativity
Colour combination
Symmetry
Traditional character
Neatness
Overall presentation

🎭 25. Onam Fancy Dress Competition

Children can dress as:

King Mahabali
Vamana
Kerala farmer
Traditional Kerala woman
Kathakali artist
Folk performer
Chenda artist
Various characters from Kerala folklore

Judging criteria

Costume
Creativity
Presentation
Knowledge of the character
Confidence

🎤 26. Onam Antakshari

A musical game using Malayalam songs.

Rules

Divide participants into teams.
Team A sings a song.
Team B must begin another song using the last letter/sound of the previous song.
Continue alternately.
A team loses a round if it cannot produce a suitable song within the allotted time.

Onam version

Use only:

Onam songs + Malayalam folk songs + traditional songs

🎵 27. Identify the Onam Song

Play a short portion of an Onam song.

Participants must identify:

Song title
Singer
Film, if applicable
Traditional source, if applicable

Scoring

1 point – Song title

1 point – Singer

1 bonus point – Film/source

🧠 28. Onam Quiz

A quiz can be organized around:

Onam history
Mahabali
Vamana
Kerala culture
Onam Sadya
Pookkalam
Vallam Kali
Malayalam literature
Traditional games

Recommended format

10–50 questions

Teams can compete for the highest score.

🎭 29. Onam Charades

One participant acts without speaking while the team guesses the word.

Suggested words

Mahabali
Vamana
Pookkalam
Vallam Kali
Thiruvathira
Sadya
Chenda
Kathakali
Coconut
Banana
Onam

This is particularly entertaining for youth groups.

😂 30. Onam Dumb Charades – Malayalam Edition

Use Malayalam films, actors, songs, places or traditional activities.

Participants must communicate only through gestures.

🪑 31. Chair Relay

Teams compete in a relay using chairs.

Participants must move between designated points according to the rules announced by the organizer.

This can be adapted for indoor halls.

🏃 32. Onam Relay Race

Divide participants into teams.

Each participant completes one section of the course and passes an object—such as a small Kerala-style decorative item—to the next teammate.

Possible relay stages

Running
Lemon-and-spoon
Sack race
Ball throwing
Water filling

This creates an exciting Onam Sports Relay.

🥥 33. Coconut Throwing / Target Game

Place a safe target at a distance.

Participants throw a coconut or, preferably, a soft substitute ball toward the target.

Award points according to accuracy.

For children’s events, use lightweight balls rather than real coconuts.

🏹 34. Target Shooting – Safe Version

A traditional-style target game can be recreated using:

Soft balls
Foam darts
Velcro targets

Avoid sharp projectiles.

Scoring

10 points for the centre
5 points for the middle
2 points for the outer ring

🏃 35. Obstacle Race

Create a simple course containing:

Cones
Hoops
Small hurdles
Zigzag sections
Ball carrying
Crawling sections

Participants must complete the course as quickly as possible.

This is particularly suitable for school and youth Onam celebrations.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 36. Family Relay

Create teams consisting of different generations.

For example:

Grandparent + parent + child + young adult

Each person completes one stage.

This is an excellent way to emphasize the family and community spirit of Onam.

🎁 37. Pass the Parcel – Onam Edition

Wrap a small prize in multiple layers.

Play Onam songs.

Participants pass the parcel while the music plays.

When the music stops, the person holding it removes one layer.

Continue until the final prize is revealed.

Add Onam challenges

Each layer can contain a task:

Sing an Onam song.
Say an Onam greeting.
Name three Sadya dishes.
Tell one fact about Mahabali.
Perform a Kerala dance step.

🥥 38. Guess the Onam Ingredient

Place ingredients in covered containers.

Participants identify them by:

Touch
Smell
Taste, if appropriate

Possible ingredients

Coconut
Jaggery
Cardamom
Banana
Rice
Green gram
Pepper
Ginger

🍛 39. Identify the Sadya Dish

Show photographs or actual dishes and ask participants to identify them.

Possible dishes include:

Avial
Sambar
Thoran
Olan
Kalan
Pachadi
Kichadi
Erissery
Inji Curry
Parippu
Payasam

This is particularly useful for children and Malayalis living outside Kerala who want to learn about traditional cuisine.

🎯 40. Onam Bingo

Create bingo cards containing Onam-related words.

Example words

The caller announces the words randomly.

The first person to complete the required pattern wins.

🌍 Onam Games for Malayalis Abroad

Onam celebrations outside Kerala can easily adapt these games.

Indoor-friendly choices

Onam Quiz
Onam Antakshari
Musical Chairs
Onam Bingo
Charades
Pass the Parcel
Identify the Sadya Dish
Pookkalam Competition
Fancy Dress
Lemon-and-Spoon Race

Outdoor choices

Tug of War
Relay Race
Sack Race
Three-Legged Race
Water-Filling Race
Ball Games
Treasure Hunt

This allows Malayali associations, churches, cultural organizations and community groups to celebrate Onam even without access to traditional Kerala village settings.

🏆 Suggested Onam Games Programme

For a 2–3 hour Onam celebration, the following combination works well:

No.	Game	Category	Approx. Time
1	Lemon & Spoon	Children	10 min
2	Sack Race	Children	10 min
3	Musical Chairs	All	15 min
4	Three-Legged Race	Families	10 min
5	Pookkalam Competition	Teams	30–45 min
6	Onam Quiz	Teams	15 min
7	Uriyadi	Youth/Adults	15 min
8	Tug of War	Teams	15 min
9	Onam Antakshari	All	15 min
10	Prize Distribution	All	15 min

🥇 Suggested Prize Categories

Instead of awarding prizes only to winners, create several categories:

🏆 Overall Champion
🥇 First Prize
🥈 Second Prize
🥉 Third Prize
🌟 Best Team Spirit
😊 Most Enthusiastic Participant
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Best Family Team
🎨 Best Pookkalam
🎭 Best Costume
🎤 Best Performer
🤝 Best Sportsmanship

This makes the celebration more inclusive.

🛡️ Safety Guidelines for Onam Games

Safety should always come before competition.

Before starting

Inspect the playing area.
Remove slippery surfaces and obstacles.
Keep drinking water available.
Provide adequate space between activities.
Explain rules clearly.
Have adults supervise children’s games.

For Tug of War

Use a strong rope.
Do not wrap the rope around hands, wrists or body.
Stop immediately if someone falls.

For Uriyadi

Use safe, lightweight pots.
Keep spectators at a safe distance.
Never use sharp or dangerous objects.

For Water Games

Avoid slippery floors.
Keep electrical equipment away from water.

For Children

Choose age-appropriate games and avoid activities involving sharp objects, heavy objects or unsafe heights.

🌼 Traditional Onam Games vs. Modern Onam Games

Traditional / Kerala Games	Modern / Adapted Games
Vallam Kali	Musical Chairs
Uriyadi	Balloon Games
Vadam Vali	Lemon & Spoon
Thiruvathira Kali	Pass the Parcel
Kummattikali	Onam Bingo
Traditional folk games	Quiz
Coconut games	Treasure Hunt
Village sports	Charades

The ideal Onam programme combines traditional Kerala activities with modern games so that children and young people can enjoy the celebration while learning about Kerala’s cultural heritage.

❤️ The Spirit Behind Onam Games

Onam games are not merely competitions.

They encourage:

Friendship
Teamwork
Physical activity
Creativity
Laughter
Family participation
Community spirit
Cultural awareness

The true winner of an Onam celebration is not necessarily the person who receives the biggest prize.

It is the person who helps create joy, friendship and togetherness.

🌺 Conclusion

From the powerful Vadam Vali to the excitement of Uriyadi, the beauty of Pookkalam competitions, the rhythm of Thiruvathira, the spectacle of Vallam Kali, and the laughter of modern family games, Onam provides countless opportunities for people to celebrate together.

Whether the celebration takes place in a Kerala village, school, college, parish, office, residential community or Malayali association abroad, games can make the festival more joyful and inclusive.